Get over the liquor ban, startup HipBar app could be the answer to your drinking woes

The recent Supreme Court decision to ban sale of liquor within 500 metres of national and state highways, besides several states considering enforcing a complete ban on sale of liquor has put liquor guzzlers in a spot. Not just that, standing in a serpentine queue of a liquor shop to get their hands on their favorite drink or waiting tirelessly outside a restaurant-cum-bar, too, has become a major irritant for several liquor consumers. But, there’s a good news for those who want to get sloshed as technology is beginning to make their life easier. [caption id=“attachment_265908” align=“alignleft” width=“380”]  Representational image. Reuters[/caption] According to a report, the RBI-licensed mobile wallet app called HipBar app is helping consumers tide over curbs on availability of sale of liquor. Currently operational in Bengaluru, users can download this app and pay for their favourite liquor brands, which in turn will store the bottles on the cloud. Later, the users can redeem it at any local retail stores, restaurants and bars which are part of the platform, a Times of India report said. Founded by Prasanna Natarajan from Chennai, it has several global liquor brands on its platform. In Bengaluru, the startup has over 50 retail stores and around 30 bars as part of its network. “Apart from covering a network of establishments that sell or serve alcohol, we also act as a discovery platform, where our 80,000 plus consumers can find an array of liquor brands. It is increasingly becoming difficult for someone to have a drink at their convenience. In some states, people stand in a queue for about 4 hours to get their hands on one bottle,” TOI report said quoting Prasanna Natarajan. The app is not only gaining acceptance in Bengaluru, but several people across the country are already downloading the app even though the company is yet to expand in other cities. The HipBar app has witnessed daily bookings worth Rs 1.5-2 lakh on weekdays which rises sharply during weekends. The app, however, undergoes strict KYC (know your customer) details of users for age validation purpose. Not just HipBar, there are several other startups like Mumbai-based HipCask that offers a beer passport to consumers, which allows them to select offers at a particular price within a specified period, the report says.