Who says global premium can’t come from India? These brands are proving otherwise

Indian consumer brands are increasingly gaining visibility in international markets, challenging the long-held belief that premium, globally successful brands cannot originate from India. Nikhil Kamath, Zerodha co-founder, recently highlighted how brands like Subko, SuperYou, 11.11, and Nappa Dori are establishing a global footprint, signaling a new era for “Made in India.” According to a 2025 LinkedIn report, nearly 58 percent of Indian consumers today prefer local brands, driven by identity, sustainability, and trust — not just affordability. Many of these brands are now competing with long-established global giants.

Here’s a look at some of India’s homegrown premium brands making a mark internationally:

Rampur

Rampur, a premium single malt whisky from Radico Khaitan Distillery (Uttar Pradesh), was established in 1943. Known for its Himalayan-aged, non-chill filtered malts, Rampur has been exported internationally since 2016.

Amrut

Founded in 1948 by J.N.R. Jagdale in Bangalore, Amrut Distilleries evolved from producing blended whiskies to globally recognized single malts. Its Amrut Fusion was ranked the third-best whisky in the world in 2010, and the brand is now available in the UK, USA, Europe, Australia, and Asia.

Godawan

Launched in 2022 by Diageo India in Alwar, Rajasthan, Godawan is an artisanal single malt whisky brand named after the Great Indian Bustard. It has received over 70 awards, including Single Malt Whisky of the Year at the 2024 London Spirits Competition, and expanded globally to the USA, Dubai, Malaysia, Singapore, New Zealand, Australia, and the UK.

Paul John

Paul John, founded in 2012 by John Distilleries Pvt. Ltd. in Goa, produces premium single malt whisky. Leveraging Goa’s tropical monsoon climate, the brand has expanded internationally to the UK, USA, Germany, France, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and multiple major airports worldwide.

Forest Essentials

Founded in 2000 by Mira Kulkarni in New Delhi, Forest Essentials specializes in luxury handmade Ayurvedic beauty products. After Estée Lauder acquired a 20% stake in 2008, the brand expanded internationally, opening its first store in London in 2022 and exporting to over 120 countries.

Kama Ayurveda

Kama Ayurveda, founded in 2002 by Vivek Sahni and partners, offers 100% natural, chemical-free Ayurvedic formulations developed in collaboration with Arya Vaidya Pharmacy. In 2019, Spanish fragrance company Puig invested in the brand, supporting its global expansion, including a London store in 2023 and a presence in Harrods.

Minimalist

Minimalist is a science-backed skincare brand founded in 2020 in Jaipur, India, by brothers Rahul and Mohit Yadav, with a mission to offer clean, transparent, and efficacious skincare.

In 2025, Hindustan Unilever Limited (HUL) acquired a 90.5% stake in Minimalist for approximately ₹2,955 crore, with plans to acquire the remaining stake within two years. The brand is available in the USA through online channels and in the UK on platforms like Beauty Bay and TikTok Shop. It also has a presence in Singapore, Vietnam, and Malaysia via platforms such as Shopee, Lazada, and TikTok Shop.

Inde Wild

Inde Wild is a beauty and wellness brand founded in 2021 by global influencer Diipa Büller-Khosla and her husband Oleg Büller. The brand offers accessible, effective skincare and haircare solutions for South Asian and global audiences.

Inspired by Khosla’s upbringing around Ayurvedic remedies—her mother is an Ayurvedic doctor and dermatologist—and her own 12-year struggle with acne, Inde Wild blends tradition with modern formulations. The brand has a strong presence in the United States, United Kingdom, Canada, and India, and is available on major platforms including Sephora US and UK.

Sabyasachi

Renowned designer Sabyasachi Mukherjee founded the luxury fashion house Sabyasachi in 1999, gaining recognition for bridal couture and the revival of traditional Indian textiles. The brand has grown into a global, multi-vertical label encompassing clothing, jewelry, accessories, and home décor. Sabyasachi has a presence in New York City, California, Atlanta, London, and Dubai, and collaborates with international brands like H&M. In 2021, Aditya Birla Fashion and Retail Limited acquired a 51% stake to support its international expansion.

Tanishq

Tanishq, India’s first organized jewelry retail chain, was founded in 1994 under Titan Company Limited (a Tata Group joint venture). The brand, whose name combines “Ta” (from Tata) and “Nishk” (a Sanskrit word for gold ornament), opened its first international store in Dubai’s Meena Bazar in 2020. It has since expanded across the UAE, the United States, Singapore, Doha, and Oman.

Nicobar

Nicobar is an Indian lifestyle brand founded in 2016 by husband-wife duo Raul Rai and Simran Lal, who also serves as CEO of the luxury home brand Good Earth. The brand offers a curated mix of apparel, home décor, and travel accessories, inspired by travels across the Indian Ocean and a vision to create a “modern Indian voice.”

As of mid-2025, Nicobar operates over 20 stores across India, with 15–20% of its online revenue coming from international markets including the US, Singapore, the Middle East, Hong Kong, and Australia. In 2019, its products were featured at the private island resort Soneva Fushi in the Maldives.

Subko Cacao

Founded in 2020 by Rahul Reddy as part of Subko Specialty Coffee, Subko Cacao focuses on artisanal, pod-to-bar chocolate that highlights Indian cacao. Its Mumbai-based Cacao Mill functions as a chocolate factory, education hub, and retail space, showcasing the brand’s commitment to craftsmanship and transparency. Subko has expanded internationally with a flagship presence at Dubai’s Alserkal Avenue and collaborations with Rosslyn Coffee in London, bringing Indian cacao to a global audience.

SuperYou

SuperYou, founded in 2024 by Bollywood actor Ranveer Singh and FMCG expert Nikunj Biyani under Think9 Consumer, is a D2C functional food brand aimed at addressing India’s protein gap. The brand has already expanded its footprint internationally, with products available across Lulu retail stores in the UAE.

Hollywood actor Brad Pitt sporting a 11.11 shirt in F1 movie.

11.11

Delhi-based slow fashion label 11.11 was founded in 2008 by Shani Himanshu and Mia Morikawa. Renowned for its quiet luxury aesthetic, the brand creates small-batch, handcrafted apparel for men and women using indigenous cotton and natural dyes. Beyond India, 11.11 has built a strong presence in the United States, Japan, and Europe.

In 2025, the brand gained international attention when Hollywood actor Brad Pitt wore its Indigo-colored shorts in the movie F1.

Nappa Dori

Founded in 2010 by Gautam Sinha, Nappa Dori began as a niche leather accessories brand and has since evolved into a lifestyle label offering apparel, home décor, and the experiential Café Dori. The brand emphasizes craftsmanship through its name, which combines “Nappa” (soft leather) and “Dori” (thread). Nappa Dori now operates internationally, including in the UK, UAE, and Sri Lanka.

Soklet

Soklet, a tree-to-bar chocolate brand founded in 2005 by Karthikeyan Palaniswamy and Harish Manoj Kumar in Pollachi, Tamil Nadu, is known for sustainably sourced, artisanal chocolates. The brand processes its cacao entirely in-house and won the Cocoa of Excellence Award at the International Cocoa Awards in Paris in 2017. Today, Soklet exports its chocolates to the United States, Europe, Japan, and New Zealand.

VAHDAM Tea

Launched in 2015 by Bala Sarda in New Delhi, VAHDAM India delivers premium, garden-fresh tea directly to consumers, bypassing middlemen to maintain quality and freshness. The brand ships to 130–150 countries, with the USA as its largest market, and operates between 4,000 and 6,500 retail touchpoints globally.

Manam Chocolate

Manam Chocolate, founded in 2023 by Chaitanya Muppala in Hyderabad, is a premium craft chocolate brand that collaborates with over 150 farmers across Andhra Pradesh to grow, ferment, and dry Indian cacao. In 2024, Manam began exporting fine-flavor cocoa to Switzerland for single-origin chocolate production.

Paul and Mike

Paul and Mike, founded in 2018–2019 in Kerala, is a bean-to-bar artisanal chocolate brand named after two cocoa farmers from Brazil and the Dominican Republic. The brand has won international awards and exports its unique chocolates to China and other global markets.

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