Taste testing bottled water is an interesting experience. We all have our favorites for various reasons such as flavor, aftertaste, drinkability, availability, and cost. I set out to locate my nearest store that carried Waiakea water, using their store locator on their website. The nature food-type store was a mere eight blocks from me. There were three other stores nearby that sold Waiakea water too. I was eager to taste it and dig deeper into the company to understand their process and company values. Here are my thoughts as to what I discovered, what I enjoyed, and what they could change for the benefit of the consumer and the company.
Who is Waiakea?
Waiakea water is a premium bottled water company with roots in Hawaii. It was founded in 2012 with the mission to provide naturally-healthy, sustainable, portable water. The source of their water is at the base of the Mauna Loa volcano. This isolated location allows Waiakea to bring some of the purest mineral water on the planet to customers while having little impact on the environment.
Waiakea’s mission states that it seeks to create a meaningful, positive lifestyle within their company for their employees that extends purposefully to their customers. As a customer, that sounds like a great objective that I can get behind. I learned their purpose extends farther than just supplying water to consumers. Waiakea actively promotes charitable and ethical initiatives like water conservation and supply in Hawaii and throughout the world. They have joined forces with global outreach programs that provide clean water access for people in need in Africa, among other charitable programs.
What makes Waiakea Water better than other bottled-water companies?
My Whole Foods store had one row of one-liter bottles of Waiakea Hawaiian Volcanic Water. Their logo is printed vertically on a turquoise-blue semi-square bottle with a white cap. The print tells me that it is naturally alkaline and has electrolytes in it.
The back of the bottle gives me all the details I was eager to learn. The water originates from rain and snowmelt that falls through Mauna Loa volcano rocks. This natural filtration allows the water to absorb pure minerals along its race to the base of the volcano. Because it travels through thousands of feet of this volcanic rock, it is naturally alkaline when it reaches the Waiakea water aquifer. The State of Hawaii Commission on Water Resource Management says this pure rainfall and snowmelt produces 393 millions gallons of this pure water each day. The amount that collects in the Mauna Loa aquifer in one month could provide enough water for everyone in the world to consume for an entire year. Waiakea only bottles 0.0001 of 1 percent of this amount. Sustainability is definitely achievable, and Waiakea continues live by the standard they set for their company.
Waiakea bottles their naturally filtered water in 100 percent post recycled, certified carbon-neutral bottles. While reading on their website, I learned Waiakea uses high-grade RPET for their bottles. The RPET production process uses 85 percent less energy to manufacture a bottle than creating one from scratch. This process also reduces carbon emissions over 90 percent. Those numbers seem significant when comparing recycled bottles to creating virgin plastics. Their bottles are also BPA-free. Waiakea is also working towards changing the entire bottled-water industry, lobbying for fully recyclable bottles with naturally biodegradable options for when the plastic can no longer be recycled.
I wanted to learn more about Waiakea’s CarbonNeutral status and what that meant to me as a consumer. CarbonNeutral is an emissions consulting firm who measures the environmental impact of a business and their processes. The firm makes recommendations to inquiring companies on how to reduce their carbon imprint. If a corporation achieves the carbon neutral strict standards, they are Certified as CarbonNeutral. In 2012, Waiakea achieved this status, becoming one of the first bottled water companies to receive this environmentally-friendly award. They worked diligently to reduce emissions through the utilization of recycled raw materials, leveraging low emission shipping, using geothermal energy at their plant, as well as reforestation programs. Waiakea’s CO2 emissions are at net zero, in accordance with the carbon neutral certification.
This entire process from catching rainfall to responsible sustainable practices leads to their last bullet point on the back of their product: ethical living. Not only is Waiakea water healthy for consumers and the environment, but Waiakea provides a week’s supply of clean water to people in need for every liter of their water sold. Because of the above positive attributes, I honestly felt good about purchasing this bottle of water. I was eager to taste it.
Waiakea’s Flavor
The turquoise Waiakea bottle makes the water inside look cool and refreshing. I found it in the bottled-water aisle of my whole foods store, nestled among other brands of high-alkaline water. Looking at the selection, I found myself wondering how the different brands could possibly taste different. What gives water its unique flavor?
Minerals, pH levels, nitrates, and age all contribute to the flavor of water we consume. What gives Waiakea water its pure flavor and texture are the soluble minerals it picks up along its travel from mountain peak to the aquifer at the base of the Mauna Loa volcano. Differing levels of magnesium, calcium, sodium, potassium, bicarbonates, sulfates and chlorides can make each brand of water taste different from the next. To put it succinctly, think of the chlorine in pool water or the salty flavor of ocean water. Any more or less of the naturally-acquired minerals can tip the flavor of water towards delicious or undesirable.
I eagerly twisted the cap on my one liter bottle of Waiakea water and took a few gulps. I was pleasantly surprised by the clean taste. The flavor was remarkably light and shockingly smooth. I was grateful that it had literally no aftertaste. This made it noticeably easy to consume. The mouthfeel is important to me; I don’t want a water that feels hard when I am trying to hydrate and refresh my palate; instead Waiaeka has this silky smooth mouthfeel. What makes the flavor of Waiakea water different from other brands is its presence of silica. Silica is a quartz mineral that gives Waiakea water its silky smooth taste. I found that I drank the entire liter by the end of my review. This is appealing to me since I need more water in my daily routine and struggle to find just the right flavor to make it easiest on myself. In Waiakea, I believe I found my brand.
Delivery Options of Waiakea Water
I used the store locator on the Waiakea water website to get a one liter bottle before writing this review. Once I tried their water and discovered how delicious and light it was, I wondered how to get more. I could simply incorporate it as part of my weekly grocery shopping routine, buying several liters at a time for my upcoming week. But many of us want a bottle or sometimes even two a day, so I wanted to look at their options for delivery.
The Waiakea Springs website is intuitive and easy to navigate. The first selection of the top menu on their landing page is “Buy Now.” From there, you can see their delivery options or go to the store locator. The Waiakea online service delivers water to the U.S. mainland only, at this time.
You can chose a one time delivery service but the real bargain is a subscription, which gives up to 20 percent off prices. Choose a 500 ML, 700 ML or a 1 liter bottle, then choose your case size. The plans are for one month, three months, six months, or annual subscription. Consumers can save 10, 15 or 20 percent off the delivery price buy choosing to have Waiakea deliver their water to your door. The frequency options vary between every 7, 14, 21, or 28 days.
I selected a 1 liter 12-pack case to be delivered to my door every 14 days. The price with the annual subscription was $28.20 per delivery or $56.40 per month. For me, this guarantees that I am going to drink a liter of water almost daily each month. Because I love the flavor without the aftertaste, it feels like I am making a beneficial choice and committing to a healthier lifestyle.
Waiakea offers their customers a 10 percent off coupon to share with two of your friends. If those two pals make purchases you can get a free case of water and 1000 points in their customer rewards program. You can also accumulate rewards points in a number of easy ways: annually on your birthday, by sharing their website, following Waiakea on Instagram, creating an account in their store, leaving a review, and making an online order.
Spending the points you earn in Waiakea’s rewards program is as simple as acquiring them. Rewards include $3 off a one-time delivery or subscription plan, free shipping on a case of water, $10 off a subscription, a Waiakea t-shirt from their apparel shop, or even a free case of water plus shipping.
Understandably, orders for water cannot be cancelled once they are placed and there are no refunds. They do have an exception rule, which is based on company discretion, but a $50 fee will be charged in the event that they accept valid reason for cancellation and will offer to refund an account.
Waiakea’s Vibe
Each company has their own culture. It is usually created by the CEO and founders, shaped by administration, and nurtured by employees, for good or for bad. Company culture shapes a work environment for its employees. Work culture can be defined as the belief system of its employees, the experiences as a team working together, respect towards each other and clients, employee integrity, and their adaptability for change.
Waiakea has a unique culture founded in Hawaiian roots.It didn’t want to be just another bottled water company. It wanted to set itself apart from others. Waiakea fosters a culture of a symbiotic relationship with nature. They strive to respect and care for the land through sustainable practices. I already touched on their Certified CarbonNeutral rating. That is just one of the many aspects of their company culture. It is important to Waiakea to spend the time, money, and energy to improve its processes by adapting their bottling methods to create an environmentally-friendly outcome.
Waiakea has worked hard to create its vibe. Their brand represents high environmental standards, active lifestyles among its employees and customers, and a strong bond with nature. They are proud of their culture which lies deep in Hawaiian roots. They practice “malama i ka‘ aina,” which means to respect and care for the land. They believe nature has provided them with the items needed for not only survival, but a good life. Food, water, shelter, and clothing ultimately all have come from the land. It is important for Waiakea to protect this land that has given generously to Hawaiians for thousands of years. Using 100 percent RPET bottles and becoming Certified CarbonNeutral are only a couple of the sustainable choices Waiakea has purposefully chosen to cultivate in their company. The Waiakea vibe garners respect from me as a consumer. I want to be a part of that kind of culture.
Global Outreach and Philanthropy of Waiakea
One of the things that impressed me most about Waiakea is its passion for philanthropy. They have partnered with several water conservation and reforestation programs. Their reasons cited are hard-hitting and important to comprehend as a global people.
Waiakea’s statistics have quoted that 650 million people all over the world are lacking clean, drinkable water. To put that into perspective, there are only 325 million people in the United States. Twice the people the size of our population lack the ability to run to the store and pick up bottled water, much less turn on a tap and expect clean, filtered water. Globally, more than two million people have no functional sanitation. Because of these types of statistics, it is believed that about every 20 seconds, a child passes away from water-related illness.
That is hard to stomach. As I sit here with my empty bottle of clean water, I can easily get aboard Waiakea’s initiative to bring fresh, portable water to the world. Not only is Waiakea thinking positively about the environment, they are striving to fulfil the world’s water needs.
Waiakea has joined with Pump Aid. They have pledged that for every liter sold, Waiakea will donate one entire week of clean water to those in Africa and globally who are in need. Knowing I funded a week’s worth of fresh water makes me feel good for serving people through a responsible surrogate provider.
Waiakea has teamed up with Pump Aid to serve communities in places like rural Malawi. Along with Pump Aid, Waiakea teams help identify the best site to install Pump Aid’s award-winning Elephant Pumps. This ancient Chinese design adapted by the Elephant Pump method can lift water from 30 meters deep. The teams choose a suitable site for the people in the area and dig a well and assemble the pump. The community itself provides many of the necessary materials and can even assist with the assembly of the elephant pump unit. This ensures that the community feels ownership over the pump and will know how to maintain it with pride and pass on this experience to others in their area to ensure the sustainability of the wells and others like it nearby.
Waiakea’s culture of philanthropy includes caring for and maintaining these sites after the initial build. It goes back to the Waiakea slogan, ““Drink Healthy, Drink Sustainably, Drink Ethically”. Because of this outreach initiative with Pump Aid, more than 1.3 million people can now access clean drinking water and basic sanitation. They have delivered over 4,200 pumps and serve more than 480,000 people a day. With access to clean water, the area has seen a rise in the amount of children able to attend school. Malnutrition and water-borne illness have lessened, and women have more time for other needs, now that they do not have to spend the majority of their day trying to find clean water.
What could be better?
When I picked up the chilled bottle of Waiakea water in store, one of the first things I noticed is there is a dark-colored bump in the bottom of the bottle. It made me look twice to check if it was a moldy blob. I believe it is possibly supposed to be the Mauna Loa volcano, which is the source of Waiakea water, but I would change this feature of their bottle design. Either give it more recognizable features of a volcano, like yellow-orange flowing lava, or scrap it altogether. It gave me enough pause that if I hadn’t driven to the store to specifically get Waiakea water, I may have put it down and chosen another brand out of ignorance.
Final Thoughts
This is probably the best water I have ever tried. It is clean, light, easy to drink, and leaves no aftertaste. The price is comparable to other bottled water delivery services, and the options allow me the subscription service I can afford. I am eager to drink it as part of my daily routine. It has a smooth texture, great flavor, and easily fits in my work bag. I will earn rewards points and maybe even score an extra case for my referrals. I feel good about buying from Waiakea and believe I’m getting my money’s worth, while helping people in need. Not many purchases feel this good inside and out.
