Diageo India doubles down on Sober, lifting V9 Beverages stake to 25%
Diageo India raised its V9 Beverages holding from 15% to 25% between June 2024 and January 2025, backing Sober's zero-proof spirits, RTDs and sparkling water push into India's top 100 bars at a ₹60 entry price. The bet rides a $39.7B alcohol market growing 3-4% CAGR as low/no-alc gains share.
What happened
Sober (V9 Beverages) · Diageo India raised its stake in non-alcoholic beverage startup V9 Beverages (brand Sober) from 15% to 25%, backing founder Vansh
Key facts
- 15% stake June 2024
- 25% stake January 2025
- $39.7 billion alcohol market
- 3-4% CAGR
- ₹60 price point
- top 100 bars
- 600 bottles initial
Why this matters
This staged minority creep (15%→25%) is a classic optionality play—watch for full acquisition triggers as Sober scales beyond the top 100 bars.