While JUST Beverages’ new product may be “JUST Water,” packaging for the new product is not just a typical water bottle. Instead, the Glens Falls, NY, startup has opted to be the first in the U.S. to use Tetra Pak’s Tetra Top® paper-based “carton bottle.” The package comprises a square carton body made from 53% paper, a bottle top constructed of high-density polyethylene, and an HDPE cap.
JUST Water is a 100% spring water product that JUST Beverages refers to as “ethically traded,” meaning it uses just a small percentage of Glens Falls’ excess water—less than 2.5% of 1.7 billion gallons—while ensuring the Adirondack watershed is protected.
JUST Beverages is equally committed to reducing the impact of its packaging as well. On its website, the company emphasizes the environmentally benefits of its bottle: It is made primarily from a renewable resource that is sourced from sustainably managed forests, it is 100% recyclable, and it reduces CO2 emissions by 52% versus a standard-size, middle-weight PET bottle.
“With a focus on environmental and social stewardship, JUST Water offers consumers a different type of packaged water that feels as good as it tastes,” says Grace Jeon, CEO of JUST Beverages. “Tetra Top aligns with our brand ethos. The carton delivers a sleek, sustainable package that not only protects our great water, but is also compelling to our consumers.”
JUST Water comes in a 16.9-oz bottle decorated simply with a blue background and white logo; the shoulder and cap are white. The body of the package is a six-layer lamination made of paper, thin layers of low-density polyethylene, and a layer of aluminum, which acts as a barrier to light and air. The HDPE screw cap is a one step open-style closure, whereby the consumer breaks the safety seal with a turn of the cap.
The bottle is 100% recyclable in those communities that accept food and beverage cartons. A link on JUST Beverages’ website leads consumers to the Carton Council’s site, where they can determine if carton recycling is available in their area.
JUST Water was introduced in Whole Foods Market stores and through airport retail and management company OTG in August 2015, for a retail price of $0.99 per bottle.
