Vidur Gupta: A Modern Gin-ie Vidur Gupta is a 31-year-old co-founder of Third Eye Distillery who graduated from the University of St. Andrews with an M.A. in Economics and Management and started his career at a premium health food company, Eat Natural in London before returning to India in 2016.
By Kavya Pillai •
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Vidur Gupta is a 31-year-old co-founder of Third Eye Distillery who graduated from the University of St. Andrews with an M.A. in Economics and Management and started his career at a premium health food company, Eat Natural in London before returning to India in 2016 as Managing Director for Gouri's Goodies, a natural clean-label snack food brand which started in his mother's kitchen. "These opportunities early in my career grew my operational experience and network within the industry, " he shared.
As for how the concept of Third Eye came about, Gupta said, "While working and living in Spain and the UK, my co-founder Sakshi and I spent all our savings on exploring the coolest restaurants and bars. The bar scenes in both countries were buzzing with brands and stories from all over the world, except India was missing! When we got back to India, we felt like there weren't enough options for spirits and brands that spoke to us and the contemporary Indian consumer. So, we decided to create a house of brands that are not only for Indians but could also be appreciated globally. We especially noticed in the world of gins that many were using ingredients and stories inspired by India. That got us thinking – why isn't India producing spirits that can stand up to global brands? And that's how our first brand, Stranger and Sons Gin, came to life. Now, we've got three brands and Stranger and Sons is making waves in 16 countries!"
From its inception, Third Eye Distillery has aspired to become a house of a diverse range of premium brands. While the journey began with Stranger & Sons gin, positioning the forefront of the gin revolution in India, the ultimate goal has always been to craft spirits originating from India and place them on the global map. "Each day, whether at our homes or within the distillery, we find ourselves passionately experimenting with novel methods and products, driving innovation," said Gupta. Recently, they introduced another brand, Short Story which is a portfolio of 3 white spirits - Dry Gin, Grain Vodka and White Rum, expanding the company's portfolio. Additionally, in 2022 they acquired Countertop, a leading bar consultancy firm. Taking a significant step in the non-alcoholic beverage sector, they secured a major stake in Svami, India's premier non-alcoholic beverage and mixer brand. Gupta shared "Adding to our diverse offerings, we are also the sole importers of Plantation Rum in India. Our goal is clear – to provide our audience with access to premium spirits that are not only exceptional but also meet the highest standards of excellence on a global scale, delivering an unparalleled experience and making premium spirits both accessible and synonymous with international quality and we have only just begun."
In the coming months, Short Story will be expanding its domestic and International presence. "We will continue to innovate and introduce more spirits from our portfolio in the coming year; The roadmap includes expanding into other spirit categories as well,"he said. Before ending our conversation, we asked him to reveal what his go-to drink is, to which this entrepreneur gladly shared "A signature Stranger & Sons G&T with Svami Tonic and a slice of fresh Ginger!" he concluded. It comes as no surprise that the brands that make this beloved indulgence have leered huge success to the distillery.
