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Abhay Kewadkar, Managing Director, Tetrad Global Beverages Pvt Ltd
Abhay Kewadkar, Managing Director, Tetrad Global Beverages Pvt Ltd
The 2018 incepted brand, Tetrad Global Beverages Pvt Ltd and the 2019 founded brand, Tetrad Microbreweries Pvt Ltd are brainchild brands of visionary Abhay Kewadkar who leads as Managing Director.
Ideated as a brand bringing a wine bottled outside the country and then Brought to India in association with Rishad Minocher, Tetrad Global Beverages harnessed success from his winemaking credentials and excellent contacts developed over the years with the wine community globally.
Making wines in France crafted to the needs of the Palate of Indian consumers, they focused on award-winning wines with good ratings from experts, the style being soft, aromatic, and well rounded.
They naturally extended to Microbreweries, a growing business with favourable policies from different State Governments. ‘Fox In The Field” straightaway created the buzz and the tagline, “Craft Brews and Clever Food” personify our brand, constantly innovating Beer and Food.
While their “Early Dark” wine has been gaining popularity in the emerging wine category in India, which is traditionally a Brown spirits Market, it is curated to break the “wine is an old man’s drink” myth. While normally, spirits are consumed later in the evening, “Early Dark” embodies the tagline “Its never too early”.
Purnima Narang, The CEO Magazine conversed with the curator of these young companies encompassing innovative ideas and concepts that are ready to expand and scale-up. Edited excerpts:
Abhay: We have developed a Wine Vending machine in Bangalore, India to promote “Wine by the Glass” and a ‘Taste and Buy” concept. A wine consumer is more evolved, he/she would like to understand the product better before making the decision.
Once opened, a wine bottle has limited storage life. with a wine dispenser, the bottle can stay up to 1 month. We are the only company in India which has developed such a machine, another option is imported machines which are more expensive with no guarantee of after-sales service.
For our Microbrewery brand “Fox in The Field”, a lot of thought process has gone in. “Field” is a take on “Whitefield”. Traditionally Brewpubs in the UK are associated with Fox, our Brewers are British. All this came together for the Brand name ‘Fox in The Field”.
Abhay: I took up a career in winemaking at a very early age, the First Winemaker this country has produced. I have been extensively trained in France and other countries for Winemaking. With a constant dream to start my venture, training in France and wonderful contacts in the French Wine Industry, I was driven to incept a brand made in France.
My last working assignment was as Executive Director of Four Seasons Wines, part of United Spirits Limited, a Diageo Group Company. We started the Wine Import Business in 2018 and Microbrewery Business in 2019.
Abhay: Changing State Government regulations and policies was a big challenge. It is difficult ensuring continuity as a start-up in this industry and the establishment period is much higher. Market entry barriers such as Distribution, retail etc completely controlled by State Excise laws are other challenges that teaches one patience. There are no shortcuts, one must be well organised.
Pandemic was a significant challenge, being opened just before the pandemic, we have been more shut than open.
Abhay: Never lose sight of Cash Flow, keep the overheads down. Never spend the money today because you are going to make it tomorrow. These are the typical issues start-ups face.
The team is Important but, in a start-up, it is important to make the message very clear that salaries are not to be taken for granted. As a leader, one must give confidence that everyone will grow with the company, be part of the vision that needs to be clearly defined.
Abhay: One thing I learnt during the pandemic was that it is better to take a bold decision to keep the business shut for a short time and lose less money than try to push it hard and lose more money.
It is a major decision that impacts both Cash Flow and Brand continuity. We are re-building the business and working on coming out stronger than depleting all our resources in tough times like a Pandemic.
Our expansion plans to bring in wines from countries other than France and Australia have been kept on hold. We knew that the market would need to open for premium products like Imported wines and we kept our Overheads at a minimum.
On the Microbrewery front, as we reopened, we have added to the cuisine a famous Chettinad Cuisine brand Ponusamy from Chennai and Ciros wood fired Pizzas. Such strategic tie-ups will help us in recovering the losses during Pandemic and focus on lunch/ all-day dining options. We will look at more such Strategic tie-ups.
Abhay: I would like to add a range of wines Made in India to add to the present portfolio. Plans are also to add wines from other countries for a portfolio approach. We would also like to scale up the Microbrewery business.
Abhay: I have a reason to believe that we will eventually reach where we set out to be. As we go along, I am certain that some more Investors will come on board and support us in achieving our expansion plans.
Abhay: Always excel in whatever field you are in; you should be the best. Never sit on your past laurels, always innovate, and look for new opportunities to diversify. You should be clear about core business and core values, never lose sight of that.
Abhay: Since childhood, I have been associated with Vidarbha Relief Committee wherein we visited villages with the requirement of medicines for different ailments like conjunctivitis etc. I remember the instances where there was a huge flood and the whole village was affected. We spent 3 days there arranging food and clothing, coordinating for various aids.
I was also chosen to be a member of the Rotary Group study exchange Team in 1990 wherein we spent 6 weeks in Queensland Australia. It was a wonderful experience to stay with different families and exchange cultural and family values.
On my return, I was a Rotarian for a long time and used every opportunity to give back to society in various ways. This includes projects for the education of young children, organising skill set learning opportunities for the disabled.
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