Latest news with #LocaLoka
Yahoo
03-06-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Loca Loka Tequila's Golden Hour
At first blush, the idea of a tequila from the highlands of Mexico melded with the culture and creativity of India would seem an unlikely combination. But the vision of Loca Loka Tequila's founders—Indian film star Rana Daggubati, musician and composer Anirudh Ravichander, and entrepreneur Harsha Vadlamudi—and the craftsmanship of the artisans who shepherded the tequila from agave to bottle, have been rewarded with a gold medal at the 2025 San Francisco World Spirits Competition (SFWSC), one of the most prestigious spirits competitions in the world. Jalisco, By Way of New Delhi More from Robb Report Introducing Robinhood Legend, a New Frontier for Active Traders A Century in Bloom: Rioja at 100 181 Fremont's Grand Penthouse Redefines Urban Luxury The medal comes a year after the launch of Loca Loka, whose name is the Spanish word for 'crazy' and the Sanskrit word for 'world.' Jalisco, a state in Mexico where tequila is made, is more than 9,000 miles from New Delhi, India's capital. But there is common ground between the two cultures. Daggubati explains, 'Loca Loka was born from a shared passion for storytelling and cultural fusion. As co-founders, [we] brought together diverse experiences—from hospitality to music—to build a tequila brand that celebrates joy, flavor, and global connection.' With tequila having become a global phenomenon over the last couple of decades, the time has come for those who love it worldwide to use the category as a reflection of their own cultures. Loca Loka co-founder Ravichander is one of India's most renowned musicians, famed for his singing, writing, instrumental prowess and production both in films and on record. 'Music and spirits are a natural match,' Ravichander says, 'and I'd already seen tequila gaining traction in my circles. This felt like the perfect first step into entrepreneurship—an opportunity to merge my passion for music with a vibrant lifestyle brand. We're bringing the brand to life through live events and concerts, and I'm even composing original music inspired by Loca Loka.' Additive-Free, Made the Traditional Way Although Loca Loka was imagined in India, it's made according to Mexican tradition, without additives and with only the finest 100-percent blue Weber agave from the highlands of Jalisco. The agaves used to make the tequila have aged for at least six years, giving them a higher sugar content, which results in a better finished product. Loca Loka is available in two expressions: a blanco and a reposado. The blanco is unaged, showcasing the quality of the agave and the skill of the tequileros; the sweet flavor of cooked agave combines with a subtle earthiness and a smooth, prolonged finish. The reposado is aged for less than a year in a combination of French and American oak barrels. The French oak imparts a rounded sweetness while the American oak contributes vanilla and peppery spice, both of which harmonize with the sweet, lightly vegetal and mineral notes of the cooked agave, without overwhelming it. Both the blanco and the reposado are ideal for sipping as well as mixing. and the tequila's quality is evident even when tasted blind—as was the case in San Francisco, when the judges at the SFWSC awarded it the gold. Bringing Loca Loka to the World Loca Loka initially rolled out in the U.S. in 2024. In 2025, the brand looks to establish an international footprint, expanding to India as well as the U.K., Dubai, the Philippines, and Indonesia. Travel retail will also be a focus. 'With travel retail as a priority channel,' co-founder Vadlamudi explains, 'our journey will begin at [India's] Hyderabad International Airport, chosen for its growing consumer base and global connectivity. Through curated displays, tastings, and immersive brand storytelling, we aim to introduce Loca Loka as a premium discovery brand—celebrating cultural intersections and inviting international travelers to toast to a new era of celebration.' To have such a global reach is almost unheard of for such a young brand, but Loca Loka's trio of founders has positioned it as a tequila with worldwide appeal, from the stylish look of the bottles to the presence of Daggubati and Anirudh as its spokesmen. In the end, though, it's the quality of the spirit in the bottle that determines a brand's success—and as its triumph in San Francisco attests, Loca Loka's future is looking bright. To learn more about Loca Loka and the people behind it, visit the brand online at Learn More Click here to read the full article.
Forbes
28-05-2025
- Business
- Forbes
Tequila Isn't Popular In India. A Movie Star And Musician Are Trying To Change That
Actor Rana Daggubati and musician Anirudh have launched India's first celebrity tequila with Harsha Vadlamudi (not pictured). Traditionally, tequila hasn't been popular in India. The nation is the world's largest consumer of whiskey, which accounts for close to 70% of spirit sales in the country. Tequila sales have historically lagged, but interest in the Mexican spirit is increasing, and tequila is now the fastest-growing alcohol segment in India. Two of India's biggest stars are trying to intensify that trend with India's first celebrity tequila, Loca Loka, which is available in the U.S. and India. The brand is a partnership between actor Rana Daggubati and musician Anirudh. Daggubati is known for his roles in modern classics of Indian cinema including the Baahubali series of films, which are among the highest grossing Indian films of all time. He also stars in the Netflix series Rana Naidu, an adaptation of the show Ray Donovan. Meanwhile, Anirudh is one of Spotify's top-streamed artists, is known for viral hits like 'Why This Kolaveri Di' and 'Vaathi Coming.' The entertainment stars are also working with Harsha Vadlamudi, a brewery owner and entrepreneur. During a Zoom call, the trio told me how Loca Loka tequila is steeped in their passion for this spirit. 'Most of us are extreme consumers that have become creators,' Daggubati says. 'In my life I've watched a lot of films. So I'm making the films that I've watched and I like. Anirudh has heard so much music in his life, he's creating music. And we got someone like Harsha, who's living his dream in the manner of consuming and creating.' Daggubati adds, 'across each industry, film music, F&N [food and beverage] all of us came together, and we've all been fans of tequila, and we've understood that there is a niche, and we thought that this was a niche that we could build [on].' Traditionally, Anirudh says Indian drinking culture has been all about whiskey. 'Generation after generation, that's how it's been, but I feel like the new generation now, especially the younger people, are shifting to tequila.' The first step to creating Loca Loka was developing a quality product. 'We visited almost 10 to 12 distillers around us and also around Tequila and Guadalajara. In the highlands, lowlands, and everywhere,' Vadlamudi says. 'Each distiller actually created around 6 to 8 profiles for us. So we had to narrow that down. There were around 100 to 120 profiles, we tasted.' Actor Rana Daggubati and musician Anirudh (center) have launched India's first celebrity tequila with Harsha Vadlamudi (left). Anirudh says this process was intense and immersive by design. 'Rana and I also were lucky enough to go there to our distillery to go through the process to meet the family who is making it for us [and learn] how they produce it. So there was a lot of due diligence, which was done before we got into it, and I think that is the right way to do it as well. We don't want to be just the first Indian tequila brand out there. We had to make sure that we got to do this right.' The finished products are made from 100% pure agave that is naturally fermented with a special yeast strain. The reposado is aged on French and American oak barrels for several months. Both have wide complexities of flavor, and are sure appeal to tequila fans in both the U.S. and India. The blanco tequila recently won a gold medal at the San Francisco World Spirits Competition, and the reposado took home a silver medal. Daggubati is particularly proud of the reposado. 'There's never enough every time there's a party at home,' he says. He adds his favorite cocktail is now a reposado Old Fashioned and that the reposado is acting as a gateway for whiskey drinkers interested in exploring tequila. 'We've been able to convert a large set of whiskey drinkers into reposado drinkers,' Daggubati says. 'That happened very organically and quickly. There's always been a finesse associated with whiskey in some manner, artisanship in some form, which I think the reposado brings out very beautifully.'
