Bhumi Pednekar and her sister Samiksha are stepping into India’s fast-growing premium hydration market with a brand that puts clean water and clean packaging at its core. Their new venture, Backbay, will debut at the end of August in select cities, backed by a retail and quick-commerce push through Swiggy Instamart, Zepto, Amazon, the brand’s own D2C site, and premium grocers including Nature’s Basket and Foodstories.
The sisters are targeting a category projected to grow at 13.2 percent CAGR through 2028, driven by consumer demand for gut-friendly, eco-conscious products. Backbay’s first offering is natural mineral water sourced from a protected Himalayan reservoir. Fed by glacial melt and filtered through mineral-rich rock formations, the water naturally contains magnesium, calcium and potassium.
In a market dominated by plastic bottles and opaque sourcing claims, Backbay is positioning itself as a transparent, sustainable option. The product comes in FSC-certified paperboard cartons with plant-based caps made from sugarcane resin. The packaging is heat-resistant, leak-proof and designed to withstand India’s climate without chemical leaching.
The 500 ml carton is aimed at on-the-go consumers, while the 750 ml size is designed for homes, offices, restaurants and wellness spaces. Production takes place in a women-led facility at the Himalayan source, a move the founders say reflects their values of integrity and community impact.
Bhumi, known for her environmental advocacy, says bottled water has lacked innovation and trust despite being the most consumed beverage. Samiksha adds that the category is crowded with vague claims and plastic pollution, leaving a gap for a brand rooted in conscious sourcing and thoughtful design.
Backbay is entering a crowded but shifting space, where functional hydration and sustainability are no longer niche but mainstream expectations. Its challenge now will be turning premium water into an everyday choice for India’s health-conscious and climate-aware consumers.
