HBI Staff | Mumbai 
With street food stalls, Michelin-starred restaurants, inventive fusion cuisine and unique cocktails, Singapore’s multifaceted F&B space makes it interesting for food lovers. Over the past year, the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) has been giving Indian audiences a slice of the island city’s gastronomical delights through a series called ‘Taste Obsession’. As a recent addition to this series, STB has partnered with Svami, one of the early innovators in Indian mixers and non-alcoholic beverage brands, to introduce an exclusive Pandan-flavoured tonic.
Svami’s co-founder, Aneesh Bhasin, travelled extensively to explore Singapore as F&B destination. He indulged in the varied tasting notes and textures of Singapore’s dynamic cocktail culture and explored establishments like ATLAS, Sago House, Nutmeg & Clove and The Elephant Room. It was in this process that he was introduced to the sweet aromatic flavour of pandan, which blends perfectly with any cocktail or mocktail, inspiring the idea of pandan-flavoured tonic water.
Commenting on the launch, Bhasin said, “New-age Indian consumers are creative, curious, and also well-aware, as most of them travel across the world. They have evolved palettes and seek high-quality cocktail experiences, whether during a night out, experimenting at home, or while travelling to a whole new destination. Catering to the modern-day audience, the idea behind the Pandan tonic was to introduce an exciting flavour profile that goes well with cocktails and mocktails, enhancing the taste. The unique essence of pandan, combined with Gondhoraj, the king of Indian limes, creates a beverage that is unique and aromatic, capturing a glimpse of my ‘Taste Obsession’ journey in Singapore. We are delighted to partner with STB to collectively bring an elevated drinking experience and hope to inspire consumers to visit Singapore soon.”
Speaking further on this collaboration under the ‘Taste Obsession’ series, Renjie Wong, Area Director, India, Middle East, and South Asia, Singapore Tourism Board (STB), said, “Our ‘Taste Obsession’ series brings Singapore’s vibrant culture to India through partnerships with iconic Indian lifestyle brands and tastemakers like Svami. We want to share Singapore’s love for culinary diversity by bringing the richness of Singaporean flavours to India. We look forward to the flavour of pandan resonating in India, connecting our countries through the joy of discovering new and extraordinary things. As Indian travellers’ appetite for gastronomic exploration grows, we hope this ‘Taste Obsession’ series gives consumers across India a slice of our culinary delights and inspires them to enjoy our destination’s diverse lifestyle offerings afresh.”
