Craft with Nature
In a market dominated by artificial, mass-produced syrups, Swa Artisanal Syrups emerged as a bold disruptor, proving that natural, homegrown ingredients could transform India’s beverage landscape. Founded in December 2019 by Vaishali and Sumir Mehta, Swa Artisanal Syrups was built on a mission to celebrate India’s rich produce, empower women, and deliver premium, natural syrups that make every sip effortlessly delicious.
The spark of an idea
It all started with a simple, yet striking realisation – why was India, a land bursting with fresh fruits, herbs, and spices, dependent on artificial, imported syrups? When abroad, on a work assignment, Vaishali and Sumir saw fresh Indian Alphonso mangoes being used in beverages, while back home, consumers were left with synthetic alternatives. They knew something had to change.
From their early days as a cold-pressed juicery, the duo evolved their vision into shrubs and rich syrups, with a singular goal: to create a 100% natural and real beverage solution that uses no added artificial colours, flavours or preservatives.
What’s in a name?
Swa, meaning "our true self," embodies the brand’s commitment to authenticity, quality, and empowerment. Its ethos reflects:
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Swasthya: Offering preservative-free, health-conscious syrups.
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Swadisht: Elevating taste through exceptional flavours.
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Swadeshi: Proudly made in India with locally sourced ingredients.
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Swabhiman: Empowering women with pride and purpose.
In Swa’s production facility in Bangalore, 90% of the workforce comprises women from marginalised backgrounds. Through skill upliftment programs, these women gain financial independence and contribute to their own, and Swa’s success story.
Beverage solution for the F&B industry
The F&B industry faces significant operational challenges due to high staff attrition, leading to inconsistent drinks owing to complex and time-intensive recipes. Further, people are well travelled and expect better quality products, which is difficult to achieve with other artificial syrups in the market.
Here’s how Swa’s natural and ready-to-mix syrups help:
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Easy – Standardised operations with Swa’s Ready-to-Mix Syrups. Drinks can be made in under 30 seconds. This reduces preparation time and streamlines the beverage-making process.
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Consistent – This convenience enables one to focus on delivering exceptional taste, especially during peak hours – ensuring faster service and minimising errors.
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Natural – Better ingredients make better drinks. Swa sources unique ingredients from across the country. Jackfruit and passion fruit come from Kerala, Hibiscus from Mysore, Kokam from Mangalore, Bird's Eye chilli from Northeast and so on.
With 80+ artisanal syrups made from real fruits, spices, and herbs, Swa serves a diverse clientele, including bars, cafes, restaurants, breweries, bakeries, and at-home consumers. Its bestsellers – Guava Chilli, Jamun Kala Khatta, Hibiscus Tea, and Lychee Rose – are now staples in some of India’s most loved F&B brands, including Blue Tokai, Sly Granny, Daryaganj, Barbeque Nation, Third Wave Coffee Roasters, Toit, IronHill, Soka, etc.
Product range
Swa offers two core product categories:
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Ready-to-Mix (RTM) Syrups: Pre-mixed blends for mocktails, cocktails, iced teas, chai, and indulgent beverages.
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Get Creative Range: Unique individual flavours featuring spices, fruits, nuts, and florals.
Swa syrups are naturally effortless and versatile, enabling consumers to craft mocktails, cocktails, craft coffees, iced teas, and more in 30 seconds. They are a great base for bartenders, mixologists and baristas to craft unique creative beverages with.
Facility
Swa Syrups are produced at a 7,000 sq. ft. FSSAI-certified facility in Bangalore, owned and operated by the company. The facility adheres to stringent quality standards to ensure the highest product quality.
The facility uses a combination of complex, multi-layered recipe formulation, precise chemical balancing, and a hot-fill technique to guarantee 100% natural products with a robust 6-month shelf life under ambient conditions – preserving the authenticity of the ingredients' natural flavours.
With an installed annual capacity of 2 lakh litres, the facility is designed for scalability, able to increase production by up to 5x to meet growing demand in both domestic and international markets.
Quick facts
Since its inception, Swa has grown exponentially:
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3 lakh+ drinks are made with Swa syrups every month.
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500+ F&B brands across India rely on Swa for their menus.
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80+ flavours cater to a wide range of tastes and needs, from ready-to-mix blends to creative, artisanal options.
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90% of the production team consists of women.
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Up to 65% less added sugar compared to other brands.
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Up to 8 times more fruit pulp than other brands.
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B2B: Available directly from the company and through company-appointed distributors, with pan-India coverage for the HORECA sector.
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B2C: Available across India via platforms like Amazon and the official website
Purpose-driven ethos
Swa is more than just a brand – it’s a purpose-driven initiative focused on empowering women, promoting sustainability, and celebrating India’s rich natural produce. By using locally sourced, 100% natural ingredients, Swa aligns with the evolving preferences of Indian consumers, who now seek clean-label, ethical products that reflect their health-conscious and culinary values. As India’s first artisanal syrup brand, Swa delivers authentically crafted syrups that redefine beverages with integrity, quality, and innovation.
From trendy cafés in Mumbai to craft breweries in Bangalore and artisanal cocktail bars in Delhi, Swa has become an integral part of India’s evolving beverage culture. As it continues to grow, the brand remains committed to redefining the industry with its natural syrups, empowering women, and celebrating the best of India in every bottle.
For more information please visit the official website.
Case Study
We began working with 30BestBarsIndia when the platform was in its third year, though it lacked widespread recognition. Our primary goal was to ensure that every story and conversation about the top bars featured their 30BestBarsIndia ranking. Over the past three years, the platform has grown to a celebration of the rising standards of Indian bars and beverages – both nationally and internationally.
Approach
Our strategy focused on positioning 30BestBarsIndia as the most prestigious bar ranking platform while building recognition and advocacy for Vikram Achanta as a leading expert in the bar and beverage industry. This was achieved through a communications plan that hinged on the following:
Industry Insights and Thought Leadership:
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Hosted annual knowledge-sharing sessions covering key trends in India's bar landscape—sustainability, bar takeovers, ice programs, glassware innovations, and more.
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Supplemented these with insight notes and expert quotes, positioning Vikram Achanta as an authoritative voice in the industry.
Experiential and On-Ground Engagement:
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Organized bar crawls in key cities, engaging journalists and alco-bev advocates beyond conversations—immersing them in India’s best bar experiences.
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Hosted media at the finale weekend, featuring an exclusive bar crawl in the host city, culminating in the awards night.
Regional Amplification:
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Highlighted city-wise rankings and trends through tailored media outreach, ensuring local relevance and engagement.
Awards-Specific Amplification:
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Created focused communication around the lists (Top 100, Top 50, and Top 30) as well as new categories, driving visibility across trade and lifestyle media.