| Who: Derek Lubner – founder of OKUSHAL – range of cordials – made in Cape Town Order at: https://okushaldrinks.com/shop and www.takealot.co.za Visit the OKUSHAL website for a list of the retail outlets where OKUSHAL is sold Also pop into Makers Landing, Cruise Terminal at the V&A Waterfront in Cape Town to visit the mobile bar and enjoy an OKUSHAL experience in person |
On a dawn in December 2020, during the pandemic, Derek Lubner was concerned that he was drinking too much alcohol. In London, where he lives, he searched for a non-alcoholic alternative. Dissatisfied with what was available, he went on a quest to create a “delicious, satisfying non-alcoholic drink”. The South African born entrepreneur who is a huge supporter of the arts, brought together his passions, in the establishing of the OKUSHAL, range of cordials. In addition to curating innovative blends of fruity flavours (Raspberry & Naartjie, Prickly Pear & Mint, Ginger & Pineapple, Pomegranate Lime & Lemon), there was a commitment to providing a platform for South African visual artists by inviting them to design the bottles in the range. Lubner talks about his sober curious journey:
TCR: What was the ping moment to create Okushal?
Derek Lubner: During the lockdown I was drinking too much, and I decided to take myself off to rehab. It was there that I started thinking about being sober curious, so I decided to look at the potential of a non-alcoholic drink option. I went and bought a whole bunch of what I could find in London. Most of them were gin, rum or whiskey substitutes, so they were all trying to be alcoholic drinks but without the alcohol. I found this odd because if you’re giving up drinking, you don’t want to be reminded of alcohol. I couldn’t find a premium, delicious, satisfying non-alcoholic drink, so I thought, why not create one.
TCR: Please tell us about the development of the range?
DL: We decided to have different flavours because it was just as easy to make four editions rather than only one. It was then an organic process of development with Alex Levetan, Craig Cockcroft, Henk Swanepeol and Grant Eglin The idea was to use original art works for the labels to create an interest about South African artists. That’s where the idea came from, to create art you can drink.
Fundamentally, we wanted to create a brand that you would be happy to take along with you as a non-drinker. The problem when you stop drinking is that you feel ostracized by your social group. You are the baddie, you’re the odd one out and that to me that felt crazy. You’re choosing a healthier option, so why should you be punished for that choice? The negative aspects of drinking alcohol are often not highlighted and discussed. My aim was to create a brand that you would proudly take with you to drink – this is my drink – instead of drinking a particular brand of gin, wine, whiskey or whichever alcohol. We want to make the new cool and trendy be drinking a non-alcoholic drink, if that’s what you choose.
TCR: Can you talk about the development of the four flavours which are quirky and very different to what one might routinely encounter in the average bar situation?
DL: We approached Master Blender Nic Janeke at New Harbour Distillery in Cape Town. He developed the flavours and came with a basket of iterations. We wanted to have a captivating range to offer. The gift pack is brilliant as you don’t have to choose which one you want; it can just be the starting point! The new and more flavour-intense blends are now produced by Max Traicos at The Original Craft Soda Company in Muizenberg, Cape Town. The cordials needed to encapsulate the Okushal name – a sense of renewal. Our plan for the brand is to continue developing that sense of renewal, with commissioning another group of artists for the next set of labels and running a design competition for a revised logo. We want people to start having a sense of belonging to Okushal. It is their brand, which goes where they go.
TCR: As a producer of theatre in South Africa, such as The Promise on Stage, you have shown your commitment to the arts and you have done that with. Your comments into branding the range as art?
DL: Yes, as mentioned above, we want to create images and a brand that people can identify with. Great art, great flavour, great feeling, investing in the future of South African artists and learning more about them. We want to raise the profile of those artists, and by commissioning them to design the label for a flavour, it makes that bottle entirely unique.
TCR: What is the difference between using a sweet juice versus a cordial – as a base or mixer?
DL: Okushal is an alternative for people who want to choose a non-alcoholic drink. There are many different options out there, from tea, to juice to soft drinks. We wanted to create something different that stands out, and I thought a cordial would be an interesting concept. Our underlying aim to is create a brand that people identify with, that they trust, that is their drink when they’re not drinking.
