Auckland startup Anew says its plant-based bottled water is now available in more than 1,000 outlets worldwide, a milestone Auckland Council is using to highlight the role of its GridAKL innovation hub, which it says contributes $424 million a year to the city’s GDP.

Anew’s bottles are stocked at more than 500 stores in New Zealand and more than 440 in the United States, with distribution also in Hong Kong and Singapore. The company added 250 Australian locations this month, including BP stations.

Founder Jayden Klinac first pursued the idea after finding himself without a reusable bottle at a service station and wanting an option that didn’t rely on fossil-fuel plastics. The company says its alkaline-water-filled bottles are made entirely from plant-based materials, are carbon negative in production, microplastic and BPA free, dishwasher safe, and can be recycled with standard plastic number 2 streams.

At February’s Laneway festival in Auckland, Anew’s limited-edition bottles sold out for the third year running. Klinac said free refill stations reduced multiple purchases and encouraged reuse, and the company estimates the switch to its product sequestered and avoided 1,899 kg of CO₂ in a single day.

Klinac credits GridAKL with introductions and support that helped the company move from a home setup to scaling internationally. Impact investor Soul Capital backed Anew through seed funding in April 2022 and bridge funding in November 2024 via its Te Pae ki te Rangi fund. Despite losing about 90 per cent of revenue during the COVID-19 pandemic, Anew continued to scale from its base at the hub.

Mayor Wayne Brown said Anew is an example of the kind of practical innovation the city should back. He pointed to plastic bottles turning up in waterways and said connecting founders to capital and networks produces results.

Run by the council’s Economic Development Office, GridAKL in the John Lysaght building offers shared workspaces, events, and access to visiting delegations and investors. Since opening in 2015, the hub has supported startups and, according to the council, contributes $424 million annually to Auckland’s economy.

Anew’s water is also sold at council venues including the Aotea Centre and The Civic. GridAKL will host the second Auckland Startup Week in October.