§1What this business is
Raw water goes through RO, UV and ozone treatment; extracts of chia, basil (sabja) and flax seeds, moringa, tulsi, giloy, amla, buransh, lemongrass, mint and ashwagandha are made, filtered and standardised, blended into the water, tested for microbes and filled into 250 ml to 1 litre bottles. The product is sold as zero-sugar, low-calorie functional water to gyms, yoga and wellness centres, hospitals, hotels, offices, supermarkets and online buyers. It is a large plant — ₹2.80 crore and 42 staff.
Capacity: 25 lakh bottles a year; 60% in year 1 rising to 100% in year 5.
§2Is it right for you?
Who it is for
An experienced food or beverage entrepreneur with technical staff, distribution reach and access to large finance.
Who it is not for
A first-time or small entrepreneur — the scale, regulation and marketing load are heavy.
Advantages
- Wellness drinks without sugar are a growing segment
- Himalayan herbs (buransh, tulsi, giloy) give a distinct identity
- Many pack sizes and variants from one line
- Institutional buyers such as hotels, gyms and hospitals
Drawbacks
- Very high investment — ₹2.80 crore
- Consumers must be taught what 'diet water' is
- R&D and testing heavy; health claims are tightly regulated
- Big beverage brands compete for shelf space
Skills you need
- Water treatment and aseptic filling
- Herbal extraction and standardisation
- Microbiology and quality systems (HACCP, ISO 22000)
- Brand building and modern-trade distribution
Why difficulty 5/5: Large capital, strict food regulation, R&D and a new product category to sell.
§3Market
Who buys
- Gym users, athletes and health-conscious consumers
- Hotels, resorts and wellness centres
- Hospitals, Ayurvedic clinics and yoga centres
- Corporate offices, schools and universities
How it sells
- Supermarkets and organic stores
- Amazon, Flipkart, Blinkit, BigBasket and own website
- Airports, railway stations and tourist destinations
- Institutional supply contracts
Good to know
- Revenue is projected at ₹500 L in year 1 and ₹1,300 L in year 5.
- The profile names Delhi NCR, Mumbai, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Chandigarh, Jaipur and Lucknow as target markets beyond Uttarakhand.
§4Raw material & machinery
| Item | Qty | Cost |
|---|---|---|
| RO water plant | — | ₹15,00,000 |
| UV sterilisation system | — | ₹4,00,000 |
| Ozonisation unit | — | ₹5,00,000 |
| Herbal extraction plant | — | ₹12,00,000 |
| Mixing tanks | — | ₹8,00,000 |
| Storage tanks | — | ₹5,00,000 |
| Filtration system | — | ₹4,00,000 |
| Bottle rinsing machine | — | ₹5,00,000 |
| Filling machine | — | ₹18,00,000 |
| Capping machine | — | ₹4,00,000 |
| Labelling machine | — | ₹5,00,000 |
| Shrink wrapping machine | — | ₹4,00,000 |
| Laboratory equipment | — | ₹6,00,000 |
| DG set | — | ₹5,00,000 |
| Miscellaneous equipment | — | ₹5,00,000 |
From: Uttarakhand DUY project profile — Herbal Diet Water (prepared by EDII Ahmedabad)
- RO-treated water18 lakh litres a year
- Chia, basil (sabja) and flax seeds6 MT, 5 MT and 5 MT a year
- Moringa leaves, tulsi leaves and giloy stem4 MT, 3 MT and 4 MT a year
- Amla extract and buransh extract2 MT and 1 MT a year
- Natural flavours1.5 MT a year
- Bottles and labels25 lakh each a year; shrink film 20 MT; corrugated boxes 2 lakh
From: Uttarakhand DUY project profile — Herbal Diet Water (prepared by EDII Ahmedabad)
§5Licences & registration
- FSSAI manufacturing licence — confirm the product category (beverage or nutraceutical) first
- If the product is classed as packaged drinking water, BIS certification is mandatory
- Udyam and GST registration
- Factory licence
- Fire NOC
- Pollution Control Board consent
- Trade licence
- ISO 22000, GMP and HACCP certification (listed in the profile)
- Trademark registration
- EPR registration for plastic packaging with CPCB
§6Schemes & subsidies
- CGTMSECentralActiveNo collateral, up to ₹10 crore
- Stand-Up IndiaCentralClosed₹10 lakh – ₹1 crore loan
CGTMSE covers collateral-free loans up to ₹10 crore and Stand-Up India lends ₹10 L–₹1 crore to SC/ST and women founders. The profile assumes a 10% (₹28 L) subsidy without naming the scheme; PMEGP's ₹50 L ceiling is far below this project.
§7Money
How the investment is worked out: Land development and building ₹45 L + plant and machinery ₹105 L + electrical ₹12 L + furniture ₹6 L + laboratory ₹10 L + pre-operative ₹8 L + product development and testing ₹15 L + branding ₹15 L + working-capital margin ₹55 L + contingency ₹9 L = ₹280 L. Promoter ₹70 L (25%), bank ₹182 L (65%), subsidy ₹28 L (10%).
Working capital: Working-capital margin ₹55 L in the ₹280 L project.
Year not printed on the DUY profile — check current prices.
§8Export potential
Export council / board: APEDA
- The profile names the UAE, Canada, Germany, Australia, Singapore, the UK and the USA as possible export markets but prints no HS code — confirm the ITC(HS) line with DGFT.
- You need an Import Export Code (IEC) from DGFT before the first shipment.
§9Risks — where people fail
- Product classified differently by FSSAI than planned
- Short shelf life or microbial spoilage
- Slow consumer uptake
- Herb supply and price swings
§1030 / 60 / 90-day plan
A general plan that applies to any business. A plan for this business will be added after research.
- Days 1–30: Visit a working herbal diet water (functional drinking water) unit, ask 10 buyers about price and quantity, and get quotations from 3 suppliers.
- Days 31–60: Udyam and the licences you need (FSSAI manufacturing licence — confirm the product category (beverage or nutraceutical) first, If the product is classed as packaged drinking water, BIS certification is mandatory), a project report (DPR), and the scheme or loan file.
- Days 61–90: Space and machines, trial production, and first deliveries to 10 customers.
§11Who to connect with
Associations, clusters and training institutes — the directory is being built. Connect
§12Watch
There is no episode on this business yet. Shows are coming soon on the Podcast page.
Want to start Herbal Diet Water (Functional Drinking Water)?
DPR, loan file or registration — ask us on WhatsApp.
¶Sources
Data review: 6 October 2026. Spotted a mistake? Report it. For information only — not legal or financial advice.