Marking its unofficial transition from soft launch into wide release, ZenWTR has revealed its slate of celebrity investors ahead of a retail push that aspires to take the brand into 50,000 locations by the end of the year.
The list of existing backers, announced today, includes names ranging from hip hop stars (Lil Jon, 2 Chainz) to Academy Award winners (Juicy J, Anne Hathaway) to full-time celebrity entrepreneurs (Paris Hilton, Khloe Kardashian). The roster also includes actors Jessica Chastain and Zoe Saldana; pro athletes Tristan Thompson and Julio Jones; singer Ellie Goulding and sisters Erin and Sara Foster.
“Plastic-free is best when possible, but there are times when it’s not an option,” Hathaway said in a press release. “It’s something that keeps me up at night so I’m excited that I have decided to invest in ZenWTR. In our world where plastic water bottles are seemingly inevitable — and a very important necessity for some — I’m so relieved there is now a more sustainable option that, over time, will keep a tremendous amount of plastic from reaching and polluting the ocean.”
While there are currently no plans to integrate individual investors into brand marketing, the group has already been helping ZenWTR amplify its message through its collective social media reach of over 266 million, according to ZenWTR CMO Eric Berniker.
“It’s not an endorsement or a sponsorship,” he said of the celebrity cohort. “They’re behind it and they are very active.”
Founded by Lance Collins, ZenWTR has sought to turn one of bottled water’s biggest criticisms — its outsized contribution to the global plastic waste footprint — into an asset by using bottles made from ocean-bound plastic, with the goal of rescuing 50 million pounds by 2025. According to the company, every 1 liter bottle of ZenWTR is made from up to five bottles of recycled ocean-bound plastic, defined as “plastic found on coastlines and waterways that feed into the ocean in a country or region lacking waste management infrastructure and collection incentives.” The company also contributes 1% of overall sales to organizations that focus on ocean conservation.
Berniker said the brand is hoping to drive awareness and education as it seeks a bigger share of the water shelf. After starting in around 5,000 accounts in 2020, the company is targeting 50,000 stores for this year, spread across channels and retailers including Whole Foods, Target, Kroger, Quik Trip and others in 1.5L, 1L, 700ml sports cap and 500ml formats. In select regions, ZenWTR has partnered with both non-alcoholic DSD distributors as well as affiliates of Molson Coors, also an investor in the brand.
ZenWTR isn’t the only water brand adding star power to its cap table. Last month, Toronto-based Flow Water announced NBA All-Star Russell Westbrook had invested in the company (joining the likes of existing stakeholders Gwenyth Paltrow and Post Malone), while other eco-friendly water brands like JUST Water (Will and Jaden Smith) and PATH (Vernon Davis, Guy Fieri) have also attracted their share of celebrity backers.
“What’s resonating with consumers and celebrities alike is just how easy it is to make a positive change with ZenWTR to reduce ocean pollution,” Berniker said. “Changing consumer behavior is one of the hardest things you can do, and that’s the beauty of ZenWTR. We aren’t asking the consumer to do something different or use a different format.”