We believe food and drink have the power to unite cultures.
Our purpose is to kindle a love for new flavours in people. We want to sow the seeds for an evolution in the soft drinks sector by introducing a range of soft drinks based on exciting, refreshing ingredients that have been used for centuries in the East.
From the Beginning to Now…
2018
Two Worlds Collide — Subha and Ros Meet
Our careers crossed paths and our friendship was forged through discussion and debate. We talked about our different cultures — how differently we were raised and yet how similar our value systems seemed.
Ros grew up in a typical English countryside setting, enjoying being surrounded by nature, while Subha grew up in the hustle and bustle of a crowded city in India going to school in a tuk tuk. It was a serendipitous, east meets west friendship.
2019
A New Venture
We bonded over lunch; we spoke about politics, economics, relationships, and philosophy. We started talking about the idea of bringing the flavours of the east to the west in a drink, the idea of Bodha started to brew. It felt right. It felt novel. It was a true fusion of east and west, just like the two of us. We began to dream.
2020
Bodha’s Beginnings
We talked more seriously about our idea of producing eastern-inspired soft drinks and spent time choosing the perfect name to suit our business concept. Bodha — from the Sanskrit meaning awakening, perception, blossoming— materialized.
Lockdown
Covid hit the world, and we went into lockdown. We became a true business unit, researching and developing drinks together on zoom and hurdling over barriers to adapt our business plan to suit the new normal. The new normal became our fuel, and we used it to our advantage.
We spent much of lockdown sourcing ingredients — hunting for the best quality ingredients, leaving no stone unturned.
Since we weren’t able to have in-person drink tastings, we were able to have international focus groups by posting the samples to the USA, the UK and Europe and had zoom calls to follow-up. This meant we had feedback from a variety of people with different backgrounds, increasing the likelihood that our finished product would be enjoyed by everyone. We may not have thought this broadly and sent our samples to other parts of the world if it weren’t for lockdown.
March 2020
Perfecting the Final Details
Our dream started to take shape. We dove into our branding — we created mood boards to get the right colours, shapes and feel for Bodha.
We painstakingly tested our recipe. There were countless variations over 7 months. If any ingredient we had sourced, or the carbonation level, or the colour wasn’t just right, we scrapped it and started afresh. We persevered, and after many, many tasting sessions with developers, friends and focus groups, we finally had our first recipe ready for production.
The journey to bring authentic eastern flavours to the west took 3 chefs, 4 food scientists, 20 tastings, 365 days, and endless hours of labour and love.
2021
Getting Ready to Launch
If Bodha was a person, what would Bodha wear, say, and feel? We wanted to bring the emotion of Bodha into the packaging, keeping it modern with an old soul. This meant intensive research into the past — looking at nostalgic artefacts, old coins, old buildings, pictures and clothing.
We sent initial design surveys to 4 continents for feedback. We wanted the design to reflect the ethnicity of the east and the style of the west, to give a sense of adventure and romance while being stylish and modern. We landed on a design that fit Bodha perfectly.
Production
We excitedly counted down to production day — it was like having a baby.
It was the trial day for the first recipe, and we couldn’t believe the day was finally here. We felt pure joy to see Bodha brought to life. It was given a true form after existing only in our hearts, minds and on our computer screens for 18 months. Creating something from nothing but an idea and holding it in your hands is a surreal experience.
We can’t wait to spread the joy and have more people enjoy what we have created.
Launch and Beyond
After years of planning, researching, and testing, our idea was now a fully-fledged business. We have big plans — expanding our drink range with unique combinations of flavours is our next step.
We’re excited for the future of Bodha and hope you’ll follow the rest of our journey with a Bodha soft drink in hand.
Whether you’re sipping a Bodha on its own as a flavourful beverage to refresh, mixing it with your favourite spirit for an indulgent cocktail, or pairing it with a spicy meal, we want Bodha to transport you to other worlds and satisfy the epicurean in you.