Business View Oceania l January 2023

7 8 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 5, ISSUE 1 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 5, ISSUE 1 R enowned drinks industry challenger Lo Bros has launched a new impact-led brand, Not Soda, with a mission to clean up our oceans. Independent retailers Ritchies and Drakes are the first to get behind the effort, with a joint goal to clean up two million plastic bottles from our oceans by 2025. From this week, Lo Bros’ Not Soda will feature heavily in up to 130 of Ritchies’ and Drakes’ stores across Australia, spearheading a new wave of planet-consciousness for consumers to get behind. For every can of Not Soda sold, Lo Bros will fund the removal of the equivalent of two plastic soft drink bottles from marine environments through their partnership with Seven Clean Seas- starting with Indonesia’s Batam Island. Aussie entrepreneur and Lo Bros Founder, Didi Lo, is on a mission to disrupt the drinks industry. Didi Lo says: “We are very proud to announce the launch of Lo Bros Not Soda. Not Soda is not soda like you know it. It tastes like the best sodas you’ve tasted, while being zero sugar. But most importantly of all, every can of Not Soda directly addresses the environmental crises being created by the soda industry.” Every year, up to 34 billion plastic bottles enter the ocean. In Australia, 75% of all beverage aluminium OPENING L INES is collected for recycling. Unlike plastic, which can only be recycled 1-3 times before degrading and being sent to landfill, aluminium is infinitely recyclable. Michael Connolly, Drake General Manager of Merchandise and Marketing, says: “As leaders in the retail industry, we have a responsibility to be a part of the change for good, and this is a soda our consumers can feel good about. It’s not only zero sugar, but it contributes to saving our seas at a time when climate change is a global emergency.” Fred Harrison, CEO at Ritchies, says: “Connection to our community has always been front and centre LO BROS PARTNERS WITH RITCHIES AND DRAKES TO TACKLE OCEANWASTE WITH NEW DRINKS RANGE: NOT SODA. Connection to our community has always been front and centre for us. We know this mission is something our customers will be excited to get behind, as are we. for us. We know this mission is something our customers will be excited to get behind, as are we.” Seven Clean Seas Co-founder Tom Peacock-Nazil concludes. “Partnering with Los Bros Not Soda will generate tons of positive environmental and social impact whilst giving the existing soda market the disruptive shove it needs in the right direction. Not only is the product designed for recyclability and true circularity given today’s infrastructure, but some of its profit is allocated to cleaning plastic from our oceans.” To learn more head to: https://lobros.co/pages/ notsoda