Interview With Fred: Bottled Water From The Brand Owner’s POV

As the debate continues over Water Bottles we have seen the discussion become more of a mainstream topic of conversation. We’ve aggregated enough opinions from the anti-water-bottle brigade, but what’s the reaction from the people who make bottled water? We asked Adam Gayner of water brand Fred was kind enough to shed some light on the industry from his perspective.

Do you feel there are benefits to consuming bottled water?

From my standpoint with Fred, onset child diabetes and obesity and many other health risks are reduced greatly by drinking bottled water [most people are dehydrated even with the growth of bottled water consumption] and Fred makes drinking water a more interesting experience.

What is your impressions of the water industry and the debate going on about plastic water bottles?”

I think that if a consumer believes water is water and has no preference, they should think about using cups, containers and filling with tap water wherever they happen to be. If a consumer prefers one type of water over the other or bottled water over tap, they should choose what they like. But if they choose bottled water, they should recycle. I think the big issue is recycling rates in the US are abysmal.

How do you feel about alternatives to plastics?, I just saw an orange juice container made up of corn. Do you feel that this is just a gimmick or is the industry looking for alternative materials other then plastics?

In terms of other materials, Fred was originally going to be made of PLA - which is corn plastic made from NatureWorks. There are issues with this plastic as it relates to ‘ability to contain water over time’ and ‘commercial viability related to the costs’. So, we are looking, but we feel the best solution is recycling at this point.

From your prospective when did you see this discussion moving into the mainstream, was it one particular event or has this been something you have heard people talking about for sometime?

In terms of when I heard about this in the mainstream - it was within the past few months. With Gavin in SF banning bottled water in governmental buildings, etc.

Fred

Adam Gayner will be speaking at our upcoming PSFK Conference Los Angeles.