Sugar-free, environmentally conscious, healthy, and natural. Introducing Kailani, a fresh brand of iced tea aiming to be a healthier alternative to artificial sodas. Its founder, Guy Morley, left his career as a lawyer in London to embark on this new venture. Now based in sunny Barcelona, he’s blurring the lines between work and leisure, hoping to spread the Kailani lifestyle. As he says, it’s “not about escaping your life but making the most of it.”
Healthy, natural, and refreshing, Kailani embodies an active, dreamy, and vibrant lifestyle. But who is behind this concept? Who is Guy Morley? I bet you’re not a boring person.
(Laughs) Let’s see if your readers can decide if I’m boring by the end of this interview. When you create a brand, you put a lot of yourself into it, so I share many aspects with Kailani. I’ve always been active and strive to be healthy – at least most of the time. More than anything, I believe in finding joy in everyday life – designing a fulfilling life that integrates work and leisure, making the most of it all, and not taking yourself too seriously.
Kailani has a marine essence, evoking feelings of going to the beach, enjoying the waves, the sun, and the sand. Are you a sea enthusiast? How do you fit this joie de vivre into a little flask?
I love the sea – everything from watching it to playing, surfing, sailing, and swimming in it! It provides perspective. Our Instagram best reflects Kailani’s joie de vivre, with many images featuring the sea and the beach. But we also collaborate with people and organizations beyond the sea. One of the most enjoyable parts of my job is working with Barcelona’s creatives and entrepreneurs. We partner with a great photographer who captures interesting people doing interesting things, all fans of Kailani, living the Kailani lifestyle. Our website constantly features a different selection of them as there are so many to choose from!
Do you practice the Kailani lifestyle? On what values does it stand, and what values are incompatible with it?
I see the Kailani lifestyle as a complete integration of work and leisure. It’s about doing what you love, appreciating that hard work and challenges can be exciting and fun, and balancing that with catching some waves or enjoying time with friends. Kailani is not about escaping your life but making the most of it, creating it the way you want it to be – “create today,” as we say. I live next to the beach, run or swim there most days, and make the most of living in a sociable city, but I also work hard doing something I love.
You moved from London to Barcelona to start this project. In London, you worked as a lawyer in the music industry, a job full of stress, paperwork, and phone calls. What made you decide it was time for a change?
Yes, I worked as a lawyer in the media and music industries, handling disputes for artists, record labels, and producers. It was great, and I met fascinating people and had unreal experiences. However, I always wanted to do my own thing rather than advising others on their affairs. Eventually, the urge to start my own venture gave me the courage to leave law behind and create Kailani.
Why did you choose Barcelona as the place to develop Kailani? What came first, Barcelona or Kailani?
Before becoming a lawyer, I studied Hispanic Studies in London and Mexico and fell in love with Spanish culture and lifestyle. I had friends living in Spain, particularly in Barcelona. After a few visits, I decided it was the place for me. Barcelona is an international city with a manageable, friendly size. It’s a creative hub, a world leader in design, with beaches, mountains, art, music, and a thriving start-up scene. It’s a place where people make the most of the city, spending time outdoors alone, with friends, or colleagues. Once I decided on Barcelona, I had to think of a business that would work here and contribute to the city.
People increasingly value high-quality products that promote a healthier lifestyle, are locally produced, and fit a more active and dynamic life pace. Why did you choose iced tea, and how did you come up with the idea?
The idea came from observing various trends – people drinking less alcohol, wanting less sugar, exercising more, and being willing to pay more for better quality. The iced tea category was tired and needed innovation. There were few alternatives, and despite its healthy image, the previous offerings were anything but healthy. The non-alcoholic drinks category needed a shake-up. When out with friends and not wanting a beer, the only alternatives were water or sugary, artificial drinks. With Kailani, we aimed to provide a healthy alternative that tastes good too.
You set up this alternative product in Spain, using mineral water from Galicia. But the name Kailani doesn’t sound very Spanish. What does it mean, and how did you come up with it?
Kailani is a Hawaiian name: “Kai” means sea and “Lani” means sky, together meaning heavenly sea. It conveys general wellbeing and enjoyment of life. Choosing a brand name is challenging and personal. I wanted something international and positive, encapsulating what we wanted to transmit with the brand so people worldwide could associate with our values. We are starting to sell outside Spain, currently in the Czech Republic and Slovakia, with more countries coming soon, so the brand and its values need to be relevant internationally.
You started with classic black iced tea with lemon and a more refreshing green tea with ginger. Now you’re launching white tea with peach. How did this new flavor come about? What creative process led you to this new flavor?
Big companies spend millions on market research before launching new products or flavors. We didn’t have that. It was just me and the graphic designer – a good friend who did all the logos and designs. We alone created and refined the flavors before production. It was a risk that paid off, and our new white tea and peach flavor is a great success!
You’ve put much effort into the flavors, ingredients, and environmental responsibility, and also paid special attention to design. What inspired the design? Were you always design-focused?
It was always important that our drink looked good. I believe beautiful design enhances daily life. The design process was frustrating but enjoyable. Initially, we considered working with a large design agency but ended up working with a design student friend who shared our concept. It was a risk, but we are delighted with the final result. The labels were created by submerging painted paper in water and seeing the shapes that emerged. We printed the labels on recycled textured paper, usually reserved for wine bottles, as they look and feel better. The design detail is and will always be key to the brand.
Kailani is like Hawaii’s hygge! This philosophy and way of life made you think of the environment. Your bottles are made of glass, and the labels are printed on recycled material. You also collaborate with Surfrider Foundation. Why is it important to you to take these actions?
The company behind the brand is called Buena Vibra Products, named after a surf trip to Costa Rica before starting Kailani. A local surfer persuaded me to take a risky trip to a secret surf break, resulting in the best surf of my life. When I thanked him, he said, “Qué buena vibra” (what a good vibe), which encapsulated the day. This story represents Kailani’s essence and spirit. We want to be successful and contribute positively to the world. We collaborate with Surfrider and similar organizations to maintain the ‘buena vibra’. We recently worked with artistic designer Chu Uroz to create a display for our bottles made from recycled materials, raising awareness of plastic pollution in our oceans.
You’ve collaborated with several events like the Stand-Up Paddle World Series. How was it? Any dream collaborations or new events you’d like to get involved with?
The World Series of SUP was one of our first events, and it was amazing to see the world’s best surfers drinking Kailani soon after our launch. The Rider’s Lounge ran out of Kailani, leaving mainstream soft drinks untouched! It was great fun to be involved. As Kailani is based around the sea, we collaborate with fun events that ocean lovers like me enjoy. For example, we’ve sponsored the Barcelona Surf Film Festival for two years, combining culture, creativity, and activity. We support events with cultural aspects such as music and art, as well as active ones. We will focus more on supporting these types of events in the coming months.
What’s next? What does the future hold for Kailani and Guy Morley?
Our priority is to consolidate and grow Kailani’s presence in Spain, becoming the healthy soft drink of choice – an alternative not just to mainstream, sugary drinks but also to beer. We will explore more export opportunities to make Kailani a truly global brand, maintaining our core values and enhancing people’s lives. As for me, I feel privileged to be along for the ride!