The latest news, trends, analysis, interviews and podcasts from the global food and beverage industry

Beverage entrepreneur Lance Collins has launched ZenWTR, a premium bottled water brand combining alkaline hydration with packaging made from recycled, certified ocean-bound plastic.

Collins, who previously founded beverage brands including FUZE, NOS, BODYARMOR and CORE Hydration, is positioning ZenWTR as a challenger in the premium water category, with packaging and environmental impact playing a central role in the brand proposition.

The water is vapour distilled before undergoing ionisation through electrolysis to reach a pH of 9.5. Calcium, potassium and magnesium are then added as part of a proprietary mineral and electrolyte blend intended to deliver what the company describes as a crisp, clean taste.

“The future of bottled water should be defined by both what is inside the bottle and the impact that bottle can have beyond itself,” said Collins, founder and CEO of ZenWTR.

ZenWTR's flagship 20oz bottle is made from 100% recycled, certified ocean-bound plastic collected from coastal areas where recycling infrastructure is limited.

According to the company, its supply network has sourced material from Indonesia, Thailand, Ecuador and Paraguay. Collection partners work with local communities to develop collection infrastructure and bottle-deposit programmes, while providing income opportunities for collectors.

The company is making the recycled material part of its product story rather than treating packaging as a secondary sustainability initiative. A preform supplied as part of ZenWTR's media launch materials demonstrates how the recovered plastic is heated and blown into the finished bottle.

ZenWTR also says it supports programmes that recover and recycle the equivalent of five ocean-bound plastic bottles for every qualifying Alumi-Tek bottle produced.

The brand has additionally committed 1% of ZenWTR revenue to ocean conservation and recycling education, advancement and access in the US.

ZenWTR says it became the first beverage brand to receive Plastic Negative Certification following a third-party assessment of its plastic footprint.

Through a partnership with the Plastic Credit Exchange, the company says it supports the recovery and recycling of plastic waste equivalent to 200% of its annual plastic footprint.

The certification and plastic recovery programme form a significant part of ZenWTR's positioning as it enters a bottled water market increasingly shaped by questions around packaging waste and environmental impact.

“We want to prove that consumers do not have to compromise on quality or taste to support meaningful environmental impact,” Collins said. “Every bottle is an invitation to rethink what an everyday purchase can accomplish.”

ZenWTR is currently available through retailers including Whole Foods Market, QuikTrip, Walmart, Amazon, Circle K's Frontier Division, Kwik Trip, Bristol Farms and Erewhon.

The brand is also scheduled to enter H-E-B stores from 5 October.