Published Online:June 2026
Product Name:The IUP Journal of Case Folio
Product Type:Article
Product Code:IJCF040626
DOI:10.71329/CaseFolio/2026.26.2.49-66
Author Name:V Namratha Prasad
Availability:YES
Subject/Domain:Management
Download Format:PDF
Pages:49-66
The case discusses the meteoric rise of India-based beverage company Archian Foods Private Limited (Archian)—popularly known by its flagship beverage brand name Lahori Zeera (Zeera) which emerged as one of the fastest-growing beverage companies in India. The entrepreneurship journey of Zeera's three founders, including its CEO Saurabh Munjal (Munjal), is described in detail. The three founders recognized and leveraged a market gap—the lack of mass market ethnic/traditional beverages in India’s large non-alcoholic beverage market—and built Lahori Zeera to fill that void. The case highlights the key strategies that the founders undertook with regard to product innovation, competitive pricing, and grassroots distribution that eventually played a key role in Zeera’s success. The founders managed to ‘desify’ the fizzy drink experience and make it more culturally relevant to Indian consumers. Starting out as a bootstrapped venture, Zeera eventually attracted investors who funded the company’s scaling initiatives. The case takes an in-depth look into Zeera’s challenges, particularly the intense competition from major industry players, including the cola giants, Pepsi and Coke.
In 2025, India-based beverage company Archian Foods Private Limited (Archian), popularly known by its flagship beverage brand Lahori Zeera (Zeera) emerged as one of the fastest-growing beverage companies in India.4 For FY 2025, Zeera had surpassed 55 bn in revenue (Refer to Exhibit I). For FY 2026, the company had a revenue target of 8-10 bn. Zeera expected to build its sales by capitalizing on repeat purchase behavior, cultural familiarity, and affordability.