Last weekend, we were chilling at a friend’s place—your classic bachelor pad, where cold water is rare enough to be considered a luxury!
But hold up—our host casually offered Margaritas. Wait, what?
While a few of us shared an ‘aha’ moment, others wondered when this guy became a mixologist!
That’s when we spotted the empty Jimmy’s Cocktails bottles on the kitchen counter.
And it hit us—Jimmy’s had clearly done something right with their products!
Needless to say, our fridges are now stocked with a few of Jimmy’s mixers.
So, let’s break down what makes Jimmy’s Cocktails a star! 👇
Well, Alcohol Nudges The Brain!
Ankur Bhatia was on a bar-hopping spree in Mumbai when he had an epiphany—cocktails were always the stars of the show, regardless of whether the bar was high-end or laid-back. The only variable? Quality!
Ankur’s curiosity piqued, and he dived deep into the numbers:
🔷 75% of alcohol consumed in India happens at home
🔷 30% of top bars’ revenue comes from cocktails
🔷 Only 3,000 of India’s 30,000 licensed establishments serve cocktails
But that wasn’t all. The non-alcoholic beverage market was projected to hit INR 1,13,152 Cr by 2027, growing at an 18.69% CAGR. Clearly, there was a gap!
Inspired, Ankur aimed to create non-alcoholic beverages that doubled as cocktail mixers—a tricky sweet spot but a massive opportunity.
A year later, Ankur put his entrepreneurial hat back on (he had previously co-founded mensxp.com which is now a part of Times Internet Limited now), and launched Jimmy’s Cocktails in 2019.
‘Jimmy’ because ‘Jack’, ‘Jim’ & ‘Johnnie’ were already taken!
The Goals?
Elevate the at-home drinking game!
Picture this: a cocktail that would typically burn a INR 700 hole in your pocket at a bar can now be mixed right at home for just INR 99. Yes!
Was The Growth Of Jimmy’s Cocktails Tipsy?
Hell no!
When Jimmy’s made an entry into the space, CocaCola-owned Schweppes literally owned the mixers space. Their ginger-ale and tonic water were available in almost all retail stores.
So, Jimmy’s changed the feel of mixers. They entered the market with classic yet bold flavours – Bloody Mary, Cosmopolitan, Mango Chilli Mojito, Margarita, and Sex on the Beach.
And, what response!
The brand clocked INR 7.3 Cr in just 7 months of sales in FY20, and multiplied that to ~ INR 24 Cr in the following fiscal.
In just 2 years, Jimmy’s took the centre stage in liquor marts and retail stores, pushing Schweppes to the bottom shelf.
In FY23, Jimmy’s clocked INR 35 Cr in revenue!
We Know You’ve Been Waiting For The Growth Deep Dive!
Jimmy’s was betting big on convenience, affordability, and flavour craftsmanship, but it had to change consumer mindset to thrive on its USP.
And this would have happened only if consumers fell in love with their beverages!
The Right Mix Of People & Ingredients
It all starts with sourcing premium ingredients from around the globe—like cranberries from Denmark for their Cosmopolitan and Alphonso mangoes for their Mango Chilli Mojito.
“Our mixers are low-calorie and free from artificial sweeteners, thanks to the quality of our ingredients,” Ankur told Inc42.
With renowned mixologist and owner of Delhi-based bar Sidecar, Yangdup Lama on board, Jimmy’s has perfected the art of deconstructing complex, bartender-level flavours into bottled mixers.
Plus, with their Nashik-based plant handling everything from manufacturing to bottling, they’ve got the entire supply chain locked down!
Today, Jimmy’s has taken almost an 85% share in its category.
Pivot-Ready Mentality
An offline-first brand, Jimmy’s nailed revenue numbers in the first year.
But then the pandemic hit in early 2020, and Ankur pivoted Jimmy’s to a D2C model, literally overnight.
In August 2020, they had become an online-first brand, launching and selling from their own website. Before long, Jimmy’s was selling in 400 cities across India.
The result? A surge in brand awareness and an expansion that exceeded expectations, as Jimmy’s became the go-to for at-home cocktail enthusiasts.
A pandemic favour, no?
Supply Chain On The Rocks?
Each month, around 640,000 bottles are manufactured at the Jimmy’s plant near Nasik and then transported to warehouses in Gurugram, Nasik and Bengaluru.
From there, the mixers are distributed to retailers and customers through online and offline channels.
What a logistical nightmare!
“Ours is an impulse-buying category where fast delivery is critical to the business. A little delay may result in cancellation, given the nature of the product,” said Ankur.
They initially partnered with local courier companies for their pan-India distribution. However, reaching delivery destinations became a challenge, and breakage was starting to take a toll on profits.
So, Jimmy’s partnered with a 3P Logistics partner which helps them with product transport, distribution, warehouse optimisation, and LMD.
As a result, Jimmy’s was able to reduce TAT by 30%, minimise product damages, and keep a pulse on MRP.
What Do We Think?
To be honest, there’s nothing unique about the growth story of Jimmy’s. But one thing that you should note is how they always do the right thing at the right time.
While competitors like Swizzle and Stirred are trying to find ground, Jimmy’s is continuing to grow fast and will most likely break even in the next couple of years, provided it doesn’t do a major pivot again (pun intended!)
We sure will keep an eye on Jimmy’s Cocktails.