Dash Drinks

I came across Dash through a very special friend, when the brand was in its trial stages of its initial packaging. The visual impact wasn’t the same as it is now but the taste, phenomenal. The ethos, even better. So I have been intrigued from the very beginning.

Dash founders Jack Scott & Alex Wright

Dash is all about ‘perking up water naturally’, creating sparkling spring water drinks with ‘wonky’ fruit and veg, the ones you would never see in a supermarket, but taste just as good, saving hundreds of thousands from unnecessary waste.

Founders Alex Wright and Jack Scott are onto something special. I spoke to Alex to find out about Dash’s roots and the subsequent growth…

How did you and Jack meet? What made you decide to go into business together?

We met and became good friends in our previous roles at another food and beverage brand. As we both come from farming backgrounds, myself in West Sussex & Jack in Shropshire, we’ve always been keen to do our bit to minimise the 30% of food which goes to waste in the UK, so the combination of experience and knowledge was a nice match. 

Many founders struggle to loosen the reins and delegate when expanding. As the brand is picking up such a phenomenal pace, how do you approach the leadership of the business?

We believe setting tasks with the team collaboratively will empower them to take ownership in what they do. Everyone wants to work towards a goal they have personally set, as opposed to one which has been passed onto them and the business’ growth is testament to that. 

As the business scales up, how are you going to manage and minimise the environmental impact?

Keeping the supply chain lean and waste free is something we work hard on and will continue to watch. Working with local producers as much as possible is key to keep a minimal carbon footprint. Alongside this, using recycled aluminium in our cans is another factor to reduce the overall use of single use plastic in our supply chain. 

Who are your most trusted advisors?

As first time founders we have worked hard to surround ourselves with experienced individuals. As we started Dash we were backed by Virgin Startup who taught us the nuts and bolts to start a business - the likes of book-keeping, branding and partnering with a good lawyer (incredibly important). Further down the line our investors, including as John Ayton (founder of Links of London), have guided us around the potential pitfalls many startup businesses fall into. 

Favourite flavour?

Cucumber.

Dash is available in three flavours: Lemon, Raspberry and Cucumber - the cucumber flavour is particularly brilliant for morning sickness, I found, by the by.

For more information about Dash and to see the full range, visit dash-water.com