On our last visit in Copenhagen we had the opportunity to sit down with Andy Karki and discuss with him the future of alcohol-free beverages in Denmark.
Andy Karki is the Food and Beverage Manager of the Manon Les Suites (Axel Hotel Guldsmeden), in Copenhagen. Born in Nepal but raised in Florida, Andy moved to Denmark just in time to finish his studies in Tourism, what he considers his lifelong passion. Always driven by his curiosity and innovative spirit, he brought Asia in the middle of Copenhagen with his chain of hotels.
The first Guldsmeden Hotel was opened in 1999 and nowadays it counts with 5 hotels in total around the city. They all have a very unique approach to both design and customer service, offering only suits for their guests and bringing a little bit of Asia in the heart of Denmark, what he considers as “the best getaway”.
What does the hotel stand for in your opinion and what is the mission you’re thriving for?
I would say we have a very unique way of approaching business. We’re very focused on sustainability and of course the Asian DNA is very present. We want to treat our guests as family, providing what we think it’s best. Offering lemonade as the only non-alcoholic beverage in the menu of the cocktail bar isn’t good enough, we want to focus on beautiful alcohol-free products that work with our hotel chain in terms of values.
Coming to the drinking culture, have you observed in the past 3-4 years a change in the consumer behavior when it comes to non alcohol alternatives and cocktails?
Yes, definitely yes. Denmark has always had a heavy drinking culture but in the last couple of years I’ve seen a big change in mindset health-wise. People are taking care of themselves, focusing more on their health, skipping alcohol at least during weekdays… But also, I’ve noticed that when they order non-alcoholic cocktails they expect something good. People know what they want and we want to provide something exotic, cool and nice.
Andy Karki, F&B Manager of the Manon Les Suites.
How do you see the importance of the growing focus on sustainable products and mindful drinking to your guests and clients at the hotels and operations you run and what do you intend to do in order to be at the forefront of these trends?
We have many guests coming in for a “staycation”, so they focus on relaxing, enjoying the pool, the terrace, the restaurant and all the hotel has to offer. This opens room to normalize wellness, enjoying the beverages instead of only sipping alcohol. We also have a lot of business clients that will always prefer an alcohol-free drink during weekdays.
Do you believe that choosing REBELS 0.0% as a partner helps you achieve these goals?
I strongly believe yes. REBELS 0.0% has very unique products in terms of taste and flavor, and they’re exclusive drinks that they cannot find everywhere. I’m looking forward to the collaboration.