Waiakea Water is one of the most successful water companies on the market today. There are several factors that set this water apart from its competitors. The brand itself is relatively new, but what it offers its consumers is above and beyond the status quo for the water industry. Waiakea Water was recently the subject of an article featured in Affiliate Dork regarding the way in which it is changing the bottled water industry. In the piece, it discusses the vision that founder Ryan Emmons had for his brand. Although he is young at only 27, he has established himself as a force to be reckoned with.
Emmons has won awards for his business practices and strategies, including the Leadership Award from the Specialty Food Association. This award recognized his accomplishments in regards to creating a brand that accepts environmental and social responsibility. Emmons’ vision was to create a sustainable water brand that was beneficial to consumers and didn’t harm the environment.
He believed that exposing people to the delicious, pure volcanic spring water that he enjoyed himself while surfing in Hawaii would be a smart business move, and his hunch paid off once consumers began trying his product. Not only did the water almost sell itself based on taste, but Emmons began picking up valuable business knowledge that has helped him create a highly successful company even in the midst of all of the powerhouse companies owned by the other water distributors nationally.
Emmons was able to lease the rights to water in Hawaii for 99 years and began to develop ways to create environmentally conscious packaging. By using rPET bottles, which are made from post-consumer recycled materials, Waiakea became certified as a carbon-neutral company because the material lowered emissions. Emmons also decided to create the bottles with TimePlast, which allows the water bottles to completely break down in just 15 years, as opposed to the 1,000 to 1,500-year time frame associated with other water bottles.
Not only are Emmons and Waiakea Water environmentally advanced, but they are also socially forward thinking. Waiakea Water partnered with an organization dedicated to providing fresh, clean water to parts of the world where safe water is scarce. Commercial Water Purification businesses are also following this practice. Waiakea Water donates a week’s supply of drinking water to a community for every liter of water it sells. Since the partnership began, the company has supplied over 500 million liters of clean drinking water around the world.
Waiakea Water is striving to incite change within the bottled water marketplace and hopes to lead the way towards more responsible, sustainable practices. The company hopes to lead by example while providing its fans with the great tasting volcanic water that they have come to love. This is apparent from the awards the company continues to receive.