From Modern Trade to Mangroves: How Signature is growing 4X faster than the Whisky category
Signature packaged drinking water is currently growing at four times the pace of the broader upper prestige whisky category, with over 50–60% of its new consumers coming from upgrades.
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Diageo India’s Signature packaged drinking water is doubling down on premiumization, sustainability and purpose-driven storytelling to carve a distinctive space in India’s rapidly evolving alco-bev industry. With 60% of its marketing budget now dedicated to digital platforms, the brand is signaling its intent to lead on cultural relevance, not just category share.
"Signature’s media mix strengthens its cultural impact as 60% of its marketing spends are focused on digital platforms such as Instagram and YouTube, 20% on traditional media like print and outdoor and the remaining 20% on experiential marketing. This year, the brand is scaling its experiential partnership with Ziro Festival of Music from one city to six," Varun Koorichh, Vice President and Portfolio Head - Marketing, Diageo India, told Storyboard18.
The India bottled water market size reached $9.5 billion in 2024, as per a study by IMARC. The market is projected to reach $29.7 billion by 2033, exhibiting a CAGR of 12.45% during 2025-2033. The brand is currently growing at four times the pace of the broader upper prestige whisky category, with over 50–60% of its new consumers coming from upgrades. This reflects a growing “drink better, not more” mindset among Indian consumers, especially Gen Z and urban premium audiences. "With a pan-India presence, Signature is growing 3–4 times faster than the category in nearly every state, with no single geography dominating its growth story," Koorichh said.
Koorichh further claimed that Diageo positions Signature Packaged Drinking Water as a legitimate, standalone FMCG product, not a marketing proxy. The brand is distributed primarily through e-commerce platforms like Blinkit, Zomato and Swiggy, which collectively account for 90% of its sales, the product also has a presence in modern trade and select restaurant partners. “Our Signature packaged water is available far and wide—it’s a genuine product. Traditional trade remains limited due to infrastructure constraints,” he added.
Sustainability - the brand ethos
According to Koorichh, the brand identity is rooted in sustainability. Most recently, Signature launched a campaign around its Mangrove Regeneration Project, timed with World Mangrove Day on July 26. The campaign is executed in collaboration with the Indo-Global Social Service Society, the project has planted over 30,000 mangrove saplings and restored more than 62 acres of coastline in Odisha’s cyclone-prone Puri district. “Mangroves absorb four times more CO₂ than your regular rainforests,” Koorichh explained. “This is like planting more trees—but it goes much deeper into the roots.”
To further reinforce this ethos, the brand recently partnered with Thaley, a sustainable fashion brand, to launch a limited-edition line of sneakers, totes and t-shirts made from discarded plastic. Ten percent of the proceeds go back to the mangrove regeneration initiative.
