All great businesses begin with a problem to solve. For DASH Water, that problem was food waste, and the answer has transformed the company into one of the UK’s fastest-growing drinks brands.
With 30% of fruit and vegetables in the UK going to waste, co-founders Alex Wright and Jack Scott saw an opportunity to do things differently. Coming from farming backgrounds, they had an idea to save wonky fruit and veg that would otherwise go to waste. That’s all the bent, crushed, curved, knobbly, misshapen fruit which others say no to. The result? A range of beautifully branded, delicious soft drinks that are sugar-free, sweetener-free, and full of natural flavour.
When it comes to their ingredients, DASH Water puts taste and transparency first, as co-founder Alex Wright explains:
“We judge our ingredients on taste alone; looks never come into it. By saying yes to produce that others say no to, we make drinks that taste delicious, help raise awareness about the issue of food waste, while proving that healthy doesn’t mean boring.”
DASH Water launched in 2017 with the support of a Virgin StartUp loan. Like many of the founders we work with, Alex and Jack also benefited from mentorship and community through Virgin StartUp, which gave them the confidence to put purpose at the heart of their business and test, tweak, and refine their product as they grew.
This approach helped them scale quickly, without compromising their values. This year, DASH is projected to turn over £42 million, driving 60% of category growth and contributing 46% incremental growth to the soft drinks market. Now those are some impressive figures.
Today, DASH is stocked in over 10,000 stores, including Tesco, Sainsbury’s and Waitrose, and most recently, you can enjoy one with a pizza at Franco Manca. The brand’s bold and uncompromising approach has fuelled international success too, with DASH now sold in 20 countries. This summer has been truly record-breaking for DASH, with an impressive 4.9 million cans sold in July alone.
Their commitment to fighting food waste, supporting local farmers, reducing plastic, and operating carbon-neutral has earned them B Corp certification, a recognition of businesses that balance profit with purpose.
DASH is proof that doing good and doing well go hand in hand. They’ve shown that you can take on industry giants with a values-led business model and still come out on top.
If you’re inspired by DASH and would like to follow in their footsteps by starting a business with purpose, take a look at Virgin StartUp’s community platform. It’s a supportive online community where founders connect, share ideas, and access resources to help scale their businesses with purpose.