Brand Building · Founded 2023 · Ahmedabad, India
imle India
India-inspired premium aromatic syrups - Indian in soul, global in class.
imle began as a belief that India's flavours deserved world-class presentation. Built with zero external funding, imle is a premium craft syrups brand designed for the modern cocktail and mocktail culture - rooted in heritage, crafted for the contemporary palate.
Brand built end-to-end - product development, brand identity, packaging, tone of voice, vendor management, compliance and distribution. Entirely self-funded, no external capital.
Rs 7L+ in revenue within 2 years via Amazon India, D2C, modern trade, and gifting - zero external funding, minimal customer acquisition cost.
GTM across channels - Blinkit onboarding, cafe partnerships (Kitabi Aangan), FMCG retail in Ahmedabad, corporate and wedding gifting generating Rs 3L+ independently.
Strategic repositioning - from traditional sharbats to premium aromatic craft syrups targeting urban Indian professionals, 25 to 45.
Launched Arjun - an AI-powered WhatsApp bartender that guides customers through mocktail and cocktail recipes using imle syrups. A brand experience built to drive engagement and retention beyond the purchase. Try Arjun →
Cafe partnership - launched a city-themed mocktail menu with Kitabi Aangan, Ahmedabad. View menu →
Meta campaigns across 5 metro cities - achieved CPC of Rs 0.7 against industry average of Rs 3+, driving 10,000+ website visits in under 20 days at Rs 100 ad spend per SKU across 5 SKUs.
Brand Strategy
Rare Rabbit: Case for Fragrance
Fragrance category entry strategy for a Rs 500Cr premium lifestyle brand - category analysis, in-store study, new product and category conceptualisation, GTM, and strategic planning.
View assignment →Brand Campaign
&Done - Brand Assignment
Full campaign concept for the Take Control range, CAC reduction plan, pricing intervention analysis, and Meta ad recommendations.
View assignment →I lead brands in the premium lifestyle and consumer goods space - from the earliest idea to the shelf and beyond. That means owning new product development, building brand identity and packaging from scratch, crafting go-to-market and market entry strategy, running campaigns, and managing the full brand P&L. I work across the brand-building stack: conceptualisation, positioning, launch, distribution, and long-term brand management. My sharpest edge is in categories where product, aesthetics, and emotion intersect - where getting the brand right matters as much as getting the numbers right.
Brands That Matter
When we pick a brand, we are picking a story - one that we live, experience and share with the people we love.
Some brands affect us in ways that make us feel something. Something that makes us smile, or laugh or giggle or even cry. Their products are part of our childhood memories, our life across homes and borders - and they are as much with us as our families and friends.
Brands That Matter is my deep dive into those brands - what made them, what broke them, and how they made us love them.
Introduction
Brands That Matter - What this is and why it exists
A personal note on why some brands go beyond products and become part of how we live, feel and remember.
Read on Substack →No. 01 - Coming Soon
Cadbury - How one brand became India's emotional currency
From a British import to the taste of every Indian celebration. The story of five pivots, one crisis, and a brand that never stopped earning trust.
The world that shapes my thinking
@vaybhavsharmaBetween the lanes of Paris and the valleys of the Himalayas, my heart sings for finding truth in life through real experiences, courageous ambitions, exciting actions and togetherness with family and friends. I grew up in India and was given a life of love and privilege by my parents. Then came a turning point - France for my masters showed me what life can be when lived with beauty, class and a slowness that comforts.
From there to dreaming of taking Indian products to the world, my heart has taken me into Hindustani classical singing, theatre acting, exploring India, learning spirituality and understanding life through experiences. I aim to build a life surrounded by amazing experiences, service to people and happiness doing what I love.
Explore my world on Instagram - @vaybhavsharma