India has witnessed a big tilt in the ready-to-drink (RTD) beverage segment. Once relegated to the grab-and-go convenience of a convenience-store fridge, sipped-in- the-moment beverage choice, it has matured into a more sophisticated and health- forward (and sometimes moist-indulgent) arena. We mean bottled cocktails, craft sodas, zero-proof mixers — things like that — kombuchas, artisanal coolers and energy-boosting tonics.
RTDs in 2025 are not only drinks, but lifestyle choices.
A New Era For RTD Innovation: From Basic to Brilliant
No longer are RTDs just fizzy soft drinks or boring iced teas. House-grown herbs, Indian spices, gut-friendly probiotics and adaptogens are infused into beverages. And more consumers, in particular millennials are asking for fast, flavourful, elevated in both appearance and nutritionally, says Nidhi Singh, Co-founder of Samosa Singh.
This new market is pushing developers of beverage expression towards thought beyond the bottle—toward experience and impact.
Pour-and-Drink Culture: Packaging and Purpose
The packaging and the narrative make the difference for modern RTDs. As Pulkit Arora, Director at CYK Hospitalities elaborates, “the present RTD boom is less of a convenience and more of a functional creativity.” From a gin smoked with dehydrated fruits to cold brew with toasted marshmallow flavouring, the lines of bar-quality mixology versus portable convenience have shaded into one. Most of the current RTDs have international finesse with an inherent regional flavour mostly Indian, a perfect mash-up of international aspirations and local palette.
Pandemic Acceleration and Global Similarities
Countries like the U.S., Australia, and Canada have been ahead of the curve when it comes to the RTD space for quite a while, but India is now trying to take some ground—quickly. Today in India, the RTD segment is more than double its size post-COVID-19. From canned wines to spiced buttermilks to zero-proof cocktails to cold-brew coffees to protein shakes, they’re all in refrigerators all over America. This momentum, fuelled by hospitality venues and modern retail, has positioned RTDs as integral to everyday occasions and to celebrating special ones.
Why Indians Are Going for the Short Bottle Path
But why the increased need? Nidhi Singh thinks of it in time with satisfied.
“Strategically first coming out with quick, tasty and dependable items. As she points out, “RTDs just fit into their on-the-go lifestyles”. An RTD for every mood and moment, from nostalgia-led drinks like aam panna and masala chaas to wellness-first kombuchas. Today, consumers are prioritizing more than hydration in a sip, they are looking for functionality, flavour, and something familiar.
Functional RTDs: Wellness In A Can
In fact, health is becoming a major motivator of RTD trends. Arora reported that almost half (49 percent) of the global RTD drinking public now search for energy or focus ingredients and nearly a third (30 percent) want more nutrients. Just in the last year alone, this has translated into collagen water, protein water coffee and vitamin waters.
This is a treatment that can be in touch with health and indulgence and the
intersection is very real and only going to get more real as quick-commerce and hyper-local delivery platforms burgeoning.
Instagram Influencers and Urban Influence
The RTD consumption is being driven by the activities of modern urban lifestyles – a scenario where the time is less, but the aspirations are high. Well, as per Encanto’s Director Tusheeta Khanna, “Urban professionals want premium experiences that come with portability, photogenic and convenience.”
The RTD in 2023 arrives ready made for the gram, whether that means you are having a lavender cooler on your terrace, or packing a cucumber-mint mixer to a weekend getaway. The rise of social media, while more subtle, is also an undeniable undercurrent driving this change, spurred by consumers eager to showcase both health and beauty.
The Perfect Middle ground of the Indian Youth: Wellness and Experimentation
Discontent, loaded with knowledge and growing concern for health issues of food is the mantra of today’s youth in India and the key demographic driving acceptance of RTD. As Gen Z and millennials try to balance indulgence with intention, we see the shelves being snatched up with low-calorie, herbal, adaptogen-infused drinks.
Khanna says, ‘RTDs are no longer a guilty pleasure. Smart options, great for function, not for flavor or for fun.
Small-Scale Trends that Create Large-Scale Buzz: Ashwagandha, CBD and More
There appears to be a burgeoning fascination with wellness ingredients such as ashwagandha, CBD (in places where legally allowed), collagen and even electrolytes. And there is a category emerging for “no-low” RTDs for fans of the drinking ritual without the actual booze. At the same time, traditional RTDs are increasingly being upscaled by complex ingredients,—genuine fruit extracts, agave and exotic botanicals, that are turning RWTS from commodity drinks to nigget ones.
And let’s not forget sustainability. Whether it is biodegradable labels, glass bottles, recycled cans or cartons, sustainable packaging is no longer an option,” said Sushmita Dutta, Director End-to-End Supply Chain Sustainability, Capgemini.
The Future of RTD is Bold, Functional, & Bottled in India
RTDs are no more a phase but a movement in India. They sit where function, flavour, and flair all intersect — filling a demand for a generation that wants more than the same feel with every sip. If you desire a little energy, some nostalgia, beauty benefits, or just something delicious to help you escape — there’s an RTD for that.
