A Revolution in Hydration

ICA Fund is thrilled to announce our newest investment in WAJU Water, a beverage brand making sparkling fruit water made with only organic, non-GMO ingredients with 100% of your daily vitamin C and no added sugar. Founded by Chris Oates, WAJU Water recovers water from fruit juice processing and upcycles it into a hydrating, better for you, and better for the planet beverage. WAJU Water is the only brand that’s saving and harnessing the naturally occurring water within real fruit to create a refreshing beverage, giving people a natural hydration option that they can feel good about drinking. 

"We stand out with what our liquid is made of and how we source it, which offers transparency that shoppers are looking for. We are shifting the conversation from what is added to your water to where it comes from and how that impacts your health and our planet. " - Chris Oates, founder of WAJU Water

WAJU Water is a graduate of the Accelerator at ICA Fund, and received an investment to support their continued growth across Northern California. This investment was made using the ICA Impact Note, our innovative investment structure that partners with entrepreneurs to prioritize social impact – like good jobs, workforce diversity, and employee wealth creation – as they grow their business. Keep reading to learn more about WAJU Water and how they are promoting sustainable ecosystems through unutilized and hydrating water sources.

What inspired you to start your business?‍

A decade of working in the beverage industry probably should have convinced me not to start a company in the beverage industry — but the idea of WAJU was too unique for me to ignore. It wasn’t about creating another drink, it was about advancing the water industry as a whole. Tapping into water from fruit was a lightbulb moment. I knew that this would have a major impact in terms of how we think about sustainability and hydration.

The idea hit me after reading about the benefits staying hydrated by eating fruit, which contains up to 95% water. For example, strawberries have 92% and lemons have 88% water content. However, there’s a limit to how much fruit one can consume due to the sugar content. What if I could harness the pure H2O and nutrients of fruit without the sugar? Initially, it seemed costly and wasteful, but I realized it's what juice suppliers do daily. They evaporate or dehydrate the water from juice to create concentrate and discard the extracted water—enough to fill an Olympic-size pool each week from just one supplier.

I discovered an opportunity where I could transform this overlooked water source into a special beverage that had both health benefits and a meaningful impact on the environment. WAJU water is a naturally hydrating, plant-based, sparkling water made with organic ingredients with no added sugar and tons of antioxidants from the fruit. ‍

What is unique about the way that WAJU water is made? Why does it stand out in the market?‍

WAJU Water is the only brand that’s saving and harnessing the naturally occurring water in real fruit to create a refreshing beverage, giving people a natural hydration option that they can feel good about drinking. 

We stand out with what our liquid is made of and how we source it, which offers transparency that shoppers are looking for. We are shifting the conversation from what is added to your water to where it comes from and how that impacts your health and our planet. ‍

What is the best advice you received as a business owner? What advice would you give to an aspiring entrepreneur?‍

Find and invest in a community that you can learn from and that you can contribute to. Entrepreneurship can be isolating, so it’s important to find a network where you can grow together.

I, along with a handful of amazing food and beverage startup founders, co-founded a BIPOC community called (included), where we help amplify the voices of founders of color and add more flavor to the shelves. I’m most proud that since 2020 we’ve provided over 180 member companies exclusive access to industry trade shows, a critical way to meet buyers, retail chains, and independent stores. ‍

What are your plans for this new investment and beyond?‍

This investment from ICA will allow us to ramp up quickly. We’re hiring 2 diverse pre-sales representatives to expand into 100 more stores and launch a targeted Instacart campaign to boost visibility in online sales and connect people to the stores we are expanding into. Looking into the future, we want to extend our flavor line, broaden our footprint in Northern California, and eventually gain distribution and retail accounts that align with us nationwide. 

Our overall vision is to use WAJU Water as a proof of concept to be an ingredient provider for the greater beverage industry - providing an exclusive, unique natural water source for any drink you can think of. Take brewed coffee, for example. It’s about 2% actual coffee and 98% water. Yet, all people talk about is the 2% coffee, but what about the other 98%? Where is that water sourced from? How is it sourced, and is it sustainable? The story behind the water is what’s missing from the beverage industry, and we want to fill that gap.‍

You participated in the ICA Accelerator Program. What was most valuable about your experience?‍

I have participated in many accelerators and they typically have a similar learning curriculum. ICA goes beyond — they don’t stop at “okay great, you have our business model down.” They extend to “How are you making the world a better place? What are you doing to make a positive impact on your community? The environment? Are you helping push access to opportunities for people who don’t typically have that access?” ICA has helped me fine-tune my social impact goals and build that into my business model rather than having it be an afterthought. It’s important to instill your business values from the beginning, so that they stay consistent as your business grows and changes.

Having recently moved from the East Coast to the Bay Area, ICA was also a great asset in connecting me with local industry leaders and collaborators to bounce ideas off of (and eventually get into retail based on those built partnerships) because of how rooted they are in the community. 

‍WAJU Water isn't just a beverage; it's a pioneering movement in the water industry. By saving and harnessing overlooked water when large juice suppliers make juice, WAJU provides a naturally hydrating, plant-based, sparkling water packed with organic ingredients, no added sugar, and antioxidants. This innovation not only benefits consumers' health but also promotes sustainability. WAJU is shifting the focus from additives to origins, offering transparency and a refreshing hydration option that stands out in today's market. WAJU Water is more than a drink—it's a step towards a healthier planet. Shop WAJU and follow them on Instagram.

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ICA Fund accelerates great businesses through mentoring and investments to close the racial and gender wealth gaps. We support small businesses in the San Francisco Bay Area led by founders of color and women by providing capital, coaching, and connections. ICA Fund helps entrepreneurs grow the value of their businesses and create wealth for themselves and their employees, driving toward our vision of an economy that works for all.