Relaxation drinks maker TranQuini enters India

Image: Mexy Xavier

Ahmed Elafifi, founder and chief relaxation officer, TranQuini

Buoyed by the growth of India’s beverage market, global lifestyle brand TranQuini has forayed into the country with its two premium relaxation drinks— the TranQuini Original, which has a fruit-based flavour and the TranQuini Jade, which has a green-tea flavour. Other variants of the functional drink like barley, malt and herbal flavours will be launched soon, the company said.

The drinks, priced at Rs 95 for a 300 ml can, will be available across modern retail chains, supermarkets, cafes, restaurants, multiplexes, airports and clubs across the top nine cities. TranQuini has plans to establish a pan-India presence in three years. It has tied up with Barakat Food & Tobacco Pvt. Ltd. to manage distribution. The company has also partnered with Pushpam Group for manufacturing in India. This is the company’s first production base outside Austria, where it is headquartered. Most of the ingredients too will be sourced locally.

“It all started at a personal level. After working in the consumer goods and beverages industry for over 25 years, I realised that there is a market for people who are undergoing a lot of stress and who would like to try a drink which helps them relax without drowsiness. That is when I hit upon the idea for TranQuini,” says Ahmed Elafifi, founder and chief relaxation officer, TranQuini, who has also worked with companies like Coca-Cola and Red Bull.

The company, started in April 2015, is already present in over 24 countries, including Austria, Switzerland, the Czech Republic, South Africa, Pakistan, Egypt, the UAE and Hong Kong. It is looking to expand its footprint to over 50 countries by end of this year.

The size of the non-alcoholic beverages market in India was pegged at around $5 billion (Rs 33,318 crore ) in 2015 and is growing fast, according to a report by the Indian Beverage Association.

Elafifi believes that the drink has a wide target audience – from students stressed about exams to young professionals worried about jobs to older customers worried about balancing family and work.

“Owing to its size and potential, we expect India to be amongst our top markets soon,” says Elafifi.

Use of natural ingredients like chamomile, lavender, green tea and the absence of added sugars (the drink uses natural sugar from fruits – fructose), chemicals or preservatives (it is pasteurized – the same process used in milk) is the specialty of TranQuini, explains Elafifi. “Our product has one third less sugar and calories than most regular sugar-based soft drinks and fruit juices,” he adds.

The maker of the lightly carbonated drink claims to be operating in a white space. “When you need energy drinks you will buy a Red Bull, when you need refreshments, you will buy a cola, when you need hydration you will drink water and when you need relaxation you will need TranQuini,” he says.