Liz's Letters Volume 1, Issue 1: Boxed Water?

Dear Packaging Enthusiasts,

I’m Liz, the new Associate Editor at Food & Beverage Packaging magazine. This is my first blog and my chance to write about packaging from my eyes! I’ve always liked packaging. Though I admit my love affair with packaging didn’t start with food and beverage products. It started with Barbie doll packaging, then cosmetics packaging and now its food and beverage packaging that catches my eye (and still cosmetics, though I stopped playing with Barbie at around age 12). Packaging is truly powerful stuff. I’m drawn to it at grocery stores, online, in vending machines, at retail stores and even at coffee shops!

There’s a wonderful little mom & pop-type coffee shop near my house that I like to visit to get a soy latte and lately I’ve been noticing these cartons of water for sale, by Boxed Water Is Better brand. Initially, I was a little put off by the package (reminds me of milk, in which I am not a fan), but as I kept seeing them, I started to realize just how innovative a box of water really is.

Boxed Water Is Better is a water bottle (oops, water box) company out of Grand Rapids, MI. It started with the idea to create a new bottled water brand that is kinder to the environment. After brainstorming, the company found that it shouldn't be bottled at all, but instead, boxed. The brand released the boxes of water in 2009 in a white paperboard carton with big black lettering of the unique company name.

About 76% of the boxed water container is made from trees, a renewable resource, that when harvested in a responsible, managed, and ethical way serves as a renewable resource that benefits the environment even as it's renewed. Not only is the container environmentally responsible, the company ships the boxes flat to the filler, which is significantly more efficient compared to shipping empty plastic or glass bottles to be filled. The flat, unfilled boxes fit on two pallets, or roughly 5% of a truckload, compared to the average five truckloads for empty plastic or glass bottles. The cartons can be broken down to their original flat state, and are recyclable in some areas. Boxed Water Is Better is also giving 20% of profits back to the resources the product is composed of - water and trees.

Today is an exciting time for packaging. Companies get the chance to do some creative stuff, some eco-friendly stuff and sometimes a mix of both! I’ll keep my eyes open for the latest and greatest, as should you. You will be surprised of what’s out there- who knew, boxed water?  

Until Next Time!

Sincerely,

Liz Cuneo