Our latest adventure took us to Himalayan territory, a region where we have had earlier adventures. But this time it was to venture-design and develop a multi-spirits category artisanal distillery in a part of the world known as the Third Pole.
Being a part of a make in India, make for the world venture, and creating and designing high-craft brands and labels makes this extra special. Even for many of the teetotalers on the team. After all, culture and craft can be intoxicating and as heady as the Himalayas.
This is an account of the beginning and making of an adventure that has design and innovation at the center of it. From our diary, there many more stories to publish and adventures to recount.
"There is something about the Himalayas not possessed by the Alps, something unseen and unknown, a charm that pervades every hour spent among them, a mystery intriguing and disturbing. Confronted by them, a man loses his grasp of ordinary things, perceiving himself as immortal, an entity capable of outdistancing all changes, all decay, all life, all death." - Frank Smythe English Mountaineer, Author & Botanist
SCROLL DOWN TO READ ABOUT HOW A DESIGN UNIVERSE WAS CREATED
This distillery venture is led by two prominent business families that are neither strangers to the alco-bev business nor the region. The founding teams are united around a passion for fine spirits. One would almost call them the “spirit geeks”. With deep expertise and experience in the distillery business, they create artisanal spirits for global markets. They are equally proud ambassadors of their region which is evident in a portfolio that stays honest to its roots. Kudos to the founders and the distillery team for embarking on this beautiful venture.
Our mission? Make in India for the world.
This is also a land which the Tiger calls its kingdom and Corbett, his muse! There's a lot that happens in the Himalayan region of Kumaon, a land known as much for its ferocity as for the graceful mountain communities, that call it home.
Kumaon was Jim Corbett's haunt, and narrated ever so beautifully through his work on Tiger conservation and sustainable living. This is no easy territory for the faint of heart, for this is where once upon a time the man-eaters roamed.
Could we have asked for a more spirited experience? Especially when it has provenance and pedigree written all over its terroir, products and process.
THIS IS HOW A HIMALAYAN PURPOSE WAS BROUGHT TO LIFE
Every brand begins with a clear proposition, a credible promise that stays consistent over time. For crafting this venture, its products, the brands and their design universe, we were guided by our host and muse - the Himalayas and of course the Himmaleh community. And like its muse - the fabled Kumaon, the endeavor was to be uncompromising and traceable. The design and development journey started with NYUCT Design Labs putting together a detailed strategy using frameworks and tools which help doing both - think the do and do the think. Once the strategic direction was iterated and set, the team went about putting together the design, brand, packaging and experience innovation blocks.
The challenge
The world of spirits is a tough, competitive territory and populated with fantastic makers and producers whose reputation far precedes themselves. They say, there are 5000 compelling brands out there globally, each vying for the consumer's attention with fantastic products and spirits.
Hence this adventure and its needs were special. The distillery's ambition is global while roots are hyperlocal. This is a home-grown "Make in India" venture that seeks to gently stir the world of fine spirits and connoisseurs. With artisanal, crafted products that are sustainable, traceable and present a unique India to consumers around the world. This hence had to be special.
Here's a behind the scenes glimpse of the venture Himmaleh, its brand universe & design.
The brand design and venture development mandate included strategy, positioning, branding, product and packaging, experience design, program innovations, website, content and storytelling. All of which remained close to ground. This allowed the team to go further and deeper to articulate the essence of the venture. There are 3 more products that are work in progress as we speak.
Research & Probing white space opportunities
Every venture design exercise starts with field trips, research into what we call as the five bell-weathers of business. Unless one immerses into the product universe and the competitive lay of the land it is difficult to pick the white space opportunities. And then comes the markets and consumers, their peculiarities, behavioral traits, legalities. One must finely know the audience and then look at what bridges can be built with the brand to be designed.
Delving deep into the product and building differentiators within and around the bottle
A distinct competitive advantage to start with are traceable products and India-first installations. The products portfolio here includes high quality, small batch, artisanal spirits that journey right from the farm to bottle, blending produce from hyper-local plantations and foraged botanicals.
What adds to the flavor are the passionate communities of growers, makers and distillers. Their find and crop are crafted into fine spirits by hard-nosed, master distillers using some of the world's finest pot stills namely Forsyth's which is India's first installation and the Hungarian "Hagyo" called the Tesla of Pot Stills.
STRATEGY, VALUE CHAIN & BRAND ARCH.
Great brand opportunities are found at the intersection of the product promise and the unique proposition that it can credibly support. With its entire cycle of sourcing, making, distilling, bottling and reusing the waste within its premises, this venture has circular attributes and is the only distillery in the world that is both 100% Himalayan and farm to bottle.
Farm to bottle, 100% Himalayan
Like the Himmaleh universe, the community of growers and producers here is diverse and special. This sustains the practice and craft at the distillery. It includes smiling foragers who go deep to source authentic botanicals, farm communities that nurture the grains, meticulous distillers who craft your spirit and associates who remain uncompromising in their pursuit of fine produce.
All of them share a fierce love for the land and the local.
THE Narrative AND NORTH POLE
The narrative of Himmaleh and its series of artisanal, small batch wonders are all about where they trace their origins and stories to. The best brands today dig deep into their cultural moorings and this was the beginning of our story. Starting with the name.
Given that the word mark and name Himalaya is difficult to trademark in a crowded market, we turned to dulcet poems, and found our name. Himmaleh. Bless this poetess also called as the Myth by her fans.
The mythical Himalayas, the robust region of Kumaon, the rich terroir, hyperlocal ingredients, the circular process, passionate communities who create these handcrafted products, and the farm to bottle journey are key plot points for discerning consumers.
Positioning, VALUES TRIAD & Brand Development
What is Himalayan if not its legends, stories, wisdom, secrets, crafts, arts and culture? This provincial product is not only as much a story within the bottle as it is around it. What is central to both, is the influence of its roots in Kumaon.
THE Design & Experience Universe brought to life
Product positioning, design and packaging
Kumaon&I was launched recently across Gurgaon, Uttarakhand and Goa and will be available for consumption in Mumbai soon. The dry Gin weaves in the stories of its grower communities, passion of the distillers, traceable ingredients from farm to bottle, and celebrates a craft that is indigenous to its people. For venture designers and brand makers this is a divine spectrum that one can be blessed with.
Made from fresh Himalayan spring water and a curated selection of 11 hyper-local botanicals, Kumaon & I is crafted for the spirit geeks. Among its hero botanicals are Timur, a berry-like Szechuan pepper that inseminates a delightful fusion of fruitiness and spice, and black turmeric. This is complemented by coriander seeds and two distinct citrus fruits – Galgal, a local citrus variety, and Kinoo, which endows nuanced sweet undertones to the liquid.
Its tasting notes are cooling spicy peppercorns, citrus, and herbal rainforest at nose, with a rich textural palate, and a medium dry long finish.
One of the principal inspirations, Aipan (called Alpana in some regions) is a ritualistic folk art, native to the Kumaon region of Uttarakhand. The art is special as it is done on empty walls, which are brick-red in color, called Geru. The actual art is done with a white paste made of rice flour. The handmade design and product story of Kumaon&I pays a humble tribute to this beautiful craft of the hand and its generous communities.
Here’s a product wearing its badge, its basket of stories and made in India ethos proudly. With an ambition to gently stir the world of spirits and tease the curiosity of connoisseurs in India and around the world.
Design and packaging followed a system approach
CREATING A CURIOUS WORLD WITH BANDARFUL
From narrative to product development, packaging and brand design
Every bottle of Bandarful is expressive and full of life as a barrel of monkeys. And why not? After all, it is the Himalayan Langur and its adventures across barley fields, cane farms, coffee estates and fruit trees that’s behind this farm to bottle, cold brew, Coffee Liqueur.
Bandarful from Himmaleh Spirits is as much a product of nature as it is of an unusual collaboration. Here, neutral spirits and Himalayan water exchange flavours with handpicked Arabica Coffee Cherries and Beans from Chikmagalur’s finest estates. The delicious flavour is not only distinctly Indian but also blends the finest ingredients from its northern and southern reaches.
Every sip is a panoply of flavours – rich, sublime, distinctive. Making every occasion collegial and disarmingly wonderful.
Sorry, make that Bandarful :)
Website design and development, PROGRAM INNOVATION
Marketing, communication & audience development
Like the Himalayas it is inspired by (calm, composed and yet possessing a vibrancy all its own), the market development for Himmaleh and its labels is first and foremost about being authentic and reaching directly and engaging with true connoisseurs and spirit geeks.
The spectrum of outreach planned includes program innovations, tours, partnerships and activations.
MANY LOCAL DISCOVERIES IN BETWEEN. MANY STORIES TO BE NARRATED.
There are many beautiful happenstances that you meet in Kumaon. Some that you crave for in additional helpings. The Kumaon cuisine for instance, which is rich in earthy flavors and robust ingredients. From the healthy Bhat ki Daal and Kafuli to the wickedly delicious Bal Mithai and Singora, Kumaon is a foodie's paradise.
(Drinking is injurious to health. Be safe – don't ever drink and drive)
Stay tuned for the soon to be unveiled brands from this distillery. Each bearing a Himalayan promise and delivering on it uniquely.
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