A New Kind of Celebration

Chalu Diaries – Part II

Not long ago, I made a bit of a personal and professional shift: from a core focus on distilling spirits to creating something that doesn’t contain any alcohol at all. From the world of brewing and high-proof libations, to a bottle of sparkling tea.

It wasn’t just a business decision. It came from something deeper.

The world is changing. Alcohol consumption is on the decline, especially among younger generations. And yet, in many circles, it still holds an outsized place in how we gather, celebrate, and connect. 

I come from a culture where drinking was second nature. In New Zealand, celebration almost always involved alcohol. It’s how we bonded, how we marked time. But over the years, I’ve watched how that same celebration, unchecked, becomes something else: a source of harm, of disconnection, of quiet pain.

“Chalu isn’t just pivoting. It’s reframing the entire idea of what celebration means.”

When our main spirits distributor in China suddenly went bankrupt last year, it forced me to pause. I looked at the trends, the numbers, the cultural shifts, and I realized something: the future might not be full of whisky, or gin. Not in the way we thought.

Around the same time, I sat with an old friend—a whisky distiller who’s spent his entire life in the trade. I told him I was moving into non-alcoholic beverages. At first, he was stunned. But then, after a long pause, he said: “You’re young. You’ve got time to pivot. I envy that.”

That moment stuck with me. Because what we’re doing with Chalu isn’t just pivoting. It’s reframing the entire idea of what celebration means.

Since launching Chalu, I’ve had more people than I can count come out of the woodwork—former brewers, distillers, bartenders—sharing their own stories. Health scares. Quiet decisions to quit drinking. Trying to hold on to careers in alcohol when their bodies or minds simply couldn’t handle it anymore. And they ask: what now?

Well, this is what now looks like. A sparkling tea that still pops like a celebration. That still pours into a flute, catches the light, and sets the stage for that all important moment. But without the consequence. Without the fog. Without the weight.

“Beyond the liquid, there’s a cultural momentum here. A shift. A soft revolution. And I’m excited to be part of it.”

Chalu will always be about the tea. But now, I’m realizing, it’s also about something bigger. It’s about reclaiming ritual. It’s about opening bottles and conversations. And it’s about creating a space where people don’t have to choose between abstaining and celebrating—they can do both, beautifully.

I launched Chalu at the Roma Bar Show this year. It’s a bartender’s show—heavy on the spirits, light on the alternatives. We were one of just a handful of non-alc brands. But the response? It was overwhelming. Not because we were the trendiest, or the newest. But because we offered a way forward.

Chalu Founders Fraser and Mia at the launch event in Yunnan, China

I’ve had old colleagues I used to socialize with—people who could put back 7 pints without blinking—tell me they don’t drink anymore. And they’re grateful there’s finally something made for them. Something that doesn’t feel like compromise. Whether that’s a non-alc lager, cocktail – or sparkling tea.  

What we’re doing with Chalu is deeply rooted in product. The tea is exquisite. The bottle is beautiful. But beyond the liquid, there’s a cultural momentum here. A shift. A soft revolution. And I’m excited to be part of it.

Because this isn’t about judging the past. It’s about reimagining the future. And raising a glass—together—to something lighter, brighter, and maybe just a little more mindful.

We’re just getting started. But already, I can see the change. And I think it’s going to be something great.

Fraser Kennedy

Founder, Chalu Sparkling Tea