How can you take some of the world’s best water and make it even better? Former Procter & Gamble colleagues Satinder Bharaj, PhD, a Liberty Township resident, and Erik Loomis of Loveland, say they’ve found a way, and it’s called Pahhni® Premium Alkaline Water.
Their startup business—which springs from the award-winning waters of the Great Miami Buried Valley Aquifer in Hamilton, Ohio—has been making a splash around town, where it’s sold at select local businesses and is a sponsor at popular community events throughout the year.
Pahhni is also making waves among a number of social media influencers, including former World Boxing Organization heavyweight champion Lamon Brewster, San Diego State swimmer Avery Turney, popular local band Naked Karate Girls and Nashville recording artist Michelle Robinson.
That’s quite a roster, right? Especially considering bottles of Pahhni just started flowing off the production line in July 2022. However, these fans see something—or more likely, taste something—different in Pahhni. According to Bharaj and Loomis, it’s what’s not in Pahhni that accounts for its appeal.
“Our water goes through natural limestone filtration,” explains Loomis. “The majority of other alkaline waters are made artificially.”
With artificially made alkaline water, electrolytes (aka salt) are used during the production process. Pahhni is naturally alkaline, so there’s no salty aftertaste—just a hint of sweetness with a crisp, refreshing finish. Maybe that’s what inspired Loomis and Bharaj to come up with the name Pahhni, which is the Punjabi word for water “pani” with an “ahh” added in. It’s water—that’s extra refreshing.
Alkaline water, which has a higher pH level than typical water, has been rapidly rising in popularity in recent years due to its perceived health benefits, which range from better rehydration to cancer prevention.
“We like to say increasing the alkalinity lets your body work on other things–other than trying to maintain its proper pH,” says Loomis.
Bharaj and Loomis are not only the founders of Pahhni; they’re also the production line staff. A day or two a week, they process and bottle Pahhni in a clean room that’s adjacent to their office space. The other days, they’re out making deliveries. Weekends? Well, those are made for sponsoring events, which Marsha Loomis, Pahhni’s executive director of public relations, arranges. And she’s been busy. If you ran a race or attended a sporting event around town, chances are you were handed a free bottle of Pahhni.
You may have tried Pahhni at the Liberty Township Fall Festival or seen Pahhni as the hydration sponsor for many golf outings around West Chester, including David Fulcher’s Putt for Penguins Celebrity Golf Outing and the West Chester/Liberty Rotary Club Charity Golf Outing.
“We also do a lot with the schools,” says Marsha, a P&G alum herself. “We’ve been the hydration sponsor for athletic boosters, music boosters, homecoming parades, cross country and girls’ volleyball teams.”
“We’re getting a lot of positive support,” says Bharaj, who spent 27 years at P&G before becoming an entrepreneur. “I have people asking me, ‘What is retirement?’ and I laugh, ‘I don’t know.’ This is my phase-two career.”
When it comes to quenching the growing thirst for alkaline water, the crew at Pahhni is always ready to dive right in.
Want to order your own Pahhni, see more about upcoming events or just follow this amazing hydration journey? Find Pahhni at Liberty Farm Market in Liberty Township, follow their socials and check out their website.
PahhniWater.com | @pahhniwater
"Fans see something—or more likely, taste something—different in Pahhni. According to Bharaj and Loomis, it’s what’s not in Pahhni that accounts for its appeal."