The bar scene in India seems to be flush with cross-collaborations. But how does it benefit each stakeholder?
Chandigarh-based Nikhil Sood is a busy man. The bartender and brand ambassador for Jameson whiskey has been travelling across India with alarming regularity, doing guest shifts (he's already done about 3-4 this month) at some of the country's best cocktail bars. "It's been a hectic few months trying to make sense of my schedule, but the thrill of fleshing out new cocktail recipes for a discerning audience and even going behind the bar occasionally to whip up a few drinks has been rewarding. The energy is what I thrive off," he says.
A burgeoning demand
It's safe to say that India's alcobev industry is causing a stir, one heady concoction at a time. According to a study, the country is one of the fastest-growing markets globally, with an estimated market size of US$ 52.5 billion in 2020. The market is expected to grow at a CAGR of 6.8 per cent between 2020 and 2023. And in the past few years, some of the country's best cocktail bars have been shaking up the game by breaking free from fail-safe processes as consumers look for more than vanilla offerings. Today, we're experiencing a high-energy, cocktail-first culture, encouraging brands and bar owners to experiment with innovative techniques and local ingredients.
This has, in turn, led to the rise of a culture of bar takeovers, where bartenders like Sood find themselves travelling to other cities in the country, and parts of the world, to serve their drinks at another bar. It means guests are treated to the hospitality of an establishment they might not get the chance to visit in the flesh. This trend has been exacerbated by the restrictions imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic, which devastated the hospitality industry, preventing establishments from making money and honing their cocktail craft by learning from other bars with commendable cocktail programmes.
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Arijit Bose of Countertop India behind the bar at O Pedro
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Bar takeovers are all the rage now. Image: Instagram.com/cobblerandcrew
Matching synergies
But if anything, the last three years have taught us that necessity is the mother of all inventions. Now, cocktail bars are continuously looking to set themselves apart. For instance, at Pune's Cobbler & Crew, the Oh Temptation is a cocktail garnished with a Puneri bhakarwadi. The bhakarwadi adds a spicy aftertaste to the Aperol, tequila, and strawberry wine drink. "Bar takeovers can be educational for both bartenders and patrons. Guest bartenders may introduce new techniques, ingredients, and spirits that patrons may not have been exposed to before, while bartenders can learn from the guest bartender's expertise and experience," says Vijeta Singh, a partner at Cobbler & Crew. The bar, including its bar head Mayur Marne, has been travelling the country with its reimagined cocktails to win over a new generation of drinkers.
Along the way, Cobbler & Crew has made a pitstop at New Delhi's Sidecar, the brainchild of bar legend Yangdup Lama and business partner Minakshi Singh. Positioned as a ‘friendly neighbourhood bar’ in the style of a speakeasy in the heart of New Delhi, it boasts a noteworthy selection of signature cocktails, odes to classics, and beautiful iterations of their namesake, the Sidecar. "For us at Sidecar, a bar takeover is like a cultural exchange. It's a way for us to showcase Indian hospitality and learn from bars that are visiting from around the world, or maybe even from another city, about how they go about doing things what innovative techniques they're using behind the bar, how they impart knowledge to our staff, and what our staff and bartenders can learn from them, says Deepali Gupta, COO at Thirsty Three Hospitality, which owns Sidecar. She adds that despite being aware that most visiting bars may use the opportunity to test the waters before committing to opening up a franchise in the host city, no one indulges in ugly competition. "There's space for everyone. Each cocktail bar brings new techniques and inventions. And you will always have loyal patrons, so much so that at these bar takeovers, we have to inform our patrons that if they choose, they don't have to order from the visiting bar's menu," says Gupta.
"A BAR TAKEOVER IS LIKE A CULTURAL EXCHANGE. IT'S A WAY FOR US TO SHOWCASE INDIAN HOSPITALITY AND LEARN FROM BARS THAT ARE VISITING FROM AROUND THE WORLD, OR MAYBE EVEN FROM ANOTHER CITY"
Deepali Gupta
Karan Khilnani, a partner at Pune's Elephant & Co, also believes takeovers greatly increase brand visibility, allowing establishments to cross-promote their brands. "By partnering with another establishment, brands can introduce themselves to a new customer base," he says.
No slowing down
But given that we're all collectively in our peak bar takeover era, with collaborations taking place at the drop of a hat, does the concept run the risk of oversaturating in its market? How many bar takeovers are too many bar takeovers? Yash Bhanage, founder & COO of Hunger Inc. Hospitality (which owns Bombay Canteen and O Pedro in Mumbai), believes it won't slow down anytime soon. "The frequency of bar takeovers in the city has relatively increased because bartenders worldwide haven’t had the chance to travel in the past couple of years due to restrictions. Now, much more travel can happen, and most sponsor alcohol brands do have the budgets for these trips and activities, also to make up for the time lost," he says.
Recently, Hunger Inc. has had Arijit Bose, co-founder of Countertop India, take over the bar at O Pedro for its fifth anniversary celebrations, to the folks at Sidecar, which took over the bar at The Bombay Canteen in February this year over a friendly battle of the bars (Delhi versus Mumbai). Last week, The Bombay Canteen was in Pune for a weekend to take over the bars at Cobbler & Crew and Malaka Spice. Meanwhile, Elephant & Co. from Goa was down in Mumbai to take over the bar at O Pedro.
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"The establishment playing host to the takeover typically takes care of all the expenses, from flying the team down to their accommodation." Image: Instagram.com/sidecarindia
Also in the pipeline is a weekend pop-up by Half Pint from Goa at O Pedro. Next month, Smoke & Bitters, one of the leading cocktail bars from Sri Lanka, will take over The Bombay Canteen, as a part of latter's Sri Lankan Summer celebrations. The Bombay Canteen will also host Kotuwa, a modern Sri Lankan restaurant by Chef Rishi Naleendra based in Singapore.
"The establishment playing host to the takeover typically takes care of all the expenses, from flying the team down to their accommodation. In some cases, there is also a fee that the host establishment may need to pay to bring a renowned restaurant or bar down for a takeover or pop-up. There is usually no profit-sharing model; all the revenue generated is then taken by the establishment hosting the takeover," says Bhanage.
Time for a rethink?
But crafting delicious cocktails isn't the only motivating factor for a bartender to come on board. Sood tells The Established that he usually doesn't go ahead with the guest shift or takeover unless the host team doesn't guarantee a minimum turnout of 50 people. "I've cancelled gigs on the day of the takeover as I was informed that the turnout wouldn't be great. As a bartender first, it's important for me to vibe off a crowd. Given that alcobev brands aren't allowed to advertise these takeovers, it's the host bar's job to bring patrons in," he says.
The known truth here is that the alcobev industry in India has often relied on ‘brand extensions’ for promotions—be it through a related product extension like malt-based beverage, mineral water, and club soda, or through associated categories like music CDs, music festivals, and events—commonly referred to as surrogate advertising. Although the Consumer Affairs Ministry regularly issues notices to liquor brands to remind them about the prohibition on surrogate advertising, advertising continues online.
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"The frequency of bar takeovers in the city has relatively increased because bartenders worldwide haven’t had the chance to travel in the past couple of years due to restrictions." Image: Instagram.com/elephantandco_india
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"Apart from imbibing knowledge from the visiting team, creating a safe space for bartenders, irrespective of sexual orientation, to operate authentically is important." Image: Instagram.com/cobblerandcrew
Building an experience
Despite the popularity of bar takeovers, most fail to live up to the hype they create—in terms of the cocktails served and the ambience created. A Mumbai-based entrepreneur, who requested anonymity, says the ones he's been to have been disappointing because they fail to live up to the experience of grabbing a drink in their natural habitat. "I went for The Elephant Room's takeover at Ekaa on Friday. It was disappointing because the original experience of grabbing a drink and feeding off the great energy at the outpost in Singapore was unmatched. Also, the quality of the alcohol did not do justice to the cocktails," he says.
Mumbai-based brand consultancy founder Fabian Rodrigues says most bar takeovers are packed to capacity coupled with diluted cocktails that cost a bomb. "What's the point of building hype around a bar's visit when most host bars pay very little attention to building the right ambience for such events? When a visiting bar takes its show on the road, it's important to work in synergy with the host to ensure the experience of visiting their bar is replicated entirely. In fact, if you pay close attention, at most takeovers, the bar team uses 30 ml of alcohol instead of 60 ml or 90 ml, which is unfair considering cocktails are priced upwards of ₹650," he says.
The anonymous entrepreneur concurs with this observation. "I remember talking to the ladies from Hong Kong's The Pontiac, who were recently complaining about their time behind the bar at a Mumbai restaurant. This Hong Kong stalwart has built a safe, non-judgmental space for all, with open arms from the all-female team. So, they were caught off guard when the host team's restaurant manager proceeded to remove the Pride flag they had placed on the bar counter and hurled homophobic slurs at them. The energy died immediately," he says.
Given that their original home is ideal for a night of raucous dancing, this bar takeover ended with a whimper and no ice. "Apart from imbibing knowledge from the visiting team, creating a safe space for bartenders, irrespective of sexual orientation, to operate authentically is important. If you threaten the fundamentals of how they function, it's game over [for them]," says the entrepreneur.
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