Bhumi, Samiksha Pednekar launch natural mineral water brand Backbay

Actor Bhumi Pednekar and her lawyer-sister Samiksha have launched Backbay, a premium beverage brand. Its first product, Backbay Aqua, is a natural mineral water sourced directly from the Himalayas. 

The idea emerged from the Pednekar family's decade-long journey toward sustainability. “Very early on, we quit using single-use plastic as much as possible. Every time I had to drink water from a plastic bottle, it would really bother me. There were just no options available,” explains Bhumi.

Two years of deliberations and research led to the solution—natural mineral water that originates from a glacier melt, flowing through mineral-rich formations, absorbing naturally occurring magnesium, calcium, and potassium. The water is drawn from a protected Himalayan reservoir and bottled at its source by a women-led team.

Sustainability is an important part of the brand ethos and the supply chain. 

“In our entire packaging process to our distribution process, we have tried to be as conscious as possible as a brand. For instance, one of our distributor suppliers uses e-vehicles for delivery, so we are trying to reduce our carbon footprint there as well. Our packaging is paper and our caps are bio caps,” says Samiksha.

The water is packaged in FSC-certified paperboard cartons with plant-based caps made from sugarcane resin. Designed to endure India’s extreme heat without chemical leaching, these lightweight cartons offer a safer, smarter, and more sustainable alternative to plastic bottles.

The sisters took inspiration from Mumbai (or Bombay as it was called earlier), their city for the name Backbay.

“Our spirit is our city, the hustle, the hard work, the ability of turning dreams into reality, that’s what this city does. It has space for everyone. It has given me and my sister our thriving careers, our parents. So, this is where the name came from,” says Bhumi. 

Building a conscious brand

Backbay targets “everyone who cares about their health and their bodies first, and then the planet,” says Samiksha. This includes young adults, fitness enthusiasts, children, and conscious consumers.

“You are not going to be disappointed with the water that you drink,” she says. We just want to simplify hydration. We want water to be a beverage that is enjoyed by one and all.”

The sisters emphasise that their product offers a different taste experience. “We are so used to the taste of other variants available, where we feel like, ‘Oh, this is how water tastes.’ No, natural water does not taste like that.”

Their go-to-market strategy involves being conscious of who they partner with.

“We will be available on quick commerce, modern trade, and retail. We partner with Nature’s Basket, Food Stories, and Food Square. In terms of quick commerce, we are on Swiggy Instamart, Zepto, our own D2C website, and Amazon. We have been very conscious of how we are going to be seen and where we are going to be seen. In terms of restaurant partners, we've been very selective,” Samiksha says.

“For us, HoReCa (hotels, restaurants, cafes) is also very much in play. Our ultimate aim would be that Backbay is available in schools, gyms, airports, colleges, corporate canteens, corporate boardrooms - everywhere. We have a chain of restaurants that we are already engaging with where our product will be available within the next month,” shares Bhumi. 

Currently Backbay Aqua will be launched in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, and Hyderabad. We want to grow slowly and steadily as much as we can. It currently has two SKUS—in 500 ml and 750 ml cartons priced at Rs 150 and Rs 200.

Bhumi has invested in a few startups so far with a focus on sustainability and green business. The decision has been a conscious one.

“At the start of my investing journey, I just started as somebody that cared. I was like, how can I empower newer businesses that are aligned with the cause that I'm aligned with? I'm very passionate about climate and sustainability. I have an IP called Climate Warrior that I've been running since 2019. This is honestly a part of my being, a part of my life,” she says.

With Backbay, she admits it’s been a lot of learning and unlearning apart from the money and years of hard work that has gone into the brand. 

The brand represents a departure from typical celebrity endorsement deals. Both sisters are involved in daily operations, with Samiksha handling day-to-day management while Bhumi focuses on brand vision and strategy.

As more actresses invest in causes they’re passionate about, what unique value or perspective do they bring to the table?

“To begin with, we want to question the status quo, we want to break stereotypes because we usually see men in boardrooms. So first, let’s bring the change there. When you have a platform, you can influence people the right way,” Bhumi believes.

“Women are extremely hardworking. Many times, people say, ‘Oh, don’t make this into a conversation about gender.’ But it is. Women can multitask, we are vulnerable, and we have the ability to think ten steps ahead because of our generational conditioning. It’s part of our DNA, and empathy is our superpower,” she says.

While launching with Backbay Aqua, the sisters have bigger ambitions. "From just being a water brand, we want to be a beverage brand. The company has two additional product lines in R&D, focusing on products "free of nasties, free of sugar-laden drinks, free of toxic chemicals,” Bhumi states.