Having pioneered the world’s first spin on a traditional sommelier service, ‘Zowmelier’, Namai Bishop knows a thing or two about why non-alcoholic or low-alcohol (‘NoLo’) options are about more than just drinks themselves – and after she shared her expertise at our inaugural Icons of Inclusion event earlier this year, we knew we had to talk to Namai about the subject in more detail, and find out why NoLo deserves a seat at the table.
As the Founder and Managing Director of luxury travel company LuxePrivé as well as the International Editor of Chef Magazine, Namai Bishop doesn’t exactly strike us as someone with a lot of time on their hands. But upon inviting the luxury travel entrepreneur to speak about one of her favourite subjects – the need for more creative and celebratory non-alcoholic and low-alcohol drinks across the hospitality sector – at this year’s edition of Icons of Inclusion, Namai was all for it.
Her latest business venture, Zowmelier, reinterprets long-established notions of classic wine pairings by creating bespoke NoLo drink pairings and tailored beverage menus for the sector, in order to elevate the dining experience of guests opting out of alcohol for reasons spanning mindfulness, health, social or religious aspects… or simply because they are ‘sober curious’.
“From a pure business analysis perspective, hospitality needs to react to the fact that people are opting to drink less alcohol”, she argues: “In Britain alone, 13 million are choosing to moderate their alcohol intake. Interestingly, it’s the younger generation, exposed to more information and data, that’s more aware of what affects their health and wellbeing. And the data reflects this conscious trend with 50% of 18-24 year olds opting to cut out. According to Mintel, about a third of Gen Z does not drink at all. That number is set to rise drastically. New data from the European Parliament Research Service shows that wine consumption between 2010 and 2020 in the EU declined by a staggering 24%. And KAM Media reports an astonishing £800 million per annum is lost in not upgrading willing customers from water or soft drinks to a premium non-alcoholic beverage. This opportunity to react to consumer behaviour is simply too important to ignore”.
There are many reasons why people choose non-alcoholic drinks, of course. From the rise in awareness about all things health and wellness to religion, the rising cost of living across many economies around the world, pregnancy, women’s safety and menopause awareness, each reason is perfectly valid. For Namai, and countless travellers like herself, the time has come to “respect choices and normalise inclusivity in food and beverage in the same way we do in other categories”. And at OutThere, we couldn’t quite agree more.
Namai, you delivered a memorable speech during this year’s Icons of Inclusion event. How did it feel voicing your thoughts on why hospitality needs to do better on non-alcoholic drinks and those that are low in alcohol – especially given the hotel setting?
I’m always surprised, as a regular attendee of top industry and hotel events on behalf of my luxury travel business LuxePrivé, why a glass of champagne or alcohol is integral to any occasion and often perceived as the epitome of luxury. It’s an outdated notion and hospitality entities need to take a closer look at modern consumer behaviour and realise that true hospitality and luxury lies instead in being empathetic and in the bespoke care of customers.
Consumer habits are changing radically with fewer than ever drinking or simply drinking less. The industry has yet to catch up with that, often at its own cost. My address to hospitality was about inclusion (“inclusip”, as I call it), respect, choice and – most of all – simple commercial sense.
What are some of the motivations behind wanting to drink no or little alcohol you’ve come across in others? And what first got you interested in the idea?
Working in the hospitality business, and indeed even before when I worked as a lawyer, I was always surprised how when socialising at professional events, drinking was perceived as inherent if not pivotal to bonding in the working environment. I recall being at a get-together during a particularly hectic week of events, when I opted not to drink (I personally found with age, my body was less able to process alcohol – who knew hangovers could last days?). But it was the reaction of others that really took me by surprise.
Usually meeting someone for the first time, I am never asked straight off the bat about my status as a woman or personal life, but when opting not to drink, I was shocked how others gave themselves the absolute right to ask me questions like “Are you pregnant?”, “Do you have a problem?”, “Is it a menopause or age thing?” or “Is it because you are Muslim?”.
I realised it’s important to point out that it’s not acceptable to make assumptions about my choices or to judge. I heard a friend say that her husband went dry beyond ‘dry January’ and by March, had half the number of friends. Certainly, as a lawyer back in the ‘Wolf of Wall Street’ days, I had my fair share of peer and professional pressure to drink to be part of the ‘pack’. But times are changing and so this becomes not just about a commercial opportunity, but about the importance of respecting personal choices, social inclusivity and diversity.
Has it become easier to find NoLo options when going out in the UK in recent years? And, thinking globally, are there varying trends across different geographical regions?
Sadly not! That’s the very reason I created Zowmelier, which essentially curates exciting and engaging drink experiences that just so happen to be non-alcoholic. Zowmelier advises and curates for luxury hospitality entities bespoke beverage lists and concepts. This ranges from fine dining with NoLo wine pairings to bespoke NoLo drinks and exciting cocktail options that reflect a sense of place in order to enhance a guest’s experience.
We’re talking about an enhanced luxury experience and improved quality. It’s the ‘premiumisation’ of the non-alcoholic sector. Whilst there have been 0% beers and spirits for a while, there are now more impressive NoLo wines and champagne alternatives. Only recently have we seen huge improvements in the technology that allows the extraction of alcohol and access to methods of production for a far superior product. Establishments no longer need to offer acrid wines.
Similarly, in the non-alcoholic drinks category, there’s a surge of exciting new offerings: kombucha, brews, all the different mixers and blends, fermented teas, and functional drinks with genuine, science-backed benefits. There’s a real sense of excitement and adventure in trying something new, and this sense can be more easily incorporated into luxury hospitality menus now.
I myself don’t drink much and often find myself asking for a NoLo option – much to the bewilderment of those around me. What do you think is needed for non-alcoholic drinks to become more normalised and even fashionable?
The debate is essentially about respecting individuality, particularities and the fundamental right, no matter race, age or gender to have a metaphorical ‘place at the table’. For me, food and drink is the ultimate common denominator. We all share a love of eating and drinking.
It’s one of the most fundamental mediums to unite us, a search for a connection with people at that table: a gender- and race-neutral language we all share with each other. In all cultures, as a primal instinct, we break bread, we feast to celebrate, to commiserate, we say cheers, and at that point, we are more than the sum of our individualities… we become a collective.
So that search for a connection is what I’d like to see change. Let’s stop judging! Why must one consume the molecule that is alcohol to be treated any differently, to enjoy engagement and a sense of connection?
To be fair, things are changing – and we’re seeing changes in other aspects of food and beverages. So in the same way we ask for dietary preferences, I’d like to see a box for ‘NoLo drinks preferred’. I’d like to see the sommelier stop and say ‘No wine? No problem! Allow me to show you our exciting non-alcoholic range’ and to engage with non-drinkers alike. The language is improving, with recognised terms like ‘flexitarian’, ‘sober curious’ and ‘moderators’. People want personalisation and to feel cared for whether drinking or not. We’re talking about the true essence of luxury here: care and empathy in hospitality.
How can a company within the hospitality sector, be it a restaurant, a bar or a hotel, start to move towards offering better choices for those who don’t seek to drink?
Luxury hospitality needs to appreciate it’s not literally about the actual food and drinks on offer. It’s about the experience. Zowmelier brings its expertise in celebrating the ceremony (think the same stemware, the theatre, the storytelling…), making the F&B journey more interactive, experiential, inclusive and emotive. It is the same way my main business, an award-winning bespoke travel company for high-net-worth individuals called LuxePrivé, curates luxury travel experiences.
And I always say, in 15 successful years during which we have become a preferred partner of the world’s top hotel brands, I have never actually just sold travel. What we actually sell is a story or an emotion. We ask not where you want to go, but how you want to feel, what do you want to sense?
Similarly, with Zowmelier drawing on our expertise in this new market, we shift the narrative: the spotlight turns the pleasure of dining and enjoying bars and restaurants, to flavour and experience rather than the alcohol content. Meaning the enjoyment can be shared by all as a collective, irrespective of the actual alcohol content across various glasses.
What’s your personal NoLo go-to?
For me, it’s about a sense of occasion, so a crisp glass of NoLo bubbly at a celebratory event, or a spicy lo-margarita!
Were there any particular talks and panel discussions at Icons of Inclusion that have stuck with you?
I loved hearing about Richard Thompson’s remarkable work in the arena of visible and non-visible disability travel at Inclu Travel. He’s pioneered an incredible opportunity to bolster the luxury travel market with a brilliantly simple, guided four-step program of Appraisal, Education, Inventory Visibility and Adjustment (often with zero structural change) in just three months to allow hospitality to be awarded the first Guest Inclusivity Excellence certification that will affect the choices and lives of travellers living with visible or non-visible disabilities. Genius, and so long overdue!
There is plenty more to learn in the industry when it comes to diversity, equity, accessibility and inclusion. What themes would you like to see discussed during our next Icons of Inclusion event?
I would like to see more industry heads demonstrate how they are taking positive steps towards increased diversity and inclusion and to create a series of inspirational thought leaders in all sectors to inspire others.
For more on OutThere’s Icons of Inclusion event, read our recap of the day here.
www.zowmelier.com | www.luxeprive.co.uk | www.iconsofinclusion.com
Photography by Sarah Lucy Brown
