Pernod Ricard India introduces Cheers VRorld, an industry-first VR-powered onboarding experience in the Alco-Bev sector
Pernod Ricard India Setting a new benchmark in the future of onboarding through immersive and interactive storytelling
Gurugram, India | 11th February 2026: Marking an industry-first in India’s alco beverage sector, Pernod Ricard India (PRI) has launched Cheers VRorld, a virtual reality (VR) powered onboarding experience for new employees across its locations in India. Moving away from traditional methods of onboarding, new joiners are inducted in real-time through a fully immersive 360-degree story-telling format using VR headsets. The virtual experience brings PRI’s culture of conviviality to life through leadership connects, brand galleries, plant and retail markets visits, that defines everyday life at the organisation.
Whether an employee joins the manufacturing plant in Nashik, the headquarters in Gurugram, or a regional office in Hyderabad or Pune, the onboarding experience is consistent, creating a shared starting point, anywhere and anytime, for all new employees across the organisation.
The virtual journey begins with a personal welcome from PRI’s CEO and ends with an orientation across the leadership team. This early virtual introduction creates a sense of familiarity allowing employees to recognize the senior leaders behind the roles from the very start.
They then travel virtually to the company’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility in Nashik to witness the craftsmanship behind its iconic brands, from grain to glass. The journey continues into real market environments, both on-trade and off-trade, capturing the pace and vibrancy of the business. At every stage, employees are not passive viewers, but active participants discovering more about the various facets of the organisation at their own pace with interactive elements such as avatars, quizzes and guided touchpoints being introduced throughout.
Commenting on this further, Nitu Bhushan, Chief Human Resource Officer, Pernod Ricard South Asia said, “Onboarding is the first moment where new employees begin to form a connection with the organisation, Cheers VRorld allows us to deliver that moment in a way that is consistent, immersive and deeply personal. It enables every new colleague to get introduced to our company right from the top leadership, office culture to witnessing how our iconic brands come to life in our plant and gain a deeper understanding of the business. As creators of conviviality, this virtual onboarding experience is an extension of our people-first culture to spark meaningful connection with new colleagues beginning their journey in the company.”
As pioneers of innovation in the industry, Cheers VRorld is yet another industry-first initiative by PRI, leveraging technology in its people policies and practices. By integrating leadership connects, factory floors, brand stories and market realities into one consistent narrative, Cheers VRorld transforms onboarding into a memorable and engaging experience in real-time. The initiative reinforces Pernod Ricard India’s commitment to building a future ready, people first organisation. Successfully piloted with around 100 new employees across 14 locations, the programme will be scaled further this year. For further insights into the evolving workplace paradigm, visit
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