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Simplifying The World of Beverages: Harish Acharekar

  • Name: Harish Acharekar  
  • Industry Experience: 16 years
  • Instagram: @harishacharekar  
  • Favorite Drink: Boulevardier
  • Favorite Non-alcoholic: Non-alcoholic malt beers

16 years ago, a bright-eyed Harish Acharekar interviewed for the role of a bartender at Four Seasons Hotel but was allotted to work in F&B service when he joined. Anyone else in his shoes would lament at the missed opportunity. For Harish, it was a stepping stone to the world of spirits. His tenure at Four Seasons was spread across different roles and multiple outlets, but it wasn’t until Four Seasons General Manager, Armando Kraenzlin’s Wines of the World course that was the tipping point. Harish’s copious notes for his WSET exams and his inventory management experience at the hotel became the bedrock that charted the course for his career as a sommelier.

Soon after, he set sights on becoming a brand ambassador; a journey that took 6 years to bear fruit. In these 6 years, Harish set about building a portfolio of skills required to become one – from educating himself about spirits, leading staff training sessions, public speaking, collaborating with culinary schools. His customer-facing roles also equipped him with a keen insight into consumer preferences, which proved invaluable when he stepped into the shoes of a Brand Ambassador for a beverage company. “All these things you understand better because of working in a restaurant and bar industry and then going to a beverage company”, he says. What’s been the principle of his journey so far? “The wolf on the top is not as hungry as the wolf who wants to be there,” says Harish, who finds motivation in the challenge of taking projects from zero to one.

“I’ve done six courses on wines and spirits and then an MBA”, Harish adds when we ask him about his training. His MBA helped him understand the business side of spirits better. “Making cocktails is fantastic, but it is about marketing that product. Creating a cost-effective product that is profitable. It is about building a team that will be able to sell that product to the consumer.”

Harish has been a Co-Founder of Greenhouse by Bacardi, a startup within the Bacardi realm. An integral part of his role as the Global Strategy & Innovation has been about researching the challenges that the Hospitality industry in India grapples with.

Since April 2024, he has been serving as the role of Commercial Manager for Incubation brands with Bacardi, driving premium whiskies portfolio. While the switch from wine to business may seem jarring, in practice, both rely on understanding the human psyche and strategizing accordingly to drive sales. To stay updated with news and innovation in the F&B industry Harish relies on technology – Instagram, web articles, listicles on 50 Best Bars and content creators. In fact, not many know that he was the first person to serve drinks in Facebook’s Metaverse for an NH7 event with the famous rapper Divine during the Covid-19 lockdown!

To budding bartenders and brand ambassadors, Harish’s parting note is to keep it local and highlight your USPs before you go chasing big goals. Find “inspiration from where you are, look around you, there is so much more to be explored instead of blindly following trends overseas.”

  • Nagwa Kureshi