Nick Clegg takes tonic water to India

They say you shouldn’t take coals to Newcastle or tea to China but posh soft drinks brand Fever Tree is taking tonic water to India.

The company announced it was to launch in India, its 50th market, on Monday as part of a trade delegation to Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore, led by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg.

“We are delighted to bring premium quality Indian Tonic Water back to the birthplace of the gin & tonic, said co-founder Tim Warrillow.

“In 1820, the Malaria-plagued British Army in India inadvertently created the cocktail by mixing their regular dose of quinine with sugar, water and local fruits and of course their daily ration of gin.

“We have been championing the gin & tonic boom across Europe over the past years and will now, almost 200 years later, return an all-natural premium tonic water back to its spiritual home.”

Some 70% of Fever Tree sales come from export and the company was in India to boost British exports as part of the David Cameron’s pledge to increase trade to £1 trillion by 2020.

Fever Tree was founded in 2005 by Warrilow and his business partner Charles Rolls, after the pair identified a gap in the market for a premium mixer to compliment the growing number of superior spirits on the market.