We caught up with the brilliant and insightful Mindy Mahy a few weeks ago and have shared our conversation below.

Mindy , thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today To kick things off, we’d love to hear about things you or your brand do that diverge from the industry standard.

Ah industry standards. This is a phrase I am no stranger to in hospitality. Primarily because within American hospitality, there has been an European oligopoly of Nestle and Danone brands (San Pellegrino, Evian, Acqua Panna) in place for 4-5 decades. It’s quite interesting once you think about it. When you are in Europe, you are served European water brands, in New Zealand you are served New Zealand brands, but here in America…a country rich in world-class resources, nearly all hospitality establishments serve European water brands. KOPU Water has broken through this oligopoly (that are also two of the largest companies in the world) by fulfilling a substantial desire for a brand that aligns with modern cultural expectations, is 100% made in the USA, is an eco-chic brand that guests deeply resonate with, and that offers a complete sustainability solution for hotels and restaurants. In 2021, our team realized we could implement another win for clients and the environment with a stewardship program. The KAS (KOPU Aluminum Stewardship) program debuted as a complimentary service we provide for clients. Our clients are provided designated bins for back of house, front of house, around the pool, etc where every empty KOPU bottle AND all other aluminum containers such as beer/soda ans are deposited. Upon each new product delivery, whether direct or through our distributor partners, the bins are collected and emptied by our KAS team, and taken to our local scrap metal partners across the country. Here, about 60 days later, this aluminum will re-emerge as another KOPU bottle, can, part of an electric car chassis, etc. Aluminum is extremely valuable and infinitely recyclable which is key to the success of the program. KOPU Water is leading the charge as a brand operating within a circular economy…which is the most positively impactful, authentic path forward for environmental stewardship.

Mindy , before we move on to more of these sorts of questions, can you take some time to bring our readers up to speed on you and what you do?

When you step back and look at the big picture, you can see vulnerabilities and cracks in status quo brands and practices. The obvious industry ripe for modernizing, were the water programs in American hospitality. The water brands served have been shipped in from halfway around the world in heavy glass and within 48 hours of consumption, tossed into our local landfills. Only 10 states in the US recycle glass and even then a very low percentage. This is because glass recycling is not economically viable. Single use glass bottles make up a substantial part of landfills where they take one million (yes a million!) to break down. Also, I am very proud of the pristine quality KOPU Water. Today, I think many can relate to not having much confidence in the actual ingredients put into our food and beverage. Most of us want to be healthy and appreciate total transparency in what we are putting into our bodies. KOPU Water is of the upmost water quality and its spring water source is rich in body-nourishing minerals, including silica which is nature’s beauty mineral and the building block of collagen. Our tag line is “Purity is the Ultimate Luxury” and that is precisely the ethos of KOPU. Treat your vessel to the best.

Can you tell us the story behind how you met your business partner?

I met my co-founder at the Kentucky Derby party in New York City! About 7 months later, he became my husband and shortly after the concept of KOPU Water was born. Justin and I are married, parents to three munchkins, and business partners.

We’d love to hear a story of resilience from your journey.

From the very onset, Justin and I were focused-in on the hospitality industry for KOPU Water. The challenge was that the same brands have graced American tabletops for decades and decades and given these brands are owned by some of the most deep-pocketed companies in the world, they had set a culture of steep discounts and cash “rebates” in desirable restaurant and hotel accounts. KOPU coming in as a newcomer with a brand that is eco-chic and purpose-driven, the resistance to change was overwhelming in the beginning. This can make you second guess your mission, no matter how well prepared you are. But our belief in our mission was bigger than any doubt. That big belief paid off. As the winds shifted, KOPU was embraced by several 5-star hotels and resorts as they were seeking brands that could help them achieve hard-to-reach sustainability goals. This gave us the opportunity to show proof of concept. KOPU clients experienced higher velocities selling KOPU over imported brands, gave tremendous feedback on guests’ delight of KOPU’s sleek bottles and superior taste, and overall improved profit within their water programs. Six years later, KOPU is served in top restaurants and hotels across America.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.kopuwater.com
• Instagram: @kopuwater
• Facebook: KOPU Water
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/7928837/admin/feed/posts/