Building a New Beverage Category: CANS | Dominic Rice

A drink with no sugar, no sweeteners, and just three ingredients is sparking a quiet revolution in the beverage industry. Dominic Rice, after 16 years as a senior global executive at Red Bull, is now co-founder and CEO of CANS – a fast-growing brand creating an entirely new category: non-sweet soft drinks.

The genesis of CANS reveals the power of identifying genuine consumer frustration. During a pivotal steak dinner in Prague, Dom and his co-founders realized there was no middle ground between sugary soft drinks and artificially sweetened alternatives. For health-conscious consumers, the choice was essentially water or nothing. This gap in the market became their opportunity to innovate.

What makes this story particularly fascinating is the deceptive challenge of creating something seemingly simple. "It sounds easy," Dom explains, "but getting the balance of just water, fruit, and bubbles right took 40-50 rounds of testing." The goal was creating a naturally refreshing flavor profile without relying on sweetness – an approach that required rethinking beverage fundamentals.

Dom's journey offers remarkable insights for entrepreneurs. He candidly discusses the transition from corporate thinking to startup mindset, noting how solving problems by "subtraction rather than addition" became critical to CANS' success. Rather than adding complexity, people, and processes (the corporate approach), scaling required ruthless focus on simplification.

Most compelling is Dom's perspective on building an entirely new beverage category. While initially positioned within flavored waters, CANS aspires to establish non-sweet drinks as a legitimate third option alongside traditional soft drinks and their diet counterparts. The rapid UK market reception suggests consumers are more ready for this revolution than expected, with both trade buyers and individual consumers embracing the concept enthusiastically.

Whether you're interested in food innovation, entrepreneurship, or simply finding healthier alternatives without sacrificing enjoyment, this episode delivers refreshing insights into how challenging industry conventions can create both business success and positive consumer impact. Listen now to discover how three simple ingredients might just disrupt the entire beverage landscape.

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