When entrepreneur Josh White pitched his canned water business to one of the UK’s leading drinks brands, he was laughed out of the room. In fact, 99 per cent of those he shared the idea with thought it was “stupid”.
Fast forward nearly a decade and Josh could be forgiven for having the last laugh.
His company Cano Water, which produces water in recyclable aluminium cans instead of plastic bottles, has sold 70 million cans and attracted big-name investors like Ricky Gervais, three members of The Sidemen YouTube group, Dave (the rapper) and singer Jess Glynne.
But Josh isn’t one for looking back. He is focussed on the future, running a purpose-led business to drive a cultural shift in how we consume water and view sustainability.
Josh, 34, co-founded Cano Water in 2016 with Jewish friends Ariel Booker and Perry Fielding. When there were in their 20s they went on holiday to Thailand and were shocked at the amount of plastic waste polluting the beaches. They decided they had to do something about it.
Josh White, co-founder Cano Water
He tells Jewish News: “When we first came up with the idea, 99 percent of people thought it was stupid. Even my own family didn’t understand the concept.”
But the trio’s resolve led to early investment from three local supporters – Laurence Beck, Darren Werth and Richard Smith – enabling them to leave their jobs (Josh was working for an events company) and work on the venture full time. “They took a risk on us,” Josh says. “It was tough, we weren’t taking a salary and were working on the business any time we could.”
Their perseverance paid off when Selfridges and London Fashion Week came calling in 2016. Despite these early wins, the company nearly folded in 2018. “We were two years in and six months away from going bankrupt,” shares Josh. “We were running out of money and the business wasn’t really going anywhere.”
A lifeline arrived when David Attenborough’s The Blue Planet documentary on plastic pollution aired on BBC, which sparked global awareness and caused sales to soar. “We had sold about 200,000 cans in 2018 — this jumped to 10 million in 2019.” Cano Water has since landed at Netflix, Heathrow, London Zoo, ITV, and Odeon and more.
The company has raised £7 million. “Ricky Gervais is one of our biggest investors,” says Josh. “He really cares about sustainability and animals and often posts about what we are doing. Dave the rapper, the Sidemen and Jess Glynne have also joined.” These partnerships have helped position Cano Water as a leading force in the movement against single-use plastic.
Yet perhaps surprisingly, Josh doesn’t see himself as a conventional entrepreneur. “I probably shouldn’t be one,” he admits. “I was never meant to be one.”
For Behind Cano’s success story is Josh’s own personal one – one shaped by severe ADHD, addiction, and a troubled time that led to his expulsion from Immanuel College and a period in rehab. “I was always a bit of a crazy kid. I suffered severely with ADHD – still do,” he candidly shares. “School was challenging. If I was interested in something, I was laser focused; if not, I could not concentrate.”
His struggles with addiction began shockingly early. “Age 12 to 15, I was a full-blown alcoholic. I have a very addictive nature and had my first drink at 12.” A family history of addiction – of which he was unaware at the time – compounded the problem. Eventually, aged 15, he entered rehab. “That was the start of turning things around,” he recalls.
Yet the road to stability was still rocky. “From 15 to 19, I was very angry at the world and felt like I didn’t have a purpose. I got in trouble and did stupid things.” An oasis was DJing, a passion he discovered when he was 11. “I have DJ’d around 2,000 barmitzvahs and still DJ now when I can. DJing saved my life.”
While ADHD posed significant challenges, it has its advantage in business, notes Josh. “I’m very creative – a massive trouble-shooter. If there’s a problem then I’m good at strategising about it,” Josh explains. The condition still requires daily management: “Every single day I have to battle with my mind. If I don’t do my ‘things’ before work – listen to music, go for a walk, have an ice bath – I can’t concentrate.
“The gym is my thing and I eat very healthily” he adds. “I’m 15 years clean now from every drink and drugs,” he shares. “I don’t think I will ever crack my ADHD within business, but it’s about finding the positives and being aware of the negatives.”
Today, Josh speaks at schools, companies and organisations such as Uber, NatWest, LADbible and even his old school, Immanuel, sharing his story of resilience. “Giving back for me is number one,” he says, citing his ongoing support for addicts and individuals with ADHD. Josh lives in Radlett with his wife and their baby daughter. They are members of Radlett United Synagogue.
Competition in the canned water market has ramped up significantly since Cano Water first launched, transforming the brand’s once-lonely space into a crowded arena. “When we were the only ones, it was both positive and negative, because people didn’t think canned water was a thing. Now, multiple brands have jumped on the trend, copying what we do. It’s rife – there’s a brand out there that literally looks like ours,” he notes. Coupled with rising costs and tighter consumer budgets, Cano has felt the strain. “This year has been one of the toughest yet.”
Yet despite market competition, Josh remains committed to Cano Water’s purpose-led mission. “One thing this business has taught me is that I want to do something in life that’s purpose-led. If I don’t have a purpose, it won’t ignite.”
Looking ahead, the team is exploring new aluminium packaging formats and product lines. Josh is also considering other mission-driven projects. He says: “The most important thing for anyone with ADHD is: what do you enjoy doing? If you find something you enjoy, the options are endless.”
