Waiākea Hawaiian Volcanic Beverages is marking its 14th year in operation with the commercial debut of Paʻa, a premium reusable glass collection offered in still and sparkling variants. The launch completes what the Hilo-based brand describes as the most diversified packaging portfolio in the premium water segment, sitting alongside its existing OceanPlast® bottle — made from 100% post-consumer recycled plastic — and a refillable aluminum format.
The Portfolio Logic
The three-format strategy reflects a broader shift across the non-alcoholic beverage category, where operators and retailers increasingly demand packaging optionality to serve distinct channel, occasion, and on-premise needs. Glass commands a premium price point in hospitality and foodservice settings, where tactile presentation influences perceived product value. By adding Paʻa — the name is Hawaiian for "solid," "firm," or "permanent" — Waiākea can now compete across convenience, club, and white-tablecloth channels with purpose-built SKUs rather than a single vessel.
Sustainability Credentials
Founded in 2012, Waiākea was among the first U.S. water brands to commit to 100% post-consumer recycled packaging, a positioning that preceded widespread industry adoption by several years. Since then, the company has transitioned label printing to a carbon-negative, algae-based ink and achieved Certified B Corporation™ status, where it now ranks among the higher-scoring brands in the country. Its Kōkua Initiative non-profit has reached more than 495,000 people in Hawaiʻi. Paʻa extends that sustainability narrative into a material — borosilicate or soda-lime glass, depending on application — that carries strong end-of-life recyclability credentials and resonates with premium on-premise buyers.
What It Means for Buyers
For foodservice distributors and specialty retailers, the addition of a glass SKU from an established premium water brand with verified sustainability metrics addresses a persistent sourcing gap. Certified B Corp status and documented recycled-content supply chains are increasingly required by large hospitality groups and natural-channel grocers as part of vendor qualification. Waiākea's ability to offer all three formats from a single brand relationship simplifies procurement and reduces the number of supplier accounts buyers must manage. The premium water segment has expanded steadily as consumers trade up from commodity still water, and glass packaging remains a reliable margin driver in on-premise and specialty retail. As the non-alcoholic beverage category continues to see investment in sustainable packaging formats, Waiākea's early mover positioning in recycled materials now extends into reusable glass — a combination that aligns with tightening ESG sourcing mandates across the supply chain.
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.
