Popular Northampton town centre Indian restaurant has expanded to create authentic alcohol brand

Thattukada, in Gold Street, is the only ‘Toddy Shop’ in the UK – and natural toddy is an authentic drink initially tapped out of palm trees abroad.

The restaurant believes it has a unique offering and has helped to promote the town as a destination among South Indian ethnic groups living all over the UK.

John Xavier, the director of Thattukada, shared the business was first set up in June 2021 as a small takeaway in Broadmead Avenue.

They then relocated to Gold Street a year later, remaining as a small takeaway, until they moved along the street to their new and current premises in September 2023 as a restaurant and toddy shop.

John described toddy as the Indian equivalent to beer. It is a natural drink tapped out of any palm tree and is collected into a pot, which then turns into alcohol two-to-three hours down the line.

“That is our selling point,” John previously told the Chronicle & Echo. “At least 60 percent of our customers aren’t from Northampton, and they contribute to the community by shopping in the town. We’re building it up as a destination.”

Now, eight months on from the latest relocation, John launched his own alcohol brand ‘Manavatty’ with three main products – an Indian spiced rum, a traditionally vatted spirit, and an India Pale Ale beer.

“Indian alcohol brands are not available in the UK and I saw the space for it,” said John. “Especially after opening the toddy shop and the response was really good, people suggested I should create alcohol specific to South India.”

John launched the company in 2019 before the pandemic halted his plans. He has been working on it for the past year and the products officially launched a month ago.

Not only is it available to purchase in John’s toddy shop in Gold Street, but it can be shipped anywhere in the UK if customers buy it online.

The rum is the most authentic Indian alcohol of the three available and is a blend of white and dark rum, infused with 22 spices.

With the cricket season upon us, John knows beer is the favourite drink of the South Indian sporting community across the town and beyond – making the Pale Ale a popular choice.

The Manavatty distillery is located in Leicester and the brewery is in the town, next door to Thattukada.

“People wanted this more than me,” said John, who says his customers encouraged him to take this step having already immersed himself in the toddy and local Indian food industries.

He continued: “Everyone has said it is excellent premium quality and there has been more footfall to the restaurant just to taste the alcohol.”

Despite only just launching, John already has ambitions to immerse the brand in the retail industry – with the aim of seeing it stocked in off licences, supermarkets and Indian restaurants all over the country.

With the “high quality assurance” of products created in the UK, John also hopes to tap into these markets in the US, Canada and the Middle East, including Dubai, in the future.