A new lifestyle consumer brand, GOONDA, has formally announced its launch, introducing a dual offering in the beverage segment with a focus on bold branding and distinct Indian identity. Co-founded by a team of seasoned industry professionals alongside actor and entrepreneur Karan Tacker, GOONDA aims to disrupt both the alco-beverage and functional drink markets in India.
The brand debuts with two flagship product lines: El Goonda, a premium 100% agave spirit made exclusively from Indian-grown agave, and Goonda Energy, a flavour-driven range of energy drinks. Following successful trial runs in Maharashtra and Goa, GOONDA is now preparing for a nationwide rollout.
The brand was conceptualised during the pandemic, driven by a shared vision among its founding team to create a culturally resonant and globally inspired brand. The founding members bring expertise from multiple sectors: Amol Sethi (alcohol distribution), Ashish Jasuja (beverage production), Prasad Iyer (global and digital branding), Bhushan Khandelwal (finance), Harshil Vithlani (international trade), and Karan Tacker (brand and cultural strategy).
El Goonda is introduced in Silver and Reposado expressions, with additional infusion-based variants such as Coffee (Café), Picante, and Strawberry. The flavour profiles range from smoky vanilla and citrus to berry-forward notes, catering to evolving consumer palates. Offered in compact 180ml flasks, the packaging is designed for portability and convenience, targeting festivals, events, and on-the-go consumption.
Goonda Energy features an original formula alongside unconventional variants like Sugar-Free Bubblegum and Cola. Positioned to align with India’s nightlife and hustle culture, the range focuses on flavour, function, and brand-led engagement.
“We didn't just want to launch a brand. We wanted to build a lifestyle brand that channels rebellion, freedom and the new Indian voice,” says Karan Tacker, Brand Co-Founder & Marketing & PR Director.
Karan who spearheads the tasting panel for Goonda also stresses upon the brands disruptive and quintessentially Indian ethos. He explains, “Our agave spirits are proudly made in India and while doing so we even overlooked the opportunity to source from Mexico. We even cheekily prefixed El to the word Goonda for our agave spirit offerings. Thereon, we have introduced a range of flavours to spice up the category. It doesn't end at what’s inside the bottle. In our quest to be fun, distinctive and accessible we created a bottle that’s that pocket friendly in its most literal expression: cute 180ml hipster bottles that snug fit into your pocket and that too at pocket friendly price points.”
Amol Sethi, Founder & Head of Sales, also adds, “Goonda arrived earlier this year in Goa and as we speak we are aggressively distributing in Mumbai and Pune. Later this financial year we intend to be in 4 more states and in 2026 we will also expand to serve the Indian diaspora in major markets abroad.”
Starting from August 2025, El Goonda and Goonda Energy will be available at select premium retail outlets and high-energy bars. A full metro rollout is planned across Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Pune, Bengaluru, Hyderabad and beyond by the end of the year.
