For Avneet Singh, Founder, Medusa Beverages, education was important but the passion to be an independent individual with a success story to look back was even more important and that’s the reason he started his first venture of skincare products at the age of 19. Today, he is one of the shining businessmen of the national capital who has redefined the definition of beer with Medusa that offers the perfect combination of best barley malt and imported hops from Germany with 5.9% alcohol strength. In a detailed chat with TMM, he talks about his success story and how the pandemic has impacted the overall liquor and beverage industry.
How and when did Medusa Beverages come into existence?
I started working alongside my studies in the domain of multi-level-marketing way back in the tenth grade. Coming from an affluent background, I was constantly supported by my father to fulfill my professional pursuits. Soon, I realized that studying architecture wasn’t calling my juncture, with my savings from my previous job and with funding of two lakhs from my father, the 19-year-old boy started ‘Bella Peau’, which sold skincare products. I took the bold step of leaving my studies. After four months of struggle, I managed to get the license to start a liquor store in Delhi. With the sales picking up in 2017, I decided to enter into manufacturing and to create my own brand which today we know as ‘Medusa’. Medusa is a premium strong beer. It’s completely a new segment. There is no type of brand like Medusa in the market. Others are either really strong or really mild; it’s basically a part of mid-segment. You can compare it with somewhat Budweiser Magnum, but our price is very low, it’s Rs 100 per can in Delhi and in UP it’s 140.
What makes Medusa unique as compared to other contemporaries in the market?
Medusa understands that beer is a passion, a lifestyle choice, and most importantly, a historic drink with a unique culture that needs to be preserved. Over the years, Medusa has become the perfect combination of best barley malt and imported hops from Germany with 5.9% alcohol strength.
The objective has always been to serve good quality beer at an affordable price. Medusa in its first year of operation did a good business and sold 3 lakh cases in Delhi. No brands in the past 2 decades have done this well in Delhi.
Moreover, Medusa has priced its cans as low as INR 100 in order to promote sustainability by encouraging the maximum sale of cans as compared to bottles.
How has been your journey of beerprenurship in the last 2 years?
There were a lot of lessons that I learned through my journey. As an entrepreneur, I am evolving with each passing day and during this course, I have learned a lot about the industry. One of my biggest lessons is that you have to be a differentiator, the one which serves the product as per the taste of the consumers. Consumer study and deep knowledge of the market is very necessary to exist in a throat-cutting industry like this.
Medusa is a millennial beer brand. What were the key factors that you kept in mind before launching and how have these factors helped grow the business?
The objective was to serve good quality beer at an affordable price. Medusa in its first year of operation did a good business and sold 3 lakh cases in Delhi. No brands for the past 2 decades have done such a business in Delhi. Since we are the new players in the industry, there was not much of effect experience. However, there is much effect on the business due to GST. The raw materials we purchase, we pay GST on that but the end product we sell comes under VAT. The margin between both causes a great gap in monetary terms.
How has the pandemic affected the business and what are your plans to cover-up?
In India, alcoholic beverages were once considered as recession resilient industry, and are now facing declined sales or no sales resulting in major losses because of the fact that it does not fall under the category of essential commodities. The industry is constantly witnessing losses due to high fixed costs, cash crunch, imposed excise duty which needs to be paid in advance, and inventory losses which are among the biggest concern of manufacturers. Medusa Beverages has paid the excise duty in advance 
which will be a great loss; apart from this, the products in the factory had come to expiry during the lockdown which was a stock loss for us. But the outbreak of Coronavirus was unable to deter people’s love for alcoholic beverages. Overall consumption of alcohol went very high, down the post-lockdown.
What is your biggest learning as a professional and as a person during the lockdown?
The lockdown period has proven to be a learning phase for all of us. My biggest learning is health is over wealth. I have found out that a person can be content alone as well without being socially active. Also professionally, my learning is that liquid cash is the biggest asset and holds a lot of significance. Since quarantine is very exhausting, positivity in each and every individual is very substantial. There were a lot of lessons that I learned through my journey. As an entrepreneur, I am evolving with each passing day and during this course, I have learned a lot about the industry.
Any tips for young entrepreneurs who wish to get into the beverages industry.
Hire and tap the market wisely. Every entrepreneur should tap the market and learn about Indian consumers and their preferences when it comes to pricing and value for money, the best way to learn is to taste, taste and taste beer. There are a lot of smart people out in the industry and one must socialize and exchange thoughts as we all like to share our knowledge and passion for beer.
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