While Boxed Water is Better represents a small fraction of the packaged water category, the company has captured an outsized share of social media and celebrity attention since its founding in 2009. That’s in large part due to the purified water brand’s strikingly plain carton within a premium water category dominated by sculpted plastic bottles. With a package made mostly of paper, Boxed Water has helped drive the consumer conversation around packaging sustainability, an issue that will only grow in impact and importance during this decade. We spoke to Boxed Water’s Chief Marketing Officer Robert Koenen about growth prospects and how the company is coping with the COVID-19 pandemic...

With the global COVID-19 pandemic continuing to spread, Beverage Digest held the first ever virtual version of its annual Future Smarts conference. The Dec. 7 live streamed event featured 11 speakers, including executives from Coca-Cola, PepsiCo, Keurig Dr Pepper, Nestlé Waters and Molson Coors Beverage. Speakers from Coca-Cola United, Kitu Life, Lemon Perfect, and PureCircle offered insights on everything from distribution to consumer trends. Much of the day’s conversation...

The speaker lineup for our Dec. 7 virtual Future Smarts conference is set. And it’s top-notch. We’ve recently confirmed our final addition, Henrik Jelert, who is EVP for ReadyRefresh at Nestle Waters North America. This direct-to-consumer unit has navigated higher demand for at- home beverage delivery and a slow-down in workplace consumption during the COVID-19 crisis. He and I will discuss challenges and opportunities, while looking ahead to what comes after the pandemic. We’ll also bring Molson Coors Beverage into the Future Smarts fold for the first time. . .