One small step!

Botanica Base Samples Arrive! Our base samples arrived on Friday!! This is the first step in providing the formula. The base sample is all the ingredients that are needed to create a shelf stable product, minus all the flavours. In other words R/O water with some stabilizers, sweetness, natural preservatives and any other components. If the base taste is ok then we add the flavours. It is hard to determine what may or may not taste desirable when you have all the ingredients at once, so we test them separately. eg. If a new flavour does not taste to our satisfaction then we know it has to be only the flavour combinations not the base ingredients. This makes it easier to alter the formula without re-developing the whole thing.We will be moving along much faster once we approve the base sample.I am so excited!!

Sean Hartley - President

Why aluminum and not stainless steel or glass?

In response to the comment about stainless or glasss bottles:

I understand your point completely.

From a safelty poiny of view, the aluminum bottles are lined to protect against contamination just like every other canned product in existence.

As for stainless steel; the cost would be enourmus not to mention the weight. Stainless steel is very hard to manipulate and as far as I know no one offers this kind of material choice. Stainless weighs about twice as much as aluminum, or more, so the shipping costs would be twice as much.

Glass is the other option. the weight problem is still there since glass weighs more than aluminum as well as steel. However, glass offers the best choice for no contamination. We have explored this option and have come to the conclusion that the supply and demand for glass is at critical levels and we would not be able to secure a competative price. We would be at the bottom of the pecking order as well. Our needs would be the last thing on our suppliers mind.

Plastic is the typical choice, which is why we were trying to stray from the norm. Plastic is not very environmentally friendly. Only a fraction of the plastic can be reused for new bottles which begs the question; where do the leftovers go? The one thing that is driving us to aluminum is the fact that plastic bottles do not look any different than the next guy. Shelf appeal does not exist unless you spend thousands of dollars on custom injection moulds to make your own shape and stand out.

And yes, you are right to say it comes down to money.

Botanica appretiates your comments.

We will be testing all our products for any contamination, including any leaching of chemicals and elements from the bottling process.

Healthy is not just about the ingerdients, it is about the whole product!

We want your opinion!

Tell us what makes a great product. Botanica would like your input on our product concepts. Comment on this post and tell us what you wouild like to see Botanica become. Or ask a question that is important to you.

Take a look at our website and see what we are all about.

www.botanicawater.com

Thanks
Sean H.

Problem with the poll feature

I thought it would be great to ask you questions about Botanica's direction. We had a poll on this blog but it is broken and seems to happen to everyone that uses it. Kind of useless if you ask me! And a waste of time!! I apologize for the inconvenience. I am going to post a new message asking for your thoughts about Botanica. Let me know what Botanica can do to satisfy your needs as far as a responsible product is concerned. I am sorry for this but what can I do?

Google does not seem to care about this problem, according to dozens of blogs on this issue.

Thanks
Sean H.

Media or fact? Plastic bottles are harmfull.

At Botanica we are in the middle of a dilemma about weather or not plastic bottles are harmful. Is it fact or is the media playing a large part in its story?

A funny thing happened the other day; I was talking to a bottled water company and they mentioned that they were so concerned about the plastic bottle issue it made them re-think their whole business. Many customers of theirs expressed concern about the safety of the bottled water. Not the quality of the water, which is tested regularly, but the concept that petroleum chemicals were leaching into the water. We have all heard about this in the news and magazine articles but this was the first I had heard of a company actually considering the ban of plastic bottles. They were going to discontinue all bottles that were under 1L in size and only focus on 20L or 5 gal. containers. ??? Do they know something we don't? Or is this the result of a really good spin by the media?

I guess I am on the fence here since I understand both arguments. It is entirely possible that chemicals can leach into water but to what extent? Does this mean we should stop all plastic use for food? Now you are getting ridiculous! Imagine no plastic food products, no Tupperware, bottles, plastic wrap, Ziploc, yogurt, straws for goodness sake!!?? I guess until someone can prove without a doubt that this is happening we will have to take their word for it.
Or decide for ourselves and hope for the best!

This whole thing has prompted Botanica to seek the use of alternative bottle material, mainly aluminum. We are still researching this position, but if using non-plastic will avoid possible health problems not yet substanciated then woohoo!

Just my two cents.
Sean H.

Innovation starts with you!

As an inventor and innovator I am constantly seeking the perfect idea. For one person to find it is almost impossible. I have found that the answer is in the masses. What one person finds perfect the next will find flawed. The only recourse is the median choice. Botanica started with an idea that only I had, but over time it has developed into something different altogether. The more people that I talked to and listened to the more I realised that this is a not just a project but more of an adventure. Everyone is an innovator at heart; it just takes a certain spark to light the fire.

I hope to find some innovators here to help guide the Botanica adventure.

Sean H.
President