Today, some businesses find that offering a service alone isn’t always enough—they need a mission to attract customers.
Key details
Dash Water founders Jack Scott and Alex Wright launched a product that provides customers with a tasty, sugar-free beverage but that also solves an environmental issue.
Dash is a London-based company that uses bruised, misshapen, and otherwise damaged fruit in its drinks that would otherwise go to waste.
Knowing that food waste contributes nearly 10% of global greenhouse gas emissions, Scott and Wright decided to use their company as a way to combat the waste problem.
The company began in 2017, selling products in boutique gyms and small coffee shops. Now, Dash offers a half-dozen flavors and sells in major U.K. and Australia retailers. This year the company forecasts $20 million in retail sales and has plans to expand beyond the U.K.
Earlier this year, Dash began an advertising campaign called “love wonky” to bring food waste to the forefront of viewers’ minds.
Why it’s news
Nearly 40% of produce from around the world finds its way to a landfill, sometimes just because it grew in an imperfect shape.
Having a mission a wide base can get behind—making use of unwanted fruit—is a driving factor in Dash’s business plan.
This summer in the U.K. has been uncharacteristically dry, resulting in shrunken, misshapen fruit and local farmers have asked grocers to relax standards for fruits and vegetables they sell.
Making a focus on the environment part of the business plan has become increasingly popular among businesses. Nearly every major company issues a sustainability report, around 2,000 companies have a carbon target, and a third of major European countries have plans to achieve net zero by 2050, reports Harvard Business Review.
A new Pew research study found that, out of 25,000 people in 19 countries, 75% of them view climate change as the greatest threat to their country. As the general public grows more concerned about the state of the environment, businesses may want to consider their mission goals and how they can achieve a greater purpose.
