Jon Wicks and Phillipa Atkinson-Clow, chairman and general manager of the British Water Cooler Association (BWCA) respectively, told FoodBev’s Bill Bruce about the state of the watercooler industry and updated on the progress of its 5 For 5 sustainability pledge at the BWCA Conference earlier this month.
The pledge commits BWCA members to areas of focus including environmental sustainability, social sustainability, financial sustainability, water management, and fostering a positive workplace environment.
There is increasing demand for more premium products, and the BWCA is seeking to transform watercoolers from a commodity into an added-value product.
Jon Wicks said: “We have a very close-knit relationship between the distributor members and the supplier members, and the supplier members work quite closely with those distributors to ensure that what the market is asking for, they can offer.
“Zenith Global [at the BWCA Conference] mentioned the increase in requests for slightly more premium products than the basic coolers. I think for our industry, that’s a really good thing because it allows our members to promote the added-value nature rather than the commodity problem that has existed, particularly in the POU market.”
Wicks said this will allow BWCA members to continue to differentiate themselves – something that may gain importance as Brexit nears.
For more content like this, follow FoodBev on YouTube or subscribe to Refreshment magazine. Presented by Bill Bruce; editing by Bill Bruce and Alex Clere.
© FoodBev Media Ltd 2024