Boycott! craft soda – refreshing & reusable

November 29

Hi Pieter, could you tell us a bit about Boycott! and why you wanted to launch this drink?

For five years, City to Ocean has been fishing waste out of the Brussels canal and the things we find most are drink cans and plastic bottles. So, we thought rather than just continuing to fish them out, we should take action and produce a delicious soda that comes in a reusable glass bottle with a deposit.

So that’s quite similar to what TiffinTime does with its reusable tiffin boxes, great! Why did you choose the flavours lemon and pine for Boycott! (great combination by the way)?

I’m happy you like the combination. We worked with a professional who comes up with soda recipes; we wanted something special linked to nature. Pine makes you think about the forest, walking in nature… We also wanted something that didn’t exist yet. It’s easier to get on a bar’s menu if you aren’t asking them to replace something they already offer.

What, in your opinion, is the role of reuse solutions like Boycott!’s glass bottles in reducing plastic pollution?

Reusable and no packaging are THE solutions to plastic pollution. And on top of it, such reusable bottles are also a climate solution because you only need to use this bottle three times and you already have less CO2 emissions than a can. Lots of people think that cans are okay and many brands are switching to cans but that’s still single-use and so generates waste. Glass bottles are better because no waste and less CO2 emissions.

When I contacted you about doing a Boycott! collab with TiffinTime, you immediately said yes, which was amazing. Why was this such an easy decision for you?

Because I like your concept. It’s very nice because takeaway is still producing lots of waste. And I like your idea of the reusable boxes and the great food you make.

Cleaning up plastic pollution needs a systemic solution that is going to end to single-use waste. But what do you think we can do at an individual level to still have an impact?

I would say the message on our bottle – Boycott single-use! It’s impossible to go to a supermarket and not end up with plastic or other types of single-use packaging. Of course, not everyone has the time or means to think about these things all the time but every effort to switch from single-use to reuse is a reduction in plastic pollution. And it’s going to take all of us because the industry isn’t going to do this; they will, in fact, push you in the opposite direction.

And maybe at some level supply meets demand. If there’s enough people asking for it, industry will also supply what we’re asking for.

That’s for sure. But we need a critical mass and we’re far from there. Every effort you make, to choose alternatives like Boycott! or TiffinTime, is a step in the right direction.

So, what are the next steps for Boycott? Where do you wish to go from here?

Well, we’re trying to get our bottles in as many bars as possible. We would like to serve Boycott! at festivals as well – not in bottles, but in kegs, like beer. Kegs are the best solution, for the climate and in terms of waste. We would also like to add more flavours.

Could you give us some idea of what the next flavours would be?

It’s a secret 😉

Fair enough, so I guess we’ll just have to wait! Till then, TiffinTimers can already order their lemon and pine Boycott! with their meal deliveries for the perfect zero-waste evening in. Thanks for your time, Pieter!

Thanks to you and good luck!