UK-based snacks and beverage distributor Red Star Brands has expanded its beverage portfolio with the addition of new sustainable water brand JUST Water.

The new beverage comprises still spring water, which is claimed to be collected from a sustainable source in the UK.

Launched in 2015 at Whole Foods Market, the water brand has entered the UK market after registering quick growth in the US.

The sustainable water product has been packaged in a bottle made using plant-based materials that reduce the brand’s carbon impact on the environment. The bio-plastic cap is made from sugarcane, while the paper carton is sourced from sustainably managed forests.

“Six in ten UK shoppers are looking to minimise their own plastic consumption.”

Red Star Brands’ managing director Clark McIlroy said: “Our job is to identify global brands that are daring to be different by challenging traditional perceptions of food and drink.

“Plastic usage has become a hot topic in recent years, and with six in ten UK shoppers looking to minimise their own plastic consumption, there is a definite demand for ethical brands like JUST Water to enter the UK market and disrupt consumer habits.”

In addition, Red Star Brands has been working towards reducing greenhouse and CO2 emissions through recycling waste, cutting travel and supporting sustainable forests.

McIlroy further added: “At the end of 2017, the soft drinks industry had a watershed moment when the Water category overtook Cola for the first time. This trend is continuing to boom but more and more consumers are also demanding brands that enable them to make a difference, and JUST Water is very well placed to appeal to those ethical consumers in the UK.”

JUST Water will be available in 800 Boots stores and Whole Foods Market locations in the UK for £1.29.