How this journalist became the most coveted name in the Indian alcobev industry

Mar 22, 2021

6 MIN READ

How did a young woman obsessed with Egypt and determined to become an archeologist become India’s most respected name in the alcohol and beverage industry? We speak with Karina Aggarwal, fondly known as Gigglewater, to learn about her journey from wanting to being an Egyptologist to becoming a journalist to being one of the biggest names in the industry.

Did you always aspire to be in the alcobev industry?

I grew up in Hyderabad being obsessed with Egypt. I wanted to become an Egyptologist. I would print hieroglyphics to study them and even learnt how to read them, but I was not sure how could I get to Egypt or become an Egyptologist. The quest got me to Mumbai (I had thought the city may help me get to my destination). In Mumbai I enrolled in St. Xavier’s College and studied Psychology, English and Anthropology for my bachelors, and later did my post graduation in journalism. I hadn’t figured how to get to Egypt yet, but I had started enjoying being in the city. Meanwhile in my first job at Times of India I got to write about everything that interested me—books, films, archeology, even Egypt – and I no longer missed Egypt.

So how did alcobev happen?

While still in college I had joined a beverage magazine, called Ambrosia, as a features writer. During the tenure, I got to meet many winemakers and distillers who I often had to interview. Since I had little knowledge of the subject then, I started reading about it. I also got to taste every beverage I was writing about and that brought context to the content. I loved this phase and all that I was discovering. Since everything I learnt could not go into the magazine, I started blogging about it on my blog, Gigglewater. Here I would write snippets, tid-bits, and facts about spirits, wine, breweries in a fun way and it started to connect with people. As the blog caught attention, I started getting invitations to attend beverage festivals from across the world.

And that helped you gain more knowledge on the subject?

Yes. As I met more and more people in the industry, I became greedy for deeper knowledge on the subject. While I had no money to study beverage at an advanced level, many brand ambassadors I met helped me enroll in international courses and appear for exams that were not even available in India. I enjoyed doing the courses and started collecting certificates. Simultaneously I started doing small workshops in Mumbai where I would package information in a fun way and make it contextual for my audience.

Were you still working with Ambrosia?

I had left Ambrosia after a short stint, actually. At this time I was writing as a freelancer for many Indian and international publications like South China Morning Post, Vogue, CondeNast Traveller, and The Hindu on dining, beverage, travel and generic features. Thanks to my strong academic background, discipline, and varied interests that my mother had inculcated early on, I could dabble in multiple subjects and manage multiple roles.

Was the transition into beverage consulting, brand endorsements and judging international competitions a deliberate choice?

It was an organic transition I would say. As I started consulting brands on online activations, tastings and training, brand endorsements came along. My Instagram videos on the subject meanwhile took off really well and brands started coming to me for endorsement too. I was in a position to choose who to work with and how to navigate the system. From being just a blog, Gigglewater meanwhile became a company leading research, strategy, activations, events and education in the field of alcobev.

How does TERAI, the Gin that you are associated with, fit in here?

My journey with TERAI began a year ago. My personal goal at the time was to work with more homegrown brands and be a part of creating a brand narratives. This is when I met Shekhar Swarup, the founder. When I was first introduced to it really liked how it had come together, the precision to design and aesthetic was obvious. I saw potential in being able to share the lovely stories behind TERAI and lead the brand’s values and ethos - which align with my own in many ways - with the larger audience. So while I had started as a consultant on the project, the role evolved into me now operating in a much larger capacity as Vice President at the India Craft Spirit Co.

Did you face any challenges navigating what is mostly seen as a man’s industry?

I wish I could say otherwise but the space is still quite prohibitive to work in if you are a woman. There are issues on various fronts - the taboo around alcohol and particularly women working with alcohol, general societal stereotyping, the lack of safe spaces and that it is largely a boy's club in how it operates. There have been multiple instances where I have had to deal with situations where I was written off for being a woman - from the mindset that I couldn't possibly be an authority on spirits or whisky to the insinuation that my success is connected to my appearance as opposed to the knowledge I hold. Things are changing though and hopefully they'll change at a quicker rate. There are brands and bars that actively support the cause and attempt to sensitize their staff. There are many women now who are doing great work in alcobev. The more women we see in these spaces, the more stories of these women we tell, the better it becomes for everyone.

Since we are talking about women and it is Women’s History Months, would you like to tell us something about your association with Khoj International Artists’ Association?

To commemorate Women’s History Month TERAI India Dry Gin is recognizing women and their contributions to art, creativity, and society at-large through limited-edition packaging. We have created 700 unique TERAI bottles with purple stoppers that are available in New Delhi. The proceeds from the sale will go towards Khoj International Artists’ Association. It will support their work on cultural shifts to counter gender-based injustice and address issues around urbanisation, through a wide range of creative, socially-engaged, artistic, and education-oriented programs. At TERAI we work with more and more women at every level and this is just another attempt to support them.

You have worked your way through the challenges in the industry, what is it that you’d like to tell young women who aspire to be in the industry but may be unsure?

I’d say put in the hard work and take the opportunity to learn from wherever you can. Connect with possible mentors who have run this course before you. With the general taboo around alcohol and the gender imbalance in the Indian alcobev space it can be daunting but everyday just grow a slightly thicker skin. Make sure you are solid in what you put out there and try not to allow for anyone to find fault in what you represent.

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