Bunta Beer records 40% growth as it takes on the traditional curry lager giants

Bunta Beer - a UK-brewed beer crafted to pair with Indian food - reports significant growth as it challenges Britain to rethink the traditional beer and curry this National Curry Week (5-11 Oct)

• Bunta Beer records 40% year-on-year sales growth since launch in August 2025

• Brand secures more than 20 new accounts in the last month, including the Royal Albert Hall, Novotel, Pahli Hill, The Gladstone Arms, Knight of Notting Hill,

• The Indian non-alcoholic beer market is predicted to be worth USD 1864.81 Million by 2034

Britain’s relationship with Indian food has transformed. Regional dishes, premium ingredients and contemporary restaurants are changing the way we experience one of the nation’s favourite cuisines – but British-Indian beer brand Bunta Beer believes what we drink alongside it hasn’t always kept pace.

Ahead of National Curry Week, Bunta is asking a simple question: Indian food has moved on. Why hasn’t Indian beer?

Bunta is a British-Indian alcohol-free beer brand founded by Gunikka Ahuja, created to offer a more contemporary alternative to the traditional beers associated with Indian food. Designed with food and flavour in mind, Bunta brings together modern alcohol-free brewing with its British-Indian identity, creating a beer that feels at home alongside the increasingly diverse and premium Indian food scene. At its heart is a simple idea: as the way Britain eats Indian food has evolved, the beer served alongside it should evolve too.

Gunikka Ahuja is the Indian founder of Bunta Beer, bringing an international perspective to the way Indian food and drink is evolving. Having moved to London from Los Angeles, Gunikka saw an opportunity to create a modern alcohol-free beer that better reflected the increasingly diverse, contemporary and premium Indian food scene. Through Bunta, she is challenging some of the traditional expectations around what people drink with Indian food and building a brand that draws on her Indian heritage alongside influences from the global cities she has called home.

The challenge comes as Bunta reports 40% year-on-year growth and a string of new account wins across restaurants, hotels, pubs, independent retail and specialist drinks businesses, as well as a bustling DTC business at Buntabeer.com.

Recent trade additions include The Royal Albert Hall, Novotel, Pahli Hill, Mandira Kitchen, Masala Grove Dundee, East West Pizza, The Gladstone Arms, The Latimer, Bombay Bustle, Vintopia among others.

For founder Gunikka Ahuja, the expansion is part of a much bigger shift in the way British consumers are eating – and drinking.

INDIAN FOOD IS CHANGING

Indian food has been woven into British life for generations, but the way consumers experience it is becoming increasingly diverse.

Alongside the traditional curry house, diners are embracing contemporary Indian restaurants, regional specialities, street food, premium at-home dining and a new generation of British-Indian food and drink brands.

There are signs that consumers are prepared to trade up too - not just in the pub but also at home.

Waitrose reported in 2026 that sales of its ready meals were up 8% year-on-year, while its premium ranges were growing faster at 11%. Separate research from the retailer found 44% of consumers named Indian among their favourite cuisines to enjoy at home.

Bunta believes the drinks served alongside that food represent the next opportunity.

Gunikka Ahuja, founder of Bunta Beer, said:

“Indian food in Britain has moved on enormously. People are discovering regional dishes, better ingredients and a new generation of restaurants, chefs and food brands. There’s much more curiosity about where dishes come from, what goes into them and the experience around the food.

“But when it comes to the beer we drink alongside Indian food, the choice can still feel remarkably familiar.

“That was one of the opportunities we saw with Bunta. If we’re putting more thought into the food on our plate, why shouldn’t we put the same thought into what’s in our glass?”

Bunta is no alcohol, low carbonation, (to beat the boat!) and brewed with flavours to enhance the experience of eating Indian cuisine.

BEER AND CURRY, REIMAGINED

The shift comes at the same time as Britain’s drinking habits are changing.

The British Beer and Pub Association estimated that UK consumers would drink a record 200 million pints of no- and low-alcohol beer in 2025, almost 20% more than in 2024. The Indian non-alcoholic beer market is predicted to be worth USD 1864.81 Million by 2034.

Bunta believes these trends – greater interest in premium and diverse food experiences and the growth of alcohol-free drinking – are creating an opportunity to rethink one of Britain's most familiar food and drink combinations.

For Bunta, that doesn’t mean abandoning beer and curry. It means making the combination better.

Different characteristics in beer, from carbonation and bitterness to malt and body, can interact differently with chilli, spice, richness and smoke.

A beer paired with a rich, creamy curry therefore has a different job to do from one served alongside a fiery dish or smoky food straight from the tandoor.

Ahuja said:

“Beer and curry is already one of Britain’s great food and drink combinations. We’re not trying to change that – we want to make it better.

“The Indian food scene is exciting, innovative and increasingly premium. We think the drinks served alongside it should be just as considered.

“National Curry Week is a brilliant opportunity to get people experimenting. Rather than automatically ordering the same drink, think about the flavours in the food and what you want your beer to bring to them.”

GUNIKKA’S NATIONAL CURRY WEEK PICKS

National Curry Week takes place from 5–11 October 2026.

Bombay Bustle, 29 Maddox St, London W1S 2PA

“I absolutely love the Grand Punjab Bowl at Bombay Bustle, especially the Saag Murgh. Saag is incredibly nostalgic for me – it takes me straight back to family meals growing up, when it was always one of those dishes everyone would reach for. It’s rich, comforting and full of flavour, and I love it with a cold Bunta because the freshness of the beer cuts through that richness beautifully.”

The Latimer, 274 Latimer Road London W10 6QW

“The Masala Haddock Bun West London gastropub The Latimer features crispy battered masala haddock, crisp lettuce, melted cheese, and tartare sauce in a sesame bun. It’s warming, fragrant, so perfect for a chilly Autumn Day. The Bunta cuts through the richness of the tartare sauce and enhances the spices.”

Pahli Hill Bandra Bhai, 79-81 Mortimer Street, Fitzrovia, London W1W 7SJ

“I recommend the Home Style Fish Curry Fresh Catches (like wild halibut and mussels) cooked in a vibrant green mango, coconut, and tamarind sauce Bunta elevates the vibrant green mango flavours. Add the Mangalore Bun & Crab Sukkha on the side for a perfect meal.”

Oudh 1722, 66 Union St, London SE1 1TD

“Oxtail Dum Biryani, Lasooni Khinga King Prawns, and Malai Murgh Chicken Leg - a creamy chicken leg marinated in cream, cardamom, and black cumin, served with a rich sauce.”

The Gladstone Arms, 64 Lant Street, London SE1 1QN

“Kid Goat Keema, Chicken Tikka Masala, and Scrambled Paneer - which are part of a popular weekday pie-and-pint deal. Grab a pint of Bunta and make it a deal!”

ENDS

Notes to editors

Sources

No/low beer figures: British Beer and Pub Association, 2025.

Premium prepared food and Indian cuisine figures: Waitrose / John Lewis Partnership, 2026

Non-alcoholic Indian beer market: Deep Market Insights