Ever tasted childhood in a bottle?

That’s exactly what Paperboat has been serving up since its inception. From aam panna to jaljeera, this homegrown brand has been blending nostalgia with modern marketing to carve out a unique place in the Indian beverage market.

Paperboat isn’t just about sentimental sips—it’s a business powerhouse with a growth playbook that every D2C brand can learn from. From tackling supply chain challenges to leveraging social media storytelling, they’ve done it all with flair.

Let’s dive into their growth playbook, one sip at a time.

It All Began With A Sip Of Nostalgia!

The idea for Paperboat sparked during a brainstorming session when Suhas Misra brought homemade aam panna. That sip triggered a conversation with fellow co-founders Neeraj Kakkar, James Nuttall, and Neeraj Biyani, and the concept of commercialising ethnic Indian drinks was born.

Hector Beverages, the parent company, was initially focused on energy and protein drinks like Tzinga and Frissia, but the launch of Paperboat in 2013 shifted their strategy entirely.

The goal? To revive India’s traditional beverages and make them as accessible as any cola or packaged juice.

The Nostalgia Ride Helped Paperboat Make Millions! 

Paperboat’s growth has been as refreshing as its drinks:

💠 INR 585 Cr revenue in FY24

💠 1400% growth in dry fruit sales

💠 3X jump in social sales following regional expansion campaigns

💠 15% offline sales growth during festive season

The Supply Chain That Makes It Work 🚚 

Making nostalgia scalable isn’t easy, but Paperboat nailed it with smart supply chain strategies.

The Challenge

Initially, Paperboat relied on manual tools like spreadsheets for order processing and inventory management. This siloed approach led to issues such as:

❇️ High labeling errors (45%), causing shipment mix-ups

❇️ Limited visibility across marketplaces, leading to missed revenue opportunities

❇️ Return rates exceeding 5%

The Game-Changer: A Partnership With EasyEcom

In 2021, Paperboat partnered with EasyEcom, an AI-driven order management system, to streamline operations. The results were game-changing:

🔥 Order processing accuracy hit an impressive 99.8%

🔥 Returns dropped to 2.5% within 28 days, thanks to automated reconciliation tools

🔥 Inventory management became 70% more efficient, enabling faster data retrieval and stock updates

🔥 Integration with Amazon and Flipkart seller models led to an 81.4% ROI jump

How Paperboat Engages Customers, One Sip At A Time!

Paperboat’s secret weapon? Storytelling. The brand sells memories, literally.

Social Media Magic

With around 200K Instagram followers, Paperboat’s whimsical, illustration-heavy posts celebrate childhood games, traditions, and festivals, and their posts do go viral.

Iconic Packaging

Their doypacks are as memorable as their drinks. Inspired by NASA’s astronaut-grade beverage packaging, Paperboat’s designs evoke nostalgia and are easy to spot on store shelves.

Content Marketing

From publishing reprints of The Jungle Book to launching Half Pants Full Pants—a book celebrating childhood memories—Paperboat extends its storytelling beyond ads.

Ads That Strike A Chord

Their ad campaigns, narrated by legends like Gulzar and written by lyricists like Swanand Kirkire, are cinematic experiences that make you relive your childhood.

A Deeper Dive Into Paperboat’s Playbook For Sustainability

Product Diversification

Paperboat isn’t just about drinks anymore. Their dry fruit category saw a 1400% sales spike in FY22-23, proving their ability to extend nostalgia beyond beverages.

High-Performing SKUs

By focusing on an 80% high-performing inventory load, they’ve ensured their shelves are always stocked with customer favorites.

Regional Expansions

Localised campaigns have ramped up distribution in general trade, leading to a 3X jump in social sales.

So, which flavor takes you down memory lane?