Bollywood actor Sanjay Dutt has made an undisclosed investment in the up-and-coming alcobev startup, Cartel & Bros. Reportedly, the company is looking to introduce a wide range of premium liquor brands to the Indian market through imports and retail channels.
Executives from the recently established venture have confirmed Dutt’s involvement in the project, reported Economic Times.
Cartel & Bros, led by Mokksh Sani, one of the partners of liquor retail chain Living Liquidz, has unveiled its first offering— a blended Scotch whisky called Glenwalk.
The startup plans to expand its portfolio with vodka, tequila and single malt offerings in the near future.
According to Sani, the company has secured a factory lease in Scotland and intends to price its products competitively to cater to a larger group of young consumers.
“We believe our collaboration has the ability to offer consumers accessible Scotch,” said Sani, emphasising the startup’s commitment to providing quality products at affordable prices.
While acknowledging the challenges in the alcobev industry due to complex regulations, state-level taxation and price control, Sani expressed confidence in the potential of India’s young consumer base, stating, “India is a young country where consumers are willing to experiment.”
Sanjay Dutt’s investment in Cartel & Bros marks a growing trend of Indian actors diversifying their portfolios with startup investments.
Bollywood stars such as Sunil Shetty, Alia Bhatt and Ranbir Kapoor have also shown interest in the alcobev sector by investing in similar ventures. This is not Sanjay Dutt’s first foray into the investment world.
Besides his involvement with Cartel & Bros, he currently holds a stake of less than 1% in Cyber Media (India) Limited, as reported by Trendlyne. The Indian startup scene has witnessed several instances of actors investing in various sectors.
In April this year, actor Akshay Kumar invested an undisclosed amount in Two Brothers Organic Farm. Additionally, he also invested in men’s personal care industry with The Good Glamm Group, collaborating with the startup to launch a direct-to-consumer (D2C) personal care brand for men.
Actress Samantha Prabhu also made an investment in D2C superfoods startup, Nourish You, in March this year.
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