Why Everyone’s Drinking Ready-to-Drink Cocktails | Black Lines

What does it really take to fix a category that’s fundamentally broken? In an industry where cocktails are often slow, inconsistent, overpriced, and confusing, most consumers have simply accepted the experience as it is. But what if the problem isn’t the drink itself—but the way it’s delivered?In this episode of Getting to Grow, Zoe Fox sits down with Kuleen Khimasia, co-founder of Black Lines, to explore how he’s rebuilding the cocktail industry from the ground up. From launching one of the UK’s first draft cocktail businesses to creating a premium bottled range during COVID, Kuleen shares how Black Lines is challenging outdated perceptions and making high-quality cocktails more accessible, consistent, and scalable.This conversation dives into the gap between what consumers want and what the industry delivers—unpacking why cocktails have remained complicated and inconsistent for so long, and how a new approach to production, branding, and distribution is changing that.Kuleen Khimasia opens up about:• Why cocktails are “notoriously slow and confusing” for most consumers• The real problem with pre-batch drinks—and why most of them fail• Building Black Lines without external funding and staying profitable• Turning a COVID crisis into a major growth opportunity• The importance of brand, design, and perception in a “stuffy” category• Why consistency beats theatre in most hospitality environments• The operational reality of running a physical product business• How they scaled from draft kegs to bottles while controlling quality• Why they’ve avoided supermarkets—and what that means for growth• The future of cocktails and why pre-batch is only getting startedIf you’re a founder, creator, or entrepreneur interested in disrupting traditional industries, building a premium brand, or creating products that challenge consumer perception, this episode breaks down exactly how a clear insight—executed properly—can reshape an entire category.Zoe Fox:/ gettingtogrow/ zoe-fox-377033b0Black Lines: Website: https://blacklinesdrinks.com/instagram: https://www.instagram.com/blacklinesdrinks/Kuleen Khimasia:Linkedin: https://uk.linkedin.com/in/kuleen-khimasia-315ba893