Alcohol as a part of the Indian culture and heritage is either ignored or derided in public discourse. This combined with a punitive policy landscape has created an ecosystem in which we have failed to make the best of our heritage brews and take them to the world with pride.

While consumption by the consumers and revenue from the sector for the governments have grown, the industry has not qualitatively benefitted from the same. The wines from France, the whiskeys from Scotland, the Bourbons from US or tequila from Mexico are not just revenue generators, they also generate national and cultural pride; they are tools of soft power.

We believe the Indian alcohol industry will benefit from a discourse that goes beyond consumption, that explores and brings out the history and the heritage, and engages the consumers and policy makers in more informed ways.

Indian Culinary Agenda is building MADEIRA, a platform that enables all such conversations. Here are a few of our objectives:

1. Content about the industry rarely goes beyond news about awards and drinking recommendations. There are more interesting and nuanced stories that need to come out.

2. India’s indigenous brewing and distilling heritage is not widely known or understood, let alone celebrated. The cultural dissonance this creates needs to be addressed.

3. We believe usual business rules should apply. Innovators should be celebrated, export potential realised and market dynamics understood better.

4. Not all alcohol-based events should be drinking festivals. The industry deserves a platform for serious deliberations and interaction with a niche audience.