Brands
Reliance gets high on health drinks with ayurvedic beverage bet
MUMBAI: Reliance Industries is betting big on India’s growing thirst for healthy drinks, snapping up a majority stake in Naturedge Beverages, maker of the herbal functional drink Shunya. The deal marks the latest move by Mukesh Ambani’s conglomerate to build a beverage empire that can rival Coca-Cola and PepsiCo in the world’s most populous country.
The acquisition brings Shunya—a zero-sugar, zero-calorie drink packed with ayurvedic herbs like ashwagandha and brahmi—into Reliance Consumer Products’ expanding stable. The brand has caught on with health-conscious Indians seeking alternatives to sugary sodas, tapping into ancient wellness traditions that promise stress relief and mental clarity.
Founder of Naturedge and scion of the century-old Baidyanath Group ayurvedic empire Siddhesh Sharma launched Shunya in 2018 with the aim of making traditional herbs palatable to modern consumers. “Super-herbs like ashwagandha and brahmi not only act as natural stress-relievers but also boost strength, stamina and focus,” he said.
For Reliance, the deal is part of a broader push to dominate India’s beverages market. Since launching its consumer products arm in 2022, it has gobbled up the nostalgic Campa Cola brand and rolled out energy drinks and flavoured waters. The company is chasing what it calls a “total beverage portfolio” to capture Indian wallets from morning chai to evening refreshers.
Reliance Consumer Products executive director Ketan Mody said the partnership would help promote “India’s legacy” while offering quality products at affordable prices. With Reliance’s vast distribution network, Shunya could soon be available in corner shops from Mumbai to Chennai.
The move reflects a broader trend as Indian consumers increasingly embrace functional foods and beverages that promise health benefits beyond basic nutrition. As lifestyles become more stressful and wellness awareness grows, traditional remedies repackaged in modern formats are finding eager buyers.
Whether Reliance can crack the code on healthy drinks remains to be seen. But with deep pockets and distribution muscle, it’s certainly willing to pay for the privilege of trying.
Brands
Wellbeing Nutrition ropes in Malavika Mohanan as brand ambassador
Actor fronts Marine Collagen and Skin Fuel Glutathione portfolio.
MUMBAI: Malavika Mohanan just became the face of inner glow because when your skincare starts in the bottle instead of the jar, even beauty gets a glow-up from the inside out. Wellbeing Nutrition has appointed acclaimed actor Malavika Mohanan as brand ambassador for its premium Korean Marine Collagen and Skin Fuel Glutathione range. The move signals a deliberate shift in the Indian ingestible beauty segment from surface-level routines to foundation-level nutrition that supports skin health from within.
The campaign positions collagen as the essential “beauty protein” that maintains elasticity and firmness, with daily supplementation reframed as a consistent ritual rather than a quick cosmetic fix. It aims to simplify the science behind collagen and build awareness around long-term skin nourishment.
Wellbeing Nutrition co-founder Saurabh Kapoor said, “In India, collagen is still largely viewed through a cosmetic lens, associated with glow and quick fixes. In reality, it is the primary structural protein of the skin, and we begin losing nearly 1 per cent of it every year in the late 20s. Yet a significant number of consumers remain unaware of its foundational role in long-term skin health. Our goal is to shift the conversation from fixing visible signs to feeding the foundation.”
Malavika Mohanan added, “For me, skincare has always been about consistency and taking care of myself in ways that go beyond just what I apply on my skin. I love the idea of supporting skin health from within, and that’s what drew me to Wellbeing Nutrition’s Marine Collagen and Skin Fuel Gluta.”
The Korean Marine Collagen uses nano-hydrolyzed peptides for better bioavailability, while Skin Fuel Glutathione complements the inside-out approach. The portfolio targets structure, brightness and resilience over time, backed by clinical research.
The ambassador announcement kicks off a broader collagen-focused roadmap for the brand, with planned innovations across formats and functional blends.
In an era where beauty routines are getting deeper than skin, Wellbeing Nutrition isn’t just selling supplements, it’s selling the quiet power of feeding your glow from the inside, one daily scoop at a time.
