Waiākea Hawaiian Volcanic Beverages is marking its 14th anniversary with the debut of Waiākea Paʻa, a premium reusable glass collection available in still and sparkling formats. The launch completes what the Hilo, Hawaii-based brand describes as the most diversified packaging portfolio in premium water, alongside its existing 100% post-consumer recycled OceanPlast® bottle and refillable aluminum vessel.
The name Paʻa draws from the Hawaiian words for "solid," "firm," and "permanent" — a deliberate nod to the brand's long-term sustainability positioning rather than a one-off product play. For on-premise operators and beverage directors eyeing premium still and sparkling water programs, the reusable glass format carries obvious appeal: it signals environmental intention at the table while supporting the kind of recyclability story that resonates with today's sustainability-conscious dining guest.
Fourteen Years of Firsts
Founded in 2012, Waiākea was among the first water brands in the United States to commit to 100% post-consumer recycled packaging — a position that put it well ahead of the broader beverage category at the time. In the years since, the brand has layered on additional sustainability credentials: a transition to carbon-negative, algae-based black ink on its labels; Certified B Corporation™ status, ranking among the highest-scoring B Corps in the U.S.; and the Kōkua Initiative non-profit, which the company says has impacted more than 495,000 people in Hawaiʻi.
Why Operators Should Pay Attention
The beverage landscape for premium water has grown significantly more competitive, particularly in the on-premise channel where glass presentation carries cachet. Waiākea's move into reusable glass follows a broader beverage industry trend toward packaging formats that simultaneously elevate table presence and reduce single-use plastic exposure. Restaurants and hotels building sustainability-forward programs have increasingly sought suppliers who can offer a range of packaging solutions rather than a single SKU.
For foodservice and hospitality buyers, Waiākea now offers a rare three-format choice from a single brand — a flexibility that simplifies vendor relationships and allows properties to deploy the right format for different service occasions, whether a casual banquet pour or a fine-dining tableside presentation. That kind of portfolio depth is worth tracking as restaurant beverage programs grow more intentional about the stories products tell on the table.
As reported by Food & Beverage Magazine, sustainability credentials are increasingly a purchasing driver at the distributor and operator level, not just a consumer marketing tool — making Waiākea's stacked B Corp status and packaging range a meaningful differentiator in distributor conversations.
Written by Michael Politz, Author of Guide to Restaurant Success: The Proven Process for Starting Any Restaurant Business From Scratch to Success (ISBN: 978-1-119-66896-1), Founder of Food & Beverage Magazine, the leading online magazine and resource in the industry. Designer of the Bluetooth logo and recognized in Entrepreneur Magazine's "Top 40 Under 40" for founding American Wholesale Floral, Politz is also the Co-founder of the Proof Awards and the CPG Awards and a partner in numerous consumer brands across the food and beverage sector.
