WWW.ADDJOI.COM
By Jenna Movsowitz
REDEFINING CONVENIENCE
THE 21ST CENTURY MILKMAN
S
ustainable innovation doesn’t have to be a brand new, never-been-seen-before product. Rather, sustainable solutions can come from looking at an existing product and rethinking how it can be delivered in a more eco-conscious way. That’s exactly what the founders of JOI aimed to do: create a more sustainable alternative to a sustainable product in the marketplace.
AN ALTERNATIVE TO AN ALTERNATIVE
The co-founders of JOI met in design school. They each brought a unique perspective to the table. Izzy wanted to reduce her carbon footprint, Dave was lactose intolerant and Tony wanted fresher-tasting milk for his vegan diet. Together, they decided to rethink almond milk — the most prevalent alternative to dairy at the time. Although almond milk is plant-based and dairy free, the team had several qualms with the way almond milk was being produced and packaged. They discovered that traditional almond milk contained only about 2% almond content and 98% water. This meant that plant-based milk products were essentially shipping around water — an inefficient practice that secretly contributed to the conscious consumer’s carbon footprint. And though the cartons often wore the word “recyclable,” their three-layer packaging was extremely
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