The inaugural India Drinks Retail Awards (IDRA) and gala night in Delhi recently honoured the 100 top alcohol drink retail outlets in the country and their owners, bringing together industry leaders and top-tier retailers shaping the future of India’s alco-bev landscape.
IDRA is a platform that has been set up to rank the top retailers in the most alcohol-friendly states in the country. Retail accounts for more than 80% of alcohol sales across India, and IDRA aims to foster the spirit of excellence, innovation and consumer-first strategies in this sector.
On its debut the IDRA rankings focused on 11 individual cities and Goa, chosen for having the most extensive and modern alcohol retail networks. These included Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Greater Mumbai, Pune and Lonavala, Jaipur, Gurugram, Noida, Lucknow, Kolkata, Guwahati and Shillong.
Mansionz by Living Liquidz, founded by Mumbai entrepreneur Mokksh Sani, and Tonique, founded by Hyderabad businessman Anith Reddy, took home the top honours in the 2025 rankings.
Mansionz was ranked No. 1 in both Mumbai (jointly with World of Wines) and Bengaluru, while Tonique secured the top spot in Hyderabad and Pune.
Other regional leaders included Vaz Enterprises (Goa), The Liquor Mart (Jaipur), The Liquor Warehouse (Gurugram), The Liquor Exchange (Noida), Vina Alkohal (Lucknow), Hedonne (Kolkata), The Party Store (Guwahati), and The Barrel and Shillong Wine Company (joint No. 1 in Shillong).
In addition to the city rankings, two special awards celebrated outstanding contributions to the industry. Mokksh Sani was named ‘Innovator of the Year’ for pioneering new practices in alco-bev retail.
Anith Reddy received the ‘Industry Icon’ lifetime achievement award for his role in shaping the modern Indian alcohol retail landscape.
Selection process
The selection and ranking of the retailers in respective cities followed a structured nomination and evaluation process. The 12 locations were selected based on expert advice on cities with the most evolved alcohol retail network.
Chandigarh and New Delhi did not make the cut on account of recent excise related restrictions.
Initially, 250 outlets were shortlisted from 400 nominations that were received from industry insiders and experts based in the targeted cities and the state of Goa. The short-list was further pruned to 100 outlets by the IDRA core team after visiting and evaluating each of these stores.
The evaluation was based on standard criteria drawn up with help from retail industry experts. The factors used in the assessment include store design, layout and ambience, efficient merchandising, range of products on display, level of staff knowledge of spirits and wines, customer service, and quality of engagement.
Key factors such as optimal lighting, air-conditioning, clear pricing on products, effective product categorisation and display, temperature control systems for wines, beers and cigars, hygiene and cleanliness, as well as additional services –such as tasting rooms and gift wrapping – were also integral to the assessment.
Final ranking
Most large cities had at least 10 stores that met IDRA’s objective criteria. Bengaluru has 15 stores that made the shortlist, followed by Hyderabad at 11. Only five stores passed muster in Jaipur, Lucknow and Guwahati and Shillong, while only four made the list in Greater Noida.
In the second stage of the selection process, a two-person jury made mystery visits to each of these outlets anonymously to assign scores based on each criteria and come up with the final ranking.
Commenting on the awards, Vikram Achanta, Co-founder of IDRA and 30 Best Bars India said, “According to the International Spirits and Wines Association of India, there are an estimated 88,234 retail shops across the country, providing job opportunities to lakhs of people, supporting significant employment through its retail outlets.
“Our extensive visits to retail stores across India helped us appreciate the efforts taken by Indian retailers, from enhancing shopper convenience through walk-in formats, ensuring safety with brightly lit and well-located stores, to elevating the shopping experience with quality merchandising and curated product assortments.”
It’s heartening to witness their perseverance, especially amid challenging policies governing alco-bev retail, and celebrate the best of breed retailers across 12 major cities in India.
Radhakrishnan Nair, Co-founder of IDRA and 30 Best Bars India, adds, “The alco-bev retail landscape in India is incredibly diverse. While some states have developed more advanced retail ecosystems, others are still in the process of evolving. It’s important to recognise that each state operates under a distinct regulatory framework, making direct comparisons difficult.”
For more information, visit: https://www.indiadrinksretail.in
