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.
Diageo India raised its stake in non-alcoholic beverage startup V9 Beverages (brand Sober) from 15% to 25%, backing founder Vansh Pahuja's scale-up of zero-proof spirits, RTDs and sparkling water across India's top bars.
Why this matters
Diageo's stake hike signals deeper conviction in India's low/no-alc segment, moving beyond minority exposure to a strategic 25% position in V9's Sober portfolio across spirits, RTDs and sparkling water.
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