From Addiction & ADHD -> Creating A Billion Dollar Category - Josh White, Founder Cano Water

From Addiction & ADHD -> Creating A Billion Dollar Category - Josh White, Founder Cano Water

Sometimes the most the powerful challenger brand stories are also stories of struggle, survival, overcoming personal battles and inspiring strength and resilience.
In this episode of Brand Growth Heroes, Fiona sits down with Josh White, co-founder of Cano Water, a brand that’s not only challenging the status quo of the bottled water industry but also reshaping it entirely.

It all started with a question: Why are there so many plastic bottles in the sea AND why are we still drinking water from plastic bottles when cans are infinitely recyclable?

What followed was a radical mission to reduce plastic waste. In the process, Cano Water helped create an entirely new sustainable category, which is now worth over a billion dollars.

But behind the brand is a much deeper story.

In this raw and intimate conversation, Josh opens up to Fiona Fitz about growing up with ADHD, his battle with addiction from a young age, and how his personal struggles became the driving force behind his purpose. He shares what it’s really like building a fast-growing challenger brand when the industry doesn’t want you to win, the loneliness of leadership, and the resilience it takes to prove people wrong.

We explore how CanO Water came to define a new category in sustainability and what it takes to create real change in an industry that often resists disruption. Josh opens up about the early days—what it felt like to be laughed at by retailers and ignored by investors—and the moment it all changed thanks to an unexpected catalyst.

We dive into how ADHD has shaped Josh’s journey as a founder, both as a challenge and as a superpower, and the emotional toll of leading a mission-led business when the pressure never lets up. And as a new Dad, Josh speaks candidly about fatherhood, the guilt that comes with trying to balance family and work, and the legacy he wants to build, not just as an entrepreneur, but as a parent.

This is a conversation that will stick with you.

Useful Links:

Cano Water website

Connect with Josh on LinkedIn

Instagram & Facebook & TikTok

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Thanks to Brand Growth Heroes’ podcast sponsor - Joelson, the commercial law firm

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If you're a founder, you already know how much of your energy goes into building the perfect product, creating standout branding and connecting with your consumers.

But don’t forget that scaling a CPG business also comes with a maze of legal complexities that can make or break your business journey. From contracts, term sheets and regulatory compliance to protecting your brand's intellectual property as you expand, it's essential to get it right.

And that starts with the right legal partner.

So we're thrilled to introduce Joelson, a leading commercial law firm that specialises in guiding the founders of scaling CPG brands, as Brand Growth Heroes' sponsor.

With long-term relationships with clients like Little Moons, Trip, Eat Natural, Bear Graze, and Pulsin, Joelson is also famous for advising the innocent founders in their landmark sale to Coca-Cola! As a female team, we are especially impressed by Joelson's commitment to championing female founders in CPG.

Not many law firms are also BCorps, nor do they specialise in helping founders navigate the legal challenges of scaling without stifling the creativity and momentum that got you here in the first place. So thanks, Joelson—we’re delighted to have you on board.

If you'd like to get in touch to find out more, why don't you drop them a line at hello@joelsonlaw.com!

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A tiny favour: If this episode inspires you to think about new ways to drive business growth, please could you click FOLLOW or SUBSCRIBE on your favourite podcast app and leave a review?

This small gesture from you means the world to us, and allows us to share these nuggets of insight and value with you more often.

You won’t want to miss the next episode, in which Fiona Fitz talks with another successful founder of a challenger brand who shares more valuable insights into driving growth.

Please don't hesitate to join our Brand Growth Heroes community to stay updated with captivating stories and learnings from your beloved brands on their path to success!

Follow us on our Brand Growth Heroes socials: LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.

Thanks to our Sound Engineer, Gyp Buggane, Ballagroove.com and podcast producer/content creator, Kathryn Watts, Social KEWS.

Episoder(112)

Tribe: Mission & Community at the Core. Delicious too.

Tribe: Mission & Community at the Core. Delicious too.

Tribe is the UK's leading plant-based performance brand, offering a range of bars, active oats and shakes that are super tasty and appeal to more than just serious fitness fanatics.But more importantly, Tribe is an *Impact* organisation that began in 2013 with a community long-distance 'Run for Love' to set up the first home for trafficked children in the UK. The product range was launched only after the community had already found a life of it's own, and sales gained serious traction at the beginning of lockdown. With the brand doubling in size, it's now about to hit £6 million in retail sales value at the end of this year. Tribe really is more than your average challenger brand. It's an ecosystem that includes their food business + their charitable organisation 'The Tribe Freedom Foundation' + the active community the founders have built since their very first run for love in 2013.I think Tribe has all the makings of a future mega-brand. Why?- It appeals to a potentially very large market of active people who want to enjoy their food, while making modern choices around nutrition, and ensuring their choices also help people & planet. - It shows up with a clear and consistent point of view. It started with a social mission, ergo the mission at the centre of the brand is authentic.  - It's visually appealing and has lots of stand-out on-shelf in the categories it's in. - It's a cross-category brand with a consistent value proposition.- It's plant-based....but delicious. This is one to watch.

27 Okt 202130min

How Bio&Me's 'Good for your Gut' Ranges are Driving Growth Across TWO Categories

How Bio&Me's 'Good for your Gut' Ranges are Driving Growth Across TWO Categories

Bio&Me offers consumers a range of granolas, porridges mueslis and yoghurts, all of which are allowed to carry the claim 'Good for your Gut'. In this episode:Dr. Megan and Jon tell us why Megan started Bio&Me instead of working with some well-known Big Food brandsThe science behind why Bio&Me was the first to be allowed to say that their products are 'Good for your Gut'How business is going now, and where it's going to next!

22 Sep 202140min

Dr. Will's: Taking on 'Big Food' in the Ketchup & Mayo Aisle

Dr. Will's: Taking on 'Big Food' in the Ketchup & Mayo Aisle

Dr. Will Breakey is the Co-founder of Dr Will's natural condiments brand. In this episode you'll hear:How Dr Will's is taking on Big Food in the Ketchup & Mayo aisleWhat it's like being a real doctor and the founder of a food companyAbout the brand's recent successes on social platforms like TikTok and LinkedInWhy did they choose to have a virtual teamAnd their recent crowdfunding, that resulted in nearly 800 new investors.

17 Sep 202129min

Scrumbles: How Pretty Poos are Driving Growth in Petfood

Scrumbles: How Pretty Poos are Driving Growth in Petfood

In this episode, Fiona speaks to Aneisha Soobroyen, founder of the gorgeous pet food brand Scrumbles, food for cats and dogs that's good for their gut AND good for the planet. Hear how 'pretty poos' are driving category growth, how Scrumbles competes in the highly competitive pet food category against global players, what it's like to work with your husband... and why they decided to raise funds early on in their growth journey.

14 Sep 202130min

Strong Roots: Heading for £100m by Driving Growth on a GLOBAL scale.

Strong Roots: Heading for £100m by Driving Growth on a GLOBAL scale.

Strong Roots has strong plans to hit £100 million in sales over the next few years.In this third episode together, the founder Sam Dennigan and I discuss HOW they're going to do this.So if you want to hear what big-ticket innovation really means, how Sam and his team are approaching international expansion in both the USA and Europe, how their foray into Dark Kitchens in New York City is going AND why they've brought their creative agency in-house - and how that works - then don't miss this! https://www.strongroots.com/usa/https://www.instagram.com/strongrootsusa/https://www.facebook.com/strongrootsirl

2 Sep 202137min

How to Build a €50M Brand - Twice. Founders of Fulfil Bars and Cali Cali Foods.

How to Build a €50M Brand - Twice. Founders of Fulfil Bars and Cali Cali Foods.

You may not know their names yet, but you certainly know the first of their €50M brands. Niall McGrath and Tom Gannon are legends in the Irish Consumer Goods industry, but in all fairness, they should actually be named and recognised as Consumer Goods brand-legends globally. The Founders of Fulfil Nutrition protein bars, they built this business to €60M in the 2 years after launch, and ranking in the Top 5 brands in Ireland. How did they do this? They are proud to have taken a systematic, strategic approach to brand building, an almost geeky dedication to The 4Ps and Byron Sharp's rules for Brand Growth.  Listen and weep at just how systematic serious success might need to be! Cali Cali FoodsInstagram Cali CaliFulfil Nutrition

16 Jun 202146min

Biotiful Dairy: Creating the Gut Health Category

Biotiful Dairy: Creating the Gut Health Category

Natasha Bowes, the founder of innovative Kefir company Biotiful Dairy, shares the spellbinding business story behind the brand's success.  It's a story that highlights the dedication, hard work, and obsessional focus on product quality that's necessary to become a brand leader in today's competitive marketplace. With a portfolio of 7 ranges and market retail sales value of around £30M, this is a brand we're going to see a lot more of in the future.

2 Jun 202143min

Minor Figures: The £30M Secret Success in Oat Milk

Minor Figures: The £30M Secret Success in Oat Milk

Minor Figures is the secret success story and insurgent brand that I really wasn't all that aware of before now. At its origin, Minor Figures is a coffee business that was started in 2013 by barista friends Jonathan Chiu, Stuart Forsyth and Will Rixon. But although its original home was in the food service channel, in recent years a tremendous amount of growth has come from the Oatmilk category in Grocery Retail.The business now has retail sales of around £30M, employs 71 people across 3 offices, and is selling in over 25 countries across the globe..  Fiona speaks to Commercial Director Ben Vear, who along with his team has been behind much of this transformational growth. instagram: https://www.instagram.com/minorfigures/facebook: https://www.facebook.com/minorfigures

17 Mai 202138min

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