Notable Brands: Boxed Water

• Announced just this past March, water brand Boxed Water has launched a product packaging that is 92 percent plant-based which happens to be the highest level achieved in the industry to date, according to the company.
•  The brand achieved this by adding a plant-based cap to every carton to achieve additional environmental sustainability. The cap is derived from residue waste from FSC-certified sustainably grown trees used for pulp and bioenergy, rather than specifically grown for plastic, and has lower CO2 emissions than petroleum and sugarcane.
• Boxed Water was founded in 2009, and their product is 100% purified water (no added minerals), 100% recyclable and refillable with some common sense care. The company states that their water is purified with ultraviolet, carbon and reverse-osmosis filtration.

Notable Brands: Just Water

• According to the brand Just Water, they are not purified tap water, which they state is an inefficient process that actually wastes water and energy. They state that they are a "flavorful spring water with naturally occurring mineral and PH content. It is pumped from a reliably plentiful source in the United States. Three-billion-gallons-a-year plentiful."
• They assert, on their website, that 82% of every JUST Water carton is plant-derived. The result: a 74% reduction in carbon emissions compared to a standard plastic water bottle.
• In the United States, their water comes from Glens Falls, New York. The Glens Falls watershed is in a relatively small area of 6.2 square miles. Despite its size, approximately three billion gallons of water collects in the watershed annually from snow and rain. The city uses approximately half of that amount. Just Water bottles a fraction of what remains. 

Notable Brands: Flow Alkaline Spring Water

• "Flow is a delicious alkaline spring water that combines the benefits of a pure artesian source, a pH of 8.1 and essential minerals to support your health. All in a planet-friendly package", according to the website.
•  Nicholas Reichenbach, the Founder and CEO of Flow Alkaline Spring Water, a brand that offers a superior environmentally sound alternative to the traditional bottled water, states that when he first launched Flow in 2014, he set out to disrupt the water industry, which had remained largely unchanged for years, by providing a premium, non-carbonated mineral water that is naturally alkaline, tasted great, and was packaged in the most sustainable way possible.
• He further asserted that "[A]s more and more people learn about the benefits of mineral-rich alkaline water and the importance of sustainable packaging, the consumer has become more interested in premium waters that provide a positive impact on the earth.”
• According to Reichenbach, his company is the only premium alkaline mineral water in an eco package.
•  Since its launch, Flow has rapidly expanded their retail footprint and is currently sold in six thousand locations across the US in all major states, with lead retailers such as Whole Foods Global, Sprouts Farmers Market, and Amazon.com.

Overview of Alkaline Water Market

• Overall, there is no definitive evidence that water with a higher pH is better for you. Often, bottled water companies market their product as “alkaline water,” claiming a pH level of 8 to 10. For comparison, pure water clocks in at a neutral pH of 7. Companies reach a higher pH level by modifying the water after its been purified or leaving minerals in the water from its source.
• “Alkaline water companies make vague claims that it will ‘energize’ and ‘detoxify’ the body and lead to ‘superior hydration,’” reports the New York Times. “But there’s no evidence that drinking water with a higher pH can change the pH of your body, or even that this outcome would provide benefits.” In fact, the same article reminds us that your stomach is highly acidic, so if you drink alkaline water, your stomach will neutralize the pH before it enters your blood stream. While it likely won’t hurt you to drink alkaline water, there are other areas where you can focus your energy.
•  According to Beverage Daily, alkaline water is an ‘international growth phenomenon’.
• "Global sales of alkaline water have risen at 18% a year to $631m in 2017: and the category is rapidly heading towards the $1bn milestone, according to Zenith Global."

Overview of Boxed Water Market

• According to a full life cycle independent study from Athesis, commissioned by Boxed Water Is Better, boxed water has a lower impact in every category compared to plastic and a lower total environment profile than aluminum cans.
•  According to Fast Company, boxed water containers aren’t as easy to recycle as plastic. "While it is recyclable if it’s sent to a facility with specialized equipment, many cities still don’t accept the packaging, in part because they may not have enough volume to make it worthwhile to sort out the containers from the rest of the waste stream." However, the good news is that a decade ago, just 18% of households in the U.S. could recycle this type of carton, and now 62% have access, in cities from Seattle to Des Moines. 

Summary Of Our Early Findings Relevant To The Goals

• Our initial hour of research was spent ensuring that everything was publicly available, which it is and abundantly so, and then delivering three companies that we felt were notable, along with facts about them, a mini-overview of the alkaline water market, and a mini overview of the boxed water market. Because we delivered what we feel are the three notable companies asked for, we are not suggesting further research for this part. Of course, if more is desired, that can be made clear to us in any response. Please note that if that happens, it will likely require the scoping to be increased.
• We were not provided a geographic focus for this project, so we assumed a global focus. In fact the third company covered, Flow Alkaline Spring Water, is Canadian, but they are heavily in the American market. If a more targeted approach is desired, for example, the United States, this would have to be clearly communicated to us in any reply, though we are suggesting a global view as many interesting ideas can come from that kind of approach.
• Please select one or more of the options provided in the proposed scoping section below.