Great Galleon Ventures pioneers India’s first vodka in 100% recycled PET

INDIA – Great Galleon Ventures Limited (GGVL) has relaunched its vodka brand V21 in bottles made entirely from 100% recycled PET (rPET), a first for any spirit brand in the country.

The family-run company, with over five decades of experience in alcohol manufacturing, is betting that sustainability will soon rival heritage as a marker of premium quality.

Traditionally, India’s liquor market has favored heavy glass bottles as the gold standard for luxury.

Yet GGVL is challenging that convention, highlighting the environmental and consumer advantages of lightweight rPET.

The benefits are striking. Producing rPET uses 93% less water, 76% less energy, and cuts carbon emissions by nearly 80% compared with virgin PET.

For V21 alone, every production cycle prevents 5.7 million litres of water use, conserves energy equivalent to powering 320,000 homes, and avoids 140 tonnes of carbon emissions, the equivalent work of three million trees in a single day.

GGVL’s sustainability journey is guided by its Bold Planet Charter, a company-wide roadmap to reduce waste, reimagine packaging, and align with global circular economy principles.

Beyond rPET bottles, the charter includes plans to phase out unnecessary cartons, switch to recycled label papers and eco-friendly inks, and optimize supply chains to shrink the company’s overall carbon footprint.

“This isn’t a one-off experiment,” said Utsav Kedia, Vice President – Business Growth at GGVL.

“We’re designing sustainability into our business from the ground up. The future of spirits is not just about superior liquid, it’s about smarter, more responsible choices. And that’s what today’s consumers, especially Gen Z and millennials, expect.”

The initiative also reinforces GGVL’s social mission, with 80% of its factory workforce made up of women, tying environmental goals to broader community empowerment.

Globally, the momentum for rPET is accelerating. Beverages giants like Coca-Cola and Nestlé are boosting recycled content in packaging, while the rPET market is projected to grow from US$2.67 billion in 2025 to US$6.16 billion by 2034.

By becoming the first mover in India’s alcohol industry, GGVL positions itself not just as a manufacturer but as a sustainability leader.

Still, challenges remain: rPET can only be recycled a limited number of times, and it doesn’t eliminate reliance on plastics altogether.

But for GGVL, the launch of V21 in recycled bottles is a statement of intent, that India’s homegrown spirits makers can lead innovation as effectively as global players.

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