Lahori Zeera's ₹10 Bottle Becomes a Trap as It Battles Multinationals
Indian beverage company Lahori Zeera has been expanding rapidly in recent years. Founded by cousins Saurabh Munjal, Saurabh Bhutna, and Nikhil Doda in Punjab, it started selling Lahori Zeera in 2017. The company's operating revenue rose from ₹312 crore in FY24 to ₹540 crore in FY25, a growth of 73%. In FY26, the company closed at approximately ₹770-780 crore and is targeting ₹1,200-1,300 crore in FY27.
Lahori says it has sold everything it could produce since 2019, with manufacturing capacity being the constraint. The company now reaches an estimated eight to ten lakh retail outlets across India, with more than half its volumes coming from outside North India. However, despite its rapid growth, Lahori's profit remains near ₹25 crore, while procurement costs rose over 70% to ₹316 crore and transportation costs more than doubled to ₹52 crore.
The company is now facing a new challenge as it tries to expand its product portfolio beyond Lahori Zeera. It has introduced Nimboo, Shikanji, Aamras, and Masala Cola, which compete directly with multinational brands like Coca-Cola and PepsiCo. However, Lahori must build manufacturing, distribution, and refrigeration muscle to fight these giants at the same ₹10 price point.
According to marketing professor Ashita Aggarwal, 'Zeera' gives Lahori sharp memory and cultural ownership, but its next phase depends on making 'Lahori' transferable across drinking occasions. If Lahori can balance distinctiveness with a masterbrand large enough to travel nationally, it might be able to escape the trap of being defined by its first product.