Food Dive reported the development on 2026-03-04. The Hawaiʻi-based brand said it is the first company in the world to print labels with algae-based inks, adding its climate values help it stand out.
The report places the news in a wider commercial context. Waiākea Hawaiian Volcanic Beverages wants to be more than just a bottled water and small batch coffee company, with an aim to revolutionize how the beverage industry approaches sustainability. After becoming the first beverage company to use 100% post-consumer recycled plastic in 2012, it's now pioneering another first more than a decade later: labels printed with algae-based ink.
For the food sector, the practical implications extend beyond the immediate announcement. “For us, innovation extends far beyond the traditional sense, where we’re always at the drawing board, coming up with creative products or marketing solutions,” Waiākea CEO Ryan Emmons said in an email. “Our goal is to use Waiākea as a catalyst for change and better standards for not just bottled water but beverage and CPG overall.”.
Attention now turns to how companies, customers and regulators respond. Waiākea is declining to maintain exclusivity or IP rights over the technology, instead open-sourcing the ink through its partners and giving brands across industries access. It plans on scaling additional pigments over the coming years.
Food Dive
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