Belu (company)

Belu is a UK based bottled water company that operates to the highest environmental and ethical standards and donates 100% of its profits to WaterAid.^[1] Belu is commonly referred to in the media as the “UK’s most ethical”^[2] bottled water.

Being a social enterprise,^[3] Belu operates on a triple bottom line with the aim of achieving social and environmental gains whilst remaining financially sustainable.^[4]

History

Belu was founded in 2004 by film maker Reed Paget as an environmentally friendly bottled water business.^[5] Before launching Belu, Paget was “looking at ways of engaging the business community in addressing environmental issues.”^[6] Investors included Body Shop co-founder Gordon Roddick, environmentalist Ben Goldsmith and Chris Cooper-Hohn, hedge fund manager.^[5]

Belu was the UK’s first completely carbon neutral bottled water.^[7]

Reed launched the UK’s first compostable plastic bottle^[8] in 2006,^[9] to go alongside their existing range of glass bottles.

Despite sales growing from £8,000 in 2004 to £2.7 million in 2008, Belu's road to profitability was disrupted by the banking sector collapse that year. To help maximize profits, Paget appointed Karen Lynch, previously Barclays Branch Marketing Manager, as a new MD in 2010. Lynch switched Belu from direct distribution to wholesale and in 2011 she re-launched the Belu brand. The new model proved to be transformational, their revenue having grown 40% between 2010 and 2012.^[5]

Concerns over the recycling of the Bio Bottles led Belu to launch an RPET^[1] bottle, with the highest percentage recycled plastic content of any water bottle on the UK market.^[10]

Belu's original bottle design was done by the acclaimed London design firm, Lewis Moberly and won numerous awards. However, in 2011 Lynch engaged the design agency This is Real Art to generate a new bottle design^[11] to better suit their targets in the HORECA market.

Material Sources

The water is sourced from Wolverton, Church Stretton, Shropshire.^[12] and two other springs: Montgomery Springs, Montgomeryshire and Iceni in Cambridgeshire. The plastic for Bio Bottles was made from corn starch sourced in the U.S. state of Nebraska.^[13]

The Business

Trade Practices

Belu does not import or export its water,^[14] keeping food miles and therefore carbon dioxide emissions to a minimum.^[1]

Social Impact

As of 2013, Belu supports 29 Full Time Equivalent roles. When selecting their water sources Belu favours rural areas in order to have greatest social impact by creating and sustaining employment in these rural areas.^[1]

In 2012, Belu was part of the arc initiative.^[15]

Cool Brands

Belu was nominated as a CoolBrand for 2012/13^[16] by members of the public and an expert council and retained for 2013/14.^[17]

Social Enterprise UK

Belu are members of Social Enterprise UK and also support the Buy Social Campaign, which encourages social enterprises to buy from each other.^[18]

Sustainable Restaurant Association

As of 2011 Belu was the first bottled water to achieve "Approved Supplier Status"^[19] for the Sustainable Restaurant Association .

The Environment

Carbon Neutral

In 2006, Belu became the UK's first bottled water that was completely carbon neutral. Through developing more lightweight bottles and reducing food miles, their carbon footprint is minimised. Any emissions that cannot be removed are offset. Belu work with Best Foot Forward to calculate their footprint and partner with Carbon Clear for their offsetting requirements.

Products

All of Belu's products are recyclable and are made using the highest percentage of recycled material possible.

References

Sunday Times

External links

Official website