Angad Soni is the founder of Sepoy & Co., an Indian premium mixer brand built to place homegrown beverages alongside the best names on global shelves. The company’s identity is rooted in craft, balance, and a distinctly Indian point of view. Its story draws inspiration from tonic water’s historical connection with India, where quinine, soda water, and sugar were combined before the drink found its now-iconic pairing with gin. Under Soni’s leadership, Sepoy & Co. has focused on creating internationally competitive mixers rather than simply following established global labels. The brand says it became the first Indian mixer company to win international taste awards. This milestone strengthened its ambition to represent India in a category long dominated by overseas players. That journey reached a wider audience when Soni presented Sepoy & Co. on Shark Tank India Season 5. Standing before the Sharks, he introduced not just a beverage business, but a larger vision for Indian craftsmanship, premium drinking experiences, and global recognition. In this feature, Angad Soni shares what it takes to build a differentiated consumer brand, earn credibility through product quality, challenge an established category, and stay committed to a global ambition while remaining unmistakably Indian today.

Source: Sepoy & Co.

What gap did you identify, and how has the opportunity evolved?

- India had world-class gin and nothing worthy to mix it with; People were bringing tonics back from Europe in their luggage. 

- Built on three principles from day one: all-natural ingredients, low calorie, and the highest production standards.

- The opportunity has grown well beyond gin. Premium lemonades, sparkling mineral water, and ginger ales have all found audiences that go beyond spirits, the at-home consumer, the moderation-led drinker, and the speciality coffee crowd.

What has changed in how Asian consumers understand the mixer?

- Consumers now understand the mixer is 70% of what is in the glass. They are reading labels, asking bartenders and making active choices.

- India is not drinking less. Premiumisation is the dominant behaviour; people are trading up across every category, and the mixer is no longer exempt.

Source: Angad Soni

How important are ingredient provenance and transparency?

- It is entirely central to what Sepoy stands for.

- The water source is the Himalayan foothills of Uttarakhand. Every ingredient is natural, every flavour derived from real botanicals. No artificial flavours, no preservatives.

- When a consumer reads the Sepoy label, the ingredients tell the story. That is the brand's most powerful sales tool.

How do you balance premium positioning with broader retail accessibility?

- The positioning has never compromised on quality. The range is designed to serve multiple occasions without changing what the product is.

- Accessibility comes through distribution and channel strategy. Available on quick commerce, modern trade, general trade, D2C and premium HoReCa, the brand meets the consumer wherever they are.

How do you create flavours that appeal across India's diverse regional palates?

- The core range travels well across regions because it is built on universally understood flavour profiles done exceptionally well.

- The innovation range is more adventurous and finds its audience in metro markets first before expanding.

- The strategy is to build ahead of the curve. Sepoy built premium lemonades before the category existed. Yuzu Jalapeño Soda and Pink Grapefruit Soda anticipated the agave wave before it peaked in India, and our lemonade range is ready for Vodka to make its comeback. That pattern of anticipation is the core competitive moat.

Source: Sepoy & Co. 

How is the highball trend influencing mixer development?

- A great highball demands a great mixer. The spirit is significantly diluted, and the mixer carries much of the flavour, carbonation and finish. A mass market tonic does not perform at the level that Sepoy and Co. does. 

- The trend is expanding premium mixer occasions beyond the classic G&T into whisky highballs, vodka highballs and non-alcoholic long serves. Every new highball occasion is a new reason to reach for Sepoy.

How closely does Sepoy collaborate with bartenders and beverage professionals?

- Bartenders are among the most important validators of the product. Sepoy works with both established names in the industry and up-and-coming bartenders. Stock is regularly sent to bartending schools for practice and training, tasting sessions are hosted regularly, and the brand is involved in the industry from the ground up.

- These are bartenders who then show up at Sepoy events, speak about the products from genuine experience and become natural spokespeople for the brand. That word of mouth from a bartender to a guest at an event is more powerful than any campaign.

- New products are tested in real bar environments before launch. Feedback from beverage professionals shapes carbonation levels, flavour balance and recommended serves.

- When the best bars and hotels in India choose Sepoy as their house mixer, it signals to the home consumer that this is the standard worth matching.

What are hospitality buyers looking for beyond flavour?

- Consistency is the most important thing; a bartender building a signature serve needs to know every bottle performs identically.

- Packaging matters enormously- the Sepoy bottle is designed to be seen on the bar and makes the upsell easier for the bartender.

- Reliable supply, operational simplicity and margins round out the conversation.

Source: Sepoy & Co.

How different are the challenges of HoReCa versus retail and e-commerce?

- In HoReCa, the product needs to earn the trust of a professional. The conversation is about flavour, consistency, serve quality and the story they can tell their guests.

- In retail, the consumer decides in seconds. The bottle, the label and the price point all have to communicate premium quality instantly.

- Quick commerce has been a significant growth driver, reaching the at-home consumer at the exact moment of intent.

What will define the next chapter of Asia's premium mixer category?

- The normalisation of mixing culture beyond spirits. Coffee tonics, wellness serves, food pairings- the mixer becomes a kitchen staple, not just a bar staple.

- The rise of the sophisticated non-alcoholic consumer who demands the same complexity in their glass as a spirits drinker.

- India and Asia are establishing themselves as credible sources of world-class premium beverages, rather than simply importing that standard from Europe.

- Sepoy's ambition is to be the definitive Indian mixer on international shelves, competing alongside the world's best.

Sepoy & Co.’s journey reflects the rapid evolution of India’s premium beverage market. What began as an effort to create a world-class tonic for Indian gin has grown into a broader portfolio serving at-home consumers, bartenders, moderation-led drinkers, and hospitality buyers. With natural ingredients, Himalayan water, thoughtful flavour innovation, and strong professional partnerships, the brand has built credibility across retail and HoReCa. As mixers move beyond spirits into coffee, wellness serves, and non-alcoholic occasions, Angad Soni’s ambition remains clear: to establish Sepoy & Co. as the definitive Indian premium mixer brand, competing confidently with the world’s best.

Header image source: Sepoy & Co.

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