Hill Zill Wines, the manufacturer of Fruzzanté, one-of-its-kind sparkling alcoholic beverage, has now launched its premium honey mead brand called Arkä. Arkä is made from honey extracted from beehives that is then fermented and presented as mead, a drink which has been mentioned in ancient scriptures dating back to 100 BC. After its success in Maharashtra and Goa, the brand is now available in Karnataka. The premium range is priced at Rs 1,050 for a 375 ml bottle of Arkä Wildflower Honey and Rs 1,095 for Arkä Rose.

Karnataka has rapidly emerged as a major market for alcoholic beverages. The growth of the IT industry, and Bengaluru’s emergence as a global hub for technology, has brought a cosmopolitan and aspiration lifestyle to the city, and the state at large. The financial independence and amalgamation of global lifestyles is making Karnataka, a high potential market for a product like Arkä. The launch is a strategic move at expanding the brand’s footprint across key markets in India.

Priyanka Save, founder and managing director, Hill Zill Wines, said, “Arkä is a premium quality mead made from the best honey sourced meticulously from beehives. Arkä means ‘extract’ in Sanskrit and the mead undergoes a slow fermentation process before it is packed in our customized bottles. Considering how mead has been an integral part of Indian lifestyle and hospitality since ancient times, we have endeavoured to recreate that legacy with the best of ingredients and environment friendly manufacturing and packaging. For instance, for Arkä, we have used specialized corking which is carbon negative with micro-oxygenation which helps age the mead and deliver an unmatched taste experience to our customers.”

The cork closure used for Arkä uses PlantCorc technology based on renewable plant-based polymers derived from sugarcane. These closures are more sustainable with 7g CO2 equivalent per closure carbon footprint and deliver an enhanced overall look and feel.

Speaking about this, Deepak Bhatnagar, chairman and chief executive officer, Hill Zill Wines, said, “We are super excited to bring the Arkä range to customers in Karnataka. The state is the second largest producer of fermented beverages after Maharashtra and the large millennial population residing in the major cities such as Bengaluru, is quite receptive to good quality alcoholic beverages. There is a cosmopolitan culture in India’s Silicon Valley, and it is steadily transforming the consumer patterns and preferences across other major cities and towns across the state. With Arkä, we bring some of the finest made in India meads to the discerning consumers. Right from the brand’s inception our aim has been to produce high-quality beverages that contain natural ingredients and in an eco-friendly manner. We source the honey and other ingredients locally in collaboration with tribals, ensuring that they get good economic value for their produce.”

Arkä Rose is an ultimate expression of luxury. Red Rose forms the essence of this delicate dessert mead. No sooner do you open the bottle than you are pleasantly surprised by the aroma of fine Red Tea Roses. The aroma takes you through the mesmerizing site of rose gardens while you dip into the romantic rendition of Arkä Rose Dessert Mead.

Arkä Wildflower is a luscious dessert mead inspired by the wildflower honey found across forests along the Sahyadri ranges. It is characterized by playful tones of honey, hints of citrus, and floral notes. The mead makes a perfect dessert for a special occasion or simply makes an occasion special.

Hill Zill Wines is focusing on creating drinks for people who wish to enjoy good experiential drinking. Their brand Fruzzanté is also set to release in Karnataka this year which will focus on local fruits from the state. Within the next 5 years, their aim is to be available in all major metros and start exporting their Made in India wines too.