Rob Koenen, Chief Revenue Officer, Boxed Water Is Better, A DotCom Magazine Exclusive Interview

The DotCom Magazine Entrepreneur Spotlight Series

About Rob Koenen and Boxed Water Is Better

Brand-building executive with twenty years experience driving revenue growth with product and marketing strategies in varied consumer product markets. Proven results in repositioning and modernizing brands. Experienced in strategic planning, product management and operational fundamentals driving demonstrable results. Entrepreneurial spirit, accomplished in rallying an organization around a compelling vision.

Rob Koenen is the Chief Marketing Officer of Boxed Water is Better®; the first national company to offer a sustainable alternative to plastic water bottles and aluminum cans. Rob is charged with expanding Boxed Water’s core message of “better for you…better for the planet.” Boxed Water Is Better is quickly becoming a model for purpose-driven companies leading with values that extend beyond their category. Prior to Boxed Water, Rob has held leadership roles, building and recontextualizing brands at UGG, Timberland, and Wolverine Worldwide.

Boxed Water is the leader in pure sustainable water; while not only offering an alternative to bottles, they have led the way in cause-related efforts: from reforestation to beach cleanups. To date, they are responsible for planting 850,000 trees in our National Forests based on social posts and their “You Post. We Plant.” program. Boxed Water has found a way to use digital, traditional and partnerships to build a robust community. From leaders in fashion, universities, tourism and fitness—along with a number of celebrities, Boxed Water has become a connector-brand in the marketplace. Along the way, they have created strong connections with millennial consumers Boxed Water is proving that sustainability is a meaningful business solution for today’s consumer.

Rob lives in Grand Rapids Michigan with his wife, Elizabeth and three children.

Where did the idea for Boxed Water is Better come from?

The idea started 10 years ago; long before plastic pollution was even recognized as a concern. A group of entrepreneurs in Grand Rapids Michigan started noticing the excess of plastic bottles everywhere they went; littering Lalapalooza, pallets stacked high in stores, on our beaches. They had no beverage experience, but inherently asked why can’t we find a better solution. Entrepreneur and Designer, Ben Gott designed the first box by making the proportions fit your hand, and fit in the convenience store cold cases. The team delivered cases out of their cars, and got paid in cash. It was very scrappy; but the first day it was in-store, we sold out…and knew that sustainability mattered to consumers.