Jess Scheerhorn, President, BuzzBallz
US-based ready-to-drink (RTD) brand BuzzBallz is seeing rapid early traction in India, clocking nearly three-fold month-on-month (m-o-m) growth in Bengaluru since its December launch.
BuzzBallz has also secured distribution in 30 per cent of Bengaluru’s RTD outlet universe and has captured 20 per cent market share in the city within the RTD segment in the launched stores as of February.
Jess Scheerhorn, president of BuzzBallz, said that in Bengaluru, the brand is now available in around 700 retail outlets and is actively looking to scale further, driven by sustained inbound demand from retailers.
Riding this momentum, BuzzBallz is also preparing to expand into Maharashtra and Goa by August this year. These two key markets together account for roughly 25 per cent of RTD industry volumes across India.
“When we visited Maharashtra, including Pune and Mumbai, we observed clear customer interest and demand. Data indicates that RTDs in India are expected to grow at over 6-10 per cent, which is on the higher side for category expansion. We also noticed a shift, with many consumers moving away from beer, making RTDs an increasingly preferred choice for consumption across various occasions,” Jess told businessline.
Indian flavours go global
BuzzBallz aims not only to gain share within the RTD segment in India, but also to expand the overall consumption occasion. As distribution scales up, performance is expected to hinge on strong repeat consumption, which it is currently seeing in Bengaluru.
While BuzzBallz currently has limited presence in on-premise channels, Scheerhorn noted that this could emerge as a significant consumption avenue over time. In markets such as the US and the UK, on-premise adoption followed initial awareness built through off-premise retail.
The India portfolio includes three market-specific flavours — Berry Lemon Squeeze, Strawberry Squeeze, and Chilli Guava Groove, with the brand developing additional variants tailored to Indian tastes.
Jess shared, “Some of these India-inspired flavours are beginning to attract interest in international markets as well, with flavours like Chilli Guava Groove seeing demand from the US.”
In India, digital engagement is emerging as a key driver of retail partnerships, with online conversations helping educate consumers and build awareness around the product. Social media, in particular, is playing a role in shaping consumption behaviour.
Published on April 3, 2026
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