Panjim: Can you think of a drink that would make you high but doesn’t get you a hangover the next morning? It’s Feni — A 500-year-old Goan tradition. Cashew Feni, it’s a drink that is exclusively produced in Goa — nowhere else in the world!
Cheers group launched HVEN Single de Feni-Cashew– priced at ₹1,200 for a 750ml classy bottle and aims to take the Feni business to the next level, making an ambitious charge to convert the spirit, considered a country liquor with not-so-high connotations that come with it, into a premium spirit.
“If you’re on the hunt for something extraordinary that goes beyond great taste, look no further ‘Hven Single de Feni-Cashew’ is a tribute to the brilliance of hyper-local, the magic of craftsmanship, and the power of experimentation” states Ashwin Balivada CEO of Cheers group, who mastered Business Management from Cambridge University UK.
Cheers Group is led by its visionary founder Dr. Mohan Krishna and CEO Ashwin Balivada who are among the industry’s most innovative and creative in making iconic brands in the beverage alcohol industry. Cheers Group, India’s super-luxury spirits conglomerate with its international portfolio of signature brands– garnered close to 200 prestigious awards for its broad range of ultra-premium spirits brands is valued at around INR 600 crores. Strategic international capital funds are vying to pick up a stake in this very successful company.
“Cheers group’s Hven Single de Feni beautifully balances the Cashew Feni’s strong and fruity flavour for new generation enthusiasts and are working to popularise Goa’s very own Heritage drink to the world,” says Dr. Mohan Krishna, the World’s first liquor marketing Doctorate and founder of Cheers group.
In many ways, the journey of Feni mirrors the evolution of Goa itself—from a laid-back, rural region to a vibrant, cosmopolitan destination. Yet, despite its new status, Feni has not lost its roots. The traditional methods of production, the use of local ingredients, and the artisanal nature of the craft remain at the heart of Feni, ensuring that each bottle carries with it the soul of Goa.
Feni, like gin and, more recently, tequila, spilled out of the confines of rural, hyper-local markets onto the global stage. Led by a few modern-generation distillers, decades-old businesses, and government agencies, the aromatic, all-natural, and highly misunderstood 500-year-old spirit with a GI (Geographical Indication) tag set to shed the image of a country liquor and become hip.
Can India take that Goan icon, Feni, to the world? Cheers Group with its award-winning portfolio of world-class brands having an international presence, with the launch of HVEN Single de Feni- Cashew is looking in that direction. Fun, Feni, Goah!
