Which Plastic Pollution Reduction Alliance Will Be Our First?

WHO WILL BE THE LEADER IN THEIR FIELD?

A GLIMPSE BEHIND THE SCENES AT WINNING BRANDS

I have previously mentioned that Winning Brands is now reaching out to select organizations that have a stated mission to reduce plastic garbage. The purpose of the outreach is to discuss an alliance with Winning Brands, based on our contribution to plastic waste abatement. It is not Winning Brands’ goal to join just “any” organization, but rather to find a good fit, contribute good work and earn awareness within that organization’s membership base of our positive solution to needless plastic bottle waste.

Some Winning Brands shareholders appreciate granular operational detail to understand how their investment is targeted to the world. These shareholders will find it helpful to see our answers to specific questions that arise during such outreach.

The Questions and Answers below are extracted from one particular application form of a significant organization in this field.

As a courtesy to them, I have redacted their name and replaced it with the term “Organization“. This enables our shareholders to understand, and protects that organization’s privacy.

It is not yet clear whether our corporate membership in this particular organization or a similar one will be accepted. Regardless, you will see for yourself the approach that Winning Brands is taking in specific responses to specific questions. I am confident that we will find the right alliance.

I invite any shareholder who would like to recommend to Winning Brands an organization with which the shareholder has first-hand positive experience, to let us know, for further research.

Q – COMPANY DESCRIPTION

Manufacturer of record of cleaning solutions.  The lead product is 1000+ Stain Remover / Spray Cleaner Concentrate

Q – HOW DO YOU WORK TO REDUCE PLASTIC POLLUTION?

We had been making two separate products, a stain remover and a pre-mixed spray cleaner.  We have modified our stain remover to be able to do double-duty as both a full service stain remover AND a spray cleaner concentrate, in one. 

Now, as a spray cleaner concentrate, there is a 95% reduction in plastic use by our customers in this application.  That is because a single bottle of the our concentrate produces the equivalent of 20 bottles of conventional spray cleaner, with the consumer using any re-usable spray bottle. 

The reduction goes beyond the wasted empty bottles themselves (that no longer need to be manufactured, sold and disposed of), but also the reduction in the waste of trigger sprayer mechanisms, the reduction in trucking traffic congestion, fuel consumption and carbon emissions, cardboard packaging, warehousing space use and heating and lighting those spaces, etc.

Q – WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING BEST DESCRIBES THE FOCUS OF YOUR COMPANY? (SELECT ALL THAT APPLY)

If you selected OTHER FOCUS, please share below:

We are a small consumer products company that has taken a meaningful step to reduce plastic consumption by creating and offering consumers a simple alternative that saves them money while at the same time generating much less waste. 

Importantly to the Organization, our potential contribution to the mission of the Organization is scalable, and possibly immense, if the paradigm of going re-usable in this product category can be achieved. 

This concept is not brand new, and some small entities are attempting to introduce alternatives.  However, we have not even scratched the surface of making the “re-usable” paradigm the “norm” in North America. 

The downstream impact can manifest as billions of plastic bottles averted from production and waste disposal. Winning Brands can make a significant, positive impact.

Q – WHERE DOES YOUR COMPANY WORK?

Present manufacturing in Ontario, Canada.  Our lead product is available primarily in North America but our product does have fans now internationally. 

We have also manufactured in the United States and intend to do so again at a time when our volume turnover is sufficiently high that logistics and supply chain management considerations genuinely justifies multi-location manufacturing.

Q – WHAT DO YOU HOPE TO GAIN FROM JOINING THE ORGANIZATION?

It is pointless for our small company to have gone to these considerable lengths of creating a truly simple and affordable option for consumers to slash their spray bottle consumption if people don’t know about it. 

We are a micro-brand.  Our hope is that membership here will provide an organized means to become known by people who value such options.  This creates a positive feedback loop.  If our brand becomes successful, it will attract competition.  This will give consumers even more choice.  In this process, for my company to remain competitive, we will need to find a way to do something even better.  This is a cycle of virtue, multiplied. 

However, it begins with awareness.  I suspect that there are 1 Million households that would try our option today, right now, if they knew about it, and probably 20 Million households that would adopt readily if they heard about it from friends and family with reasonable affirmation from good results. 

This would translate to 400 million fewer wasted spray cleaner bottles in the waste management cycle annually arising from our work, as well as the other mentioned societal benefits.

Q – WHAT RESOURCES OR INFORMATION DO YOU PLAN TO SHARE WITH THE ORGANIZATION?

It is not yet clear to me what contribution of resources or information is relevant to the operation of the Organization.  By learning more about the Organization, such contribution can evolve to become increasingly helpful, and also to affect us in reverse.  Every contact leaves a trace.  Our company will no doubt become more effective too, as a result of information sharing.

Q – PLEASE SHARE ANY RELEVANT LINKS FOR PROGRAMS, ACTIVITIES, COMMUNICATIONS, ETC THAT DEMONSTRATE YOUR WORK.

I have narrated a 4-minute video that illustrates the premise of our product 1000+ Stain Remover, and the fact that it can now be used as a method to reduce plastic consumption.  The emphasis given to this point in the video already supports the mission of the Organization..  This is because the video goes beyond merely describing the product itself, but also encourages consumers to “go re-usable”, in principle. 

Therefore, whether viewers of that video, or visitors to our website, buy our product or not, they are still being introduced/reinforced in this concept.    It can be seen here: www.1000PlusStainRemover.com

Q – HOW DID YOU HEAR ABOUT THE ORGANIZATION?

I have been looking for an organization whose mission is as practical as it is visionary. 

I have been disappointed, frankly, by the abundance of organizations who project a mission of concern but are strangely closed to relationships with business, and in particular emergent micro-business.  When I approach such organizations, a response that I have heard more than once is to confirm that they do not “endorse” brands, but wish us the best. 

I understand that “endorsement” may not be possible, however, making our existence known to the community is more efficient if it can be done with an initial focus on consumers who already care about plastic reduction, rather than advertising to the unsegmented (general) consumer marketplace, for starters. 

A focused approach will help momentum to emerge faster for better results and greater practical impact – meaning massively less empty plastic garbage, sooner.

Q – ARE YOU INTERESTED IN HOSTING AN EVENT IN YOUR COMMUNITY?

Q – IF APPLICABLE, WHICH OF THESE SINGLE-USE PLASTIC ALTERNATIVES DO YOU PROVIDE? (SELECT ALL THAT APPLY).

Q – IF YOU SELECTED OTHER ALTERNATIVES, PLEASE SHARE BELOW.

Other Alternative: We provide a way for people to stop wasting plastic spray cleaner bottles, effective immediately, in a way that saves them money.  It is easy to do and can be done anywhere.  This is a huge sector of plastic waste creation.

Q – WHAT TYPE OF MATERIALS DO YOU USE? (SELECT ALL THAT APPLY)

Other Material: The first step that we have taken is to reduce plastic consumption by 95%, rather than having ended the use of plastic. 

The further step that we want to take as soon as we gain momentum as a brand, is to then find a solution for the remaining 5% of our plastic that the consumer will accept.  This could include lined recycled material, or plant-based polymers, etc.  We are taking things one step at a time. 

Establishing the viability of the existing premise will generate the cashflow for the next generation of research and development to keep improving.

Q – AFFILIATIONS (SELECT ALL THAT APPLY)

Other Affiliations I am not sufficiently versed in the available affiliations yet to know which is the most relevant.  Winning Brands needs to learn more about where we can do the most good.  Being a self-motivated member of your Organization, Winning Brands would seek guidance in this matter.

Q – CERTIFICATIONS (SELECT ALL THAT APPLY)

Thank you for the design of this introduction process.  It is a practical way to begin a conversation.  Much appreciated.

Q – IS YOUR COMPANY INTERESTED IN EXPLORING PARTNERSHIP OPPORTUNITIES?

Eric Lehner, CEO
Winning Brands
eric@winningbrands.ca
(705) 737-4062, Option 8