New water brand bags international awards

A new-ish Kiwi water brand is making waves around the world by taking back-to-back titles at international competitions.

Deep Origin, which is only available to the hospitality, office and home delivery industry, won the gold medal for best water bottle design at the Pentawards Worldwide Packaging Design competition, after pocketing the silver medal at the 20th Annual Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting Awards in the USA last February, since its launch last November.

More than 850 brands from 39 countries battled for Pentawards in one of five categories. These included: beverages; food; body care; other markets, such as household maintenance and entertainment; luxury products; and items outside these categories.

Stephan Jelicich, co-owner of Deep Origin, who designed the bottle, told the National Business Review it was his 15-year “dream” to establish a water brand after learning European companies heavily dominated New Zealand’s hotel and restaurant sector.

“I thought it was a bit crazy; we have the best water in the world here.”

While the company was born two years ago, it took Mr Jelicich nine months to develop the current bottle and label design, before it could be launched.

It now exports to Australia, the US and Asia: Hong Kong, Singapore, Korea, Japan and China.

Mr Jelicich, who works as a packaging expert at Grenache Bottle Design, said the company’s product receives “a lot more interest” for international buyers rather than domestic.

The teardrop-shaped bottle features two dimples that mimic the brand logo. But aesthetic impact was not the only design concern.

“Environmental responsibility was a major factor in the design, Mr Jelicich said.

“Mountains of unnecessary glass go to landfill every year because people only use them once. Bottles can be refilled up to 50 times. Doesn’t that make a lot more sense?”

Deep Origin bottles were designed to be reused. For that reason the bottle was designed with the brand name heatpressed along its widest part.

“As the glass gets scuffed with use, that part will tend to become white and opaque, while the brand name remains clear.”

The company offers a refund on returned bottles, which can then be sterilised and reused.

“We decided to re-establish a routine, a process, that was taken away 20 years ago.

“[Back then] lemonade, Coca-Cola, Fanta, beer and milk bottles all had a refund on it and it was a standard offer in those days. When I was 15, I made myself pocket money collecting bottles.”

Mr Jelicich said while it was going to take some time to set up a programme for the company’s bottles to be returned to New Zealand to be recycled from its international buyers, the scheme has been highly successful domestically, with more than 85% of the company’s bottles sold, returned for a refund.

To avoid the use of glue, the bottle’s main label is permanently baked into the bottle. A small removable label on its neck is made from biodegradable cellulose, attached with water-soluble adhesive and printed with vegetable-based ink.

The water is sourced from the Otakiri springs in the Bay of Plenty, after making its way through fissures in volcanic rock for 50 years.

The highest award in the annual competition was platinum, followed by diamond, gold, silver and bronze.

Japanese company specialising in hair and hairdressing products – HOYU3210 – became the overall competition winner as the holder of the platinum award.

The top winner in the beverage section was Spanish wine brand Lascala, which successfully launched in to the Chinese market, by blending Spanish and Chinese traditions in its design.

Soft drinks and juices Spanish company, Pascual Seleccion, and Swedish Pour TE – ready-to-drink coffee & tea – were amongst nine beverage companies that shared gold Pentawards.