A NELSON firm is planning to put the fizz into the Indian food market with a cider brewed and bottled in the Himalayas.

Himachal has already sold out of its initial stock and the company has launched a crowd-funding initiative to attract more investment as it looks to expand.

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Co-founder David White said: “I love Indian food and have seen the growth of so-called Indian beer over recent years.

“We thought there was an opportunity to launch a cider and so, after a lot of research, we found a site in the Himalayan foothills.

“The cider is made at 7,000ft above sea level and the apples are grown at 9,000ft. We use Himalayan mountain water as well, so it’s a pretty unique set-up.”

Dave and business partner Clive Fernandez have 20 years’ experience in the IT sector and moved to East Lancashire 18 months ago, but the cider start-up is their first venture into the drinks trade.

David added: “We designed the product ourselves and I would describe it as not as sweet and less fizzy than the major brands.

“When you open a bottle of Himachal cider you can smell apples.

“We believe its taste and authenticity will prove a winning combination for lovers of Indian food.”

They are now looking to raise £65,000 through crowd-funding website Crowdcube, offering 15 per cent in equity and initiatives for smaller investors such as a case of the new drink.

David said: “We have taken orders from Indian restaurants in East Lancashire, but we didn’t want to build momentum and then not be able to fulfil them.

“We have a warehouse in Nelson and are looking to expand to places like Manchester, Leeds and Bradford, which should provide us with good markets.

“The ultimate ambition is to target the 9,500 Indian restaurants in the UK.”

For further information, visit crowdcube.com/investment/himachal-20327.