Bella Arcari-Bowler, Founder and CEO of Haus of Babylon, discusses the inception of her alcohol alternative—a first for the Middle East. Learn about the challenges, inspirations, and aspirations that have shaped this pioneering Dubai-based brand.
You recently launched—congratulations! What has the reception been like so far?
Thank you! The NA category in the Middle East is extremely nascent. There is only one adult beverage NA platform, one distributor in the category, and one actual beverage brand from the region… us!
This has made our launch very exciting, as being the first is always exhilarating. But it definitely comes with challenges as we have a great responsibility to educate the market on the category, from consumers to on-trade. The other challenge is that distributors only want to work with large international brands with huge budgets. So, with us being a start-up, we’re having to find creative ways to get our drink out to consumers. It’s part of the journey and we know that ultimately, once people try Haus of Babylon, they love it and we’re grateful for that.
What inspired you to create the first brand from the Middle East in the non-alc spirits category?
I was on vacation with my husband and his family in Mexico and none of us drink alcohol. We were in this stunning setting in this magical place and I was frustrated about having nothing gorgeous to drink to match the beautiful experiences we were having. I’m very much a person that is “about the vibes” and part of that is eating delicious food, listening to music that makes you move, wearing something that makes you feel good, and, of course, sipping on something delicious. The sugary mocktails I had access to were not matching the vibes!
I had a lightbulb moment and realized there must be a lot of people who feel the way I do. And I knew that, back home in Dubai, there wasn’t really anything on the market. I wanted to create something that is sophisticated and elevated for people to drink when they choose not to drink alcohol.
Can you tell us about the name “Haus of Babylon”? Why did you choose to associate your brand with the historical city?
We felt there was a lot about Babylon that mirrored how we viewed the brand we wanted to create, and it’s reminiscent of Dubai where we’re based. Babylon was a meeting place for mathematicians, astronomers, physicists, explorers, and people discovering the mysteries of humanity—the people who were looking to the future to create new ways of living. It was also a place that gathered people from all over the world, with different backgrounds, ways of living, and philosophies. All were welcome to come together and create something new.
That’s how we see our brand. Firstly, we’re creating something that is part of a movement of people thinking about their lifestyles, health, and future differently and in an “unconventional” way. Secondly, everyone is welcome at Haus of Babylon, it’s a Haus, a home, a place for people to gather and create memories. We also used the spelling Haus, commonly used in fashion and beauty, because we look at the brand as so much more than beverages. We want to create drinks that are stunning visually and can feel like a luxury experience, a moment of beauty incorporated into your lifestyle.
How did you go about crafting your Babylon Spritz, and what was the inspiration behind its unique flavor profile?
We wanted to make something that tasted adult—tasted like the drink it was inspired by—and paid homage to the Middle East, where the brand was born. Those were our three main pillars and we used those as our north star when crafting the liquid.
The Babylon Spritz is very unique because it is actually distilled, but due to regulations in the UAE, it had to be a true 0.0% to be considered non-alcoholic. Just to give you an idea, that is less alcohol than orange juice, yogurt, and bread! This led to a lot of obstacles as it limits use of certain ingredients that may “ferment” over time and it posed challenges with mouthfeel. We continued to tweak for 18 months until we made something that really has longevity on the palate, doesn’t dilute with ice, and has a rich mouthfeel as opposed to a thinner, more flavored water feel. We’re really proud of our liquid and are so excited when people enjoy it.
Can you elaborate on the distillation process used to create Babylon Spritz?
We use an authentic distillation process. The signature botanicals are measured out and placed in a vessel whereby they are broken down. After maceration time, the resulting liquid is then distilled and fractionated in a traditional style potstill, similar to alcoholic distillation. The collected liquid is kept as distillate and then is blended further.
What are some of your favorite ways to enjoy Babylon Spritz?
There are a lot of different cocktails that can be made. I have a classic spritz with 60ml Babylon Spritz, 30ml tonic, and 30ml soda. My husband likes our NahGroni (it pairs beautifully with a cigar) which is 100ml Babylon Spritz, 15ml grapefruit juice, and a few dashes of bitters. Sometimes, I’ll add in 15ml cranberry juice.
How do you see Haus of Babylon fitting into the Middle East’s evolving beverage landscape? How are you thinking about expansion to global markets?
We definitely feel that we have something unique to say with our drinks and are proud to be the first adult NA beverage brand from the region, but we also have our eyes on international markets. We’re very excited to be gaining some great traction in North America and should be launching both there and in the UK soon! We also have two gorgeous drinks in the pipeline that we can’t wait to share with our customers.
We’re a small business, only four months old, and are totally bootstrapped and self-funded. We want our drinks to feel artisanal and so are trying to balance growth with creating drinks that are high quality and can stand out in an increasingly crowded global market.
Finally, what’s your vision for the future of Haus of Babylon?
That’s a big question! My husband and I spend countless hours daydreaming about what Haus of Babylon could be.
I really want Haus of Babylon to be a small sip of luxury for anyone that drinks it at home or out at a venue; I want them to be transported to an exotic location and have a moment of fantasy. With the cost of living increasing and so many people struggling to travel or spend on entertainment, I want Haus of Babylon to feel like a luxury you can afford. A chance to travel from your couch or provide high-quality entertaining experience to your guests at home instead of having to go out to create that experience.
Apart from that, we’re working on new drinks, new markets, and looking to create a movement where everyone is welcome to come to our Haus!
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Dry Atlas is your guide to the world of alcohol alternatives. We maintain the world’s largest directory of non-alcoholic spirits, wines, beers, and more to help you discover options you’ll love. We also publish High Spirits, the weekly newsletter that helps open-minded drinkers like you learn more about non-alc. Our goal is to demystify alcohol alternatives so you can navigate them with ease to pursue a happier, healthier life.
