NEW DELHI/MUMBAI: Taking a hint from consumers moving away from sugary and carbonated drinks to more functional ones like Paperboat’s Aampanna or Jaljeera, the Indian FMCG major Dabur is now extending its popular digestive brand Hajmola into the ready-to-drink beverage category. The new drink brand — christened Hajmola Yoodley — is set to be launched in six Indian flavours.“Hajmola has a strong equity of chatpata taste. We are leveraging that same equity here for chatpata Indian ethnic drinks,” Dabur India marketing head (foods) Sanjay Singal told TOI. At present, Dabur operates in the beverage category with its Réal and Réal Activ range of fruit juices and nectars.While the Rs 14,000-crore domestic soft drinks market — dominated by multinational companies such as Coke and PepsiCo — has started showing signs of slowing down, the organized market for ethnic flavoured beverages stands at around Rs 150 crore and is growing fast on a smaller base. The unorganized market for such drinks is larger and is estimated to be at least Rs 1,400 crore in size.However, industry experts say that ethnic beverages are very niche and are unlikely to become mainstream anytime soon. “Coca-Cola used to have this digestive drink named Rimzim cola and it doesn’t exist now. Local drinks such as Mangola had a cult following before it fizzled out. Mainstream drinks in India still mean flavours such as cola, mango, lemon and orange,” said Arvind Singhal, retail expert and founder of Technopak. Even Parle’s coffee-flavored drink Café Cuba has disappeared from retail shelves.The new Hajmola Yoodley ready-to-drink beverage range is being launched across the country in a 250ml pack, priced at Rs 30. It will be available in six different variants — Awaara Aam Panna, Nimboora Shikanji, Go Goa Guava, Jhakaas Jaljeera, Golmaal Golgappa and Kabhi Kala Kabhi Khatta.The other dominant player in the space, Hector Beverages, the maker of Paperboat brand of ethnic drinks, opened its second manufacturing plant in Mysore in March. It has currently been valued at around $100 million. Neeraj Kakkar, co-founder of Hector Beverages and a former Coca-Cola employee, said, “We are growing at a very fast pace but the challenge is distribution. We are working hard to work out the right distribution channels.”Dabur, on the other hand, wants to be future-ready. Dabur India executive director (consumer care business) Krishan Kumar Chutani, said, “The first part of this initiative saw the launch of brand Hajmola in a liquid candy format last year and the introduction of Chocolate Chyawanprash, to name a few. We are now getting into the second and more aggressive part of the initiative.”