Raising the Bar: Kiki Lounge’s Journey to Sustainable Hospitality

As part of our Sustainable September campaign, Business Isle of Man is excited to share a Q&A with Kiki Lounge, a local business that’s redefining sustainability in hospitality. In this interview, Kiki Lounge shares the inspiration behind their vibrant venue, their commitment to local sourcing and ingredient reuse, and the journey that led them to win the Manx Menu Sustainability Award 2025. 

Q: Can you tell us a bit about Kiki Lounge and what inspired you to start the business?

Kiki Lounge was born out of a desire to bring a slice of escapism to the Isle of Man. We opened in late 2020, at a time when borders were closed and people were craving a bit of sunshine and joy. Inspired by the legacy of American tropical bars, but with a distinctly modern and Manx twist, we set out to create a space that felt like a holiday without leaving the island. We wanted Kiki’s to be fun, welcoming, and a little bit tongue-in-cheek—a place that celebrates great cocktails and good times in equal measure.

Q: What does sustainability mean to you, and how has it shaped your approach to running your business?

For us, sustainability isn’t just about the environment, it’s about responsibility and integrity. Our guiding principle is local first: before sourcing anywhere else, we ask, “Can we find it locally first?” That ensures our decisions align with our criteria of quality, production methods, financial sustainability, and shared values. Almost all our wholesalers are within a 30-mile radius, and we work closely with partners like Outlier Distilling (who supply our house rums in refillable 20-litre jerry cans), Fynoderee, and Foraging Vintners. These relationships allow us to reduce food miles, cut waste, and champion Manx producers while helping them scale.

In the glass, we combine that approach with ingredient reuse techniques like “superjuice,” which lets us get four times the yield from each lime or lemon. Citrus husks are re-purposed into cordials, garnishes, and shrubs. Add in foraged sea herbs, Manx honey, dairy, and spirits, and you get cocktails that not only taste great but also tell the story of our island.

Q: Congratulations on winning the Manx Menu Sustainability Award 2025! What does this recognition mean to you?

Thank you! It really does mean a lot. Sustainability can sometimes feel like the invisible part of running a hospitality business—guests might not see the work that goes into ingredient reuse, supply chain changes, or staff policies. To have that recognised on a public stage is hugely validating for our team. It reinforces that we’re on the right path, and it motivates us to keep raising the bar.

Q: What challenges have you faced in becoming more sustainable, and how have you overcome them?

One of the biggest challenges is balance. Supporting local is central to our ethos, but it has to be done responsibly. Not everything available locally is always at the quality our guests expect, and small producers don’t always have the volume, price point, or consistency a busy bar requires. That’s where honest conversations and partnership come in - for example, working with Outlier to get to the right price point so they can be our house pour rum, by increasing our volumes and including them in more drinks.

There’s also the financial side. Environmental sustainability has to go hand in hand with financial sustainability, otherwise it isn’t viable long term. We’ve found that building genuine partnerships with suppliers creates a win-win: it helps us reduce our footprint while helping them grow; "a rising tide raises all ships”, and in our case, it raises better cocktails too.

Q: Do you have any advice for other hospitality businesses looking to start their sustainability journey?

Start small and start now. You don’t need to overhaul everything at once; pick one area, like waste reduction or local sourcing, and build from there. The key is progress, not perfection. Guests increasingly value transparency, so sharing your journey (successes and challenges alike) can be just as powerful as the changes themselves. And don’t be afraid to ask for help, the sustainability conversation in hospitality is growing, and there are plenty of people willing to share knowledge and solutions.

Q: What’s next for Kiki Lounge in terms of sustainability goals or future plans?

We see sustainability as an ongoing journey, not a finish line. Looking ahead, we want to deepen our relationships with local producers and bring even more Manx ingredients to the fore - not just in cocktails, but across our events and collaborations. This weekend we're hosting a pop-up from our former Head Bartender Freddy Whittle, who has just returned to the Isle of Man, after travelling the world and spending a year working with the World's 35th Best Bar (according to 50 Best Bars) BYRDI in Melbourne; he's designed a menu focused around foraged ingredients and Manx spirits, we can't wait to taste! 

We’re also exploring ways to reduce our wider footprint, from packaging to transport and energy use, while continuing to share knowledge with others in the industry. Long term, we’d love Kiki Lounge to be a case study in how a small, independent bar can be both world-class and responsible - proving you don’t need to compromise on quality or creativity to run sustainably.