From Waste to Worth: A vodka brand in India bets on a bottle made from trash
From Waste to Worth: A vodka brand in India bets on a bottle made from trash
In a nation awash in plastic waste, Indian vodka brand V21 is showing that packaging can be part of the solution.
Prashanti Moktan
- Aug 29, 2025,
- Updated Aug 29, 2025 1:57 PM IST
India generates over 3.4 million tonnes of plastic waste every year, with less than a third effectively recycled. PET (polyethylene terephthalate), the lightweight plastic used for bottles, has long been part of this problem. In a country where plastic waste has become one of the most stubborn environmental challenges, an unexpected sector is taking a step toward circularity: India’s alcohol industry.
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In Madhya Pradesh, a quiet experiment in packaging may be rewriting the rules of what “premium” means in India’s spirits industry. Great Galleon Ventures Limited (GGVL), a family-run company with a half-century legacy in alcohol manufacturing, has relaunched its vodka brand V21 in 100% recycled PET (rPET) bottles, becoming the first spirit brand in the country to do so.
Virgin PET is made from fossil fuels, and its production demands high volumes of water and energy while releasing significant carbon emissions. 100% rPET, which is made entirely from post-consumer plastic waste, recycled and certified food-grade, is a viable alternative. It flips the equation and the environmental math is compelling. Each kilogram of rPET saves 93% of the water, 76% of the energy, and nearly 80% of the carbon emissions compared to virgin PET. In the case of V21, that means every production cycle prevents 5.7 million litres of water use, conserves enough energy to power more than 3.2 lakh homes, and avoids 140 tonnes of carbon emissions, the equivalent work of three million trees in a single day.
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For decades, heavy glass bottles embossed with ornate labels have been the global standard for authenticity and luxury. But they come at a steep environmental price. Glass is resource-intensive to produce, difficult to recycle at scale, and adds significant weight to shipping emissions. PET, by contrast, has been treated as the poor cousin, its practical and cheap, but rarely considered “premium”. Yet in India, consumer behaviour is already shifting. PET flasks in smaller formats have become popular among younger drinkers for their portability and durability. By meeting that preference with recycled material, GGVL is attempting to give the industry a glimpse of another possible future: one in which circular design isn’t niche.
“This isn’t a one-off. We asked ourselves — what if the future of spirits wasn’t just about better liquid, but smarter choices? That question is closely aligned with how today’s consumers, especially Gen Z and millennials, are thinking. 62%+ of Indian consumers say they prefer brands with clear sustainability commitments,” said Utsav Kedia, Vice President – Business Growth, Great Galleon Ventures Limited.
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Globally, too, the tide is turning. Beverage giants like Coca-Cola and Nestlé have pledged to increase the recycled content in their bottles. The global rPET market is expected to grow from USD 2.67 billion in 2025 to USD 6.16 billion by 2034, with an expected CAGR of 9.74% over the forecast period from 2025 to 2034, as per a report by Towards Packaging.
V21’s rPET bottle is only the beginning and part of GGVL’s Bold Planet Charter, a sustainability roadmap that aims to transform the company’s entire packaging and production system. Their commitments range from eliminating wasteful cartons to introducing recycled label papers and sustainable inks and optimising supply chains. Nearly 80 percent of its factory workforce are women, tying its environmental pledges to a social agenda as well. “The goal isn’t to retrofit sustainability onto a product — it’s to design for it from the very beginning. And we’re excited to lead that shift,” said Kedia.
Still, questions remain. Recycled PET is not a cure-all. While it keeps plastic in circulation longer, it does not eliminate the underlying reliance on plastic. rPET itself can only be recycled a finite number of times before its quality degrades. Will GGVL's initiative spark an industry-wide rethinking or will it remain an isolated experiment? This will depend on how seriously other alco-bev companies, including GGVL’s top-tier clients such as Diageo, Pernod Ricard, and Amrut, take the challenge.
India generates over 3.4 million tonnes of plastic waste every year, with less than a third effectively recycled. PET (polyethylene terephthalate), the lightweight plastic used for bottles, has long been part of this problem. In a country where plastic waste has become one of the most stubborn environmental challenges, an unexpected sector is taking a step toward circularity: India’s alcohol industry.
Advertisement
In Madhya Pradesh, a quiet experiment in packaging may be rewriting the rules of what “premium” means in India’s spirits industry. Great Galleon Ventures Limited (GGVL), a family-run company with a half-century legacy in alcohol manufacturing, has relaunched its vodka brand V21 in 100% recycled PET (rPET) bottles, becoming the first spirit brand in the country to do so.
Virgin PET is made from fossil fuels, and its production demands high volumes of water and energy while releasing significant carbon emissions. 100% rPET, which is made entirely from post-consumer plastic waste, recycled and certified food-grade, is a viable alternative. It flips the equation and the environmental math is compelling. Each kilogram of rPET saves 93% of the water, 76% of the energy, and nearly 80% of the carbon emissions compared to virgin PET. In the case of V21, that means every production cycle prevents 5.7 million litres of water use, conserves enough energy to power more than 3.2 lakh homes, and avoids 140 tonnes of carbon emissions, the equivalent work of three million trees in a single day.
Advertisement
For decades, heavy glass bottles embossed with ornate labels have been the global standard for authenticity and luxury. But they come at a steep environmental price. Glass is resource-intensive to produce, difficult to recycle at scale, and adds significant weight to shipping emissions. PET, by contrast, has been treated as the poor cousin, its practical and cheap, but rarely considered “premium”. Yet in India, consumer behaviour is already shifting. PET flasks in smaller formats have become popular among younger drinkers for their portability and durability. By meeting that preference with recycled material, GGVL is attempting to give the industry a glimpse of another possible future: one in which circular design isn’t niche.
“This isn’t a one-off. We asked ourselves — what if the future of spirits wasn’t just about better liquid, but smarter choices? That question is closely aligned with how today’s consumers, especially Gen Z and millennials, are thinking. 62%+ of Indian consumers say they prefer brands with clear sustainability commitments,” said Utsav Kedia, Vice President – Business Growth, Great Galleon Ventures Limited.
Advertisement
Globally, too, the tide is turning. Beverage giants like Coca-Cola and Nestlé have pledged to increase the recycled content in their bottles. The global rPET market is expected to grow from USD 2.67 billion in 2025 to USD 6.16 billion by 2034, with an expected CAGR of 9.74% over the forecast period from 2025 to 2034, as per a report by Towards Packaging.
V21’s rPET bottle is only the beginning and part of GGVL’s Bold Planet Charter, a sustainability roadmap that aims to transform the company’s entire packaging and production system. Their commitments range from eliminating wasteful cartons to introducing recycled label papers and sustainable inks and optimising supply chains. Nearly 80 percent of its factory workforce are women, tying its environmental pledges to a social agenda as well. “The goal isn’t to retrofit sustainability onto a product — it’s to design for it from the very beginning. And we’re excited to lead that shift,” said Kedia.
Still, questions remain. Recycled PET is not a cure-all. While it keeps plastic in circulation longer, it does not eliminate the underlying reliance on plastic. rPET itself can only be recycled a finite number of times before its quality degrades. Will GGVL's initiative spark an industry-wide rethinking or will it remain an isolated experiment? This will depend on how seriously other alco-bev companies, including GGVL’s top-tier clients such as Diageo, Pernod Ricard, and Amrut, take the challenge.
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