Our thinking

Drink responsibl…e drinks

7 June, 2024

Counter Culture Drinks is a Bristol-based kombucha company with many accolades. It is a B-Corp, carbon neutral, all natural soft drinks company, which donated 51% of its shares to social initiatives, alongside donating 5% of total sales to social and environmental causes.

Counter Culture Drinks is a clear example of a passion-led business. The company was started on the back of the founders’ move to living sober lives and desire to bring energy into the world of soft drinks, as well as one founder’s goal to raise £1 million for charity. Tying it all together, the charities they support are Alcohol Change UK and Billychip, an alcohol abuse charity and a Bristol-based homelessness charity.

This business model may be seen by many as an anomaly, but maybe it’s a challenge to other businesses to do better? Their marketing overtly challenges business norms with lines such as “it’s the bare minimum every business should be doing” when referring to their low environmental impact. While starting out as an environmentally and socially responsible business feels easier than retrofitting it, we’d encourage any business to take on this challenge. Is there more you can do?

By Anna Heis