Waris Ahluwalia on launching his non-alcoholic sparkling drink in Hong Kong and mindfulness

Indian-American designer, actor and entrepreneur Waris Ahluwalia is on a mission to reinvent the way we celebrate with Love Conquers All, his new non-alcoholic sparkling beverage that’s sure to shake up the industry. He talks to Haley Sengsavanh about the power of a good drink in creating lasting memories, why Hong Kong was the perfect place to launch and how he practises thoughtful living

Waris Ahluwalia has practically done it all. The Indian-American designer and actor has appeared in multiple Wes Anderson films and hit TV shows like Russian Doll, was selected as a finalist in the prestigious CFDA/Vogue Fashion Fund, and has worked with luxury brands like Gucci and The Kooples. But his latest project is arguably just as impressive. For the last seven years, Ahluwalia has been perfecting a non-alcoholic drink that is also “zero sugar, zero calories but 100% taste.” The end result? Love Conquers All, a unique sparkling beverage that had its global launch at The Upper House in May.

Love Conquers All, which Ahluwalia says contains made “the most expensive and luscious natural ingredients in the world”, is produced in small batches in northwest Oregon. Its balanced and multi-layered flavour starts with a hint of rose, and then finishes with “a sweet, yet peppery, saffron on the tongue.” The biggest challenge for Ahluwalia in creating this new product has been enduring the years of development, spent sourcing the finest ingredients, working with master herbalists, and finding the perfect partners to import and distribute. “It’s a risk for everyone,” he says. “But when you hold an ice-cold bottle in your hand, pop the cork and taste it, you understand why [it’s worth it].”

Though non-alcoholic beverages are slowly becoming more popular, Ahluwalia’s interest in this space is not a fad but an honest reflection of his own lifestyle. “Personally, I’ve never drank and managed to party all over the world. And quite successfully too,” he says. “You could say I was ahead of the curve, by quite a few decades.” Through these experiences, Ahluwalia knows firsthand that a good drink can be key to creating core memories. He recounts birthdays, boat trips and New Year’s Eve – all important days marked by the popping of a cork. But what about the non-drinkers? What sorts of celebratory drinks do they have with the same level of pageantry? He asks, “How is it that we’ve allowed ourselves to be duped for centuries into thinking that every time we have something to celebrate it must be with alcohol?”

To be clear, Ahluwalia isn’t pushing a “sober movement”. Love Conquers All is also for people like his friends who just are looking to drink less, or want to abstain at a work event. “The definition of celebration is starting to change. People are opening up to new ideas. Now we just need better options” he says. “That’s where we come in.” According to Ahluwalia, the problem with non-alcoholic products currently on the market are that they’re too sugary, unsatisfactory or just feel like an afterthought. “Take alcohol and remove said alcohol and voila – you have a drink you can sell to the masses. Fake wines, fake gins, fake drinks. My friends, our audience and, I imagine, you don’t do fake bags or watches, so why put fake drinks in your glass and body?”

The reception so far has been very positive. Love Conquers All recently received multiple awards at the international SIP Awards, an annual competition that enlists consumers as blind-tasting judges. It won an Innovation Award, placed Platinum in the Carbonated Drinks category, and won Gold in the Bottle/Package Design category. Ahluwalia says the moments that give his team joy are when they receive this kind of “overwhelming, enthusiastic feedback”. Some other compliments he’s received on the drink have been a bar owner buying cases of it for himself, and his bottler’s mother being a huge fan.

Also see: Impress dad with these Father’s Day cocktails

Love Conquers All launched at The Upper House at the end of May with two events at its Mediterranean restaurant Salisterra. Special guests were able to try the beverage paired with a three-course meal curated by Michelin-starred chef Ricardo Chaneton, or by celebrating with Ahluwalia himself while DJ Victor of trendy Shanghai bar Le Baron performed. If you missed out on these events but still want to try Love Conquers All, you can now order it by the glass or bottle during your meal.

The decision to launch in Hong Kong actually came about years ago with a chance introduction to The Upper House general manager Kristina Snaith- Lense through restaurateur Lindsay Jang. “Together we dreamt up many scenarios, but time has its own plans,” Ahluwalia says. “That time has finally come. We gathered like-minded friends and soon-to-be friends over food, conversation and, of course, a party.” Besides Salisterra, and Jang’s famed Yardbird and Ronin Snack Bar, Ahluwalia’s favourite places
to hang out and grab a bite in Hong Kong include the historic Luk Yu Tea House and the unique Plantation Tea Bar.

House of Waris Botanicals also produces a line of teas. When Ahluwalia got swept up and found himself “lost in the madness”, he realised tea could serve as a healing ritual and connect him to nature. “Wherever I went, tea was served. It was right in front of me,” he says. “The answer was always right there.” Similar to the development process of Love Conquers All, Ahluwalia travelled the world to find the right ingredients and work with experts to create the perfect blends.

Ahluwalia founded House of Waris Botanicals in 2007 as a way to encourage thoughtful living. Other core tenets include building community and supporting artisanship. Despite his whirlwind lifestyle, he makes sure to practise these ideals in his daily life. Every morning, he starts his day “with a reverence for that very moment” by writing down his dreams and doing breathing exercises. He buys produce from local farms to “reduce food waste, reduce carbon footprint and support the regional economy”. This also extends to how he sources his clothing. “In my work I have spent years searching for artisans in lands where craftsmanship is still alive. In my personal life, I follow the same strategy,” Ahluwalia says. “Find the best craftsmen and learn about them and their work. [George] Esquivel in California has handmade my shoes for over 10 years. J. Mueser makes my shirts and suits.”

In all aspects of his career, Ahluwalia has put in the utmost time and care into creating a quality product, from his teas to Love Conquers All and even before that in his work as a jewellery designer. “If you’re off by half a millimetre, that stone will pop out,” he says. “It’s taught me to not compromise. It’s taught me to push and to persist until I get it right.” Though it took seven long years to get to the launch date for Love Conquers All, Ahluwalia says that “each step took us further into the depths of sensorial wonderment”. Judging by the consumer response and his three shiny new SIP Awards, he has clearly gotten it right. Indeed, Love Conquers All might not have any alcohol, but it is not lacking in any way. As Ahluwalia proudly claims, it is “unapologetic. Not Dry January. Not restraint. Not the sacrifice. But the addition. More is more.”

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