Tyler Gage didn’t set out to save the planet when he wrote the business plan for his company Runa. Back then, Gage was attending Brown University and wanted a way to consume caffeine without the jitters that often go along with coffee drinking.
However, as he built the business, he realized the importance of sourcing ingredients in a sustainable way and contributing to environmental efforts. Runa works with small family farms in Ecuador to source the ingredients for its Guayusa-based tea drinks. And it also contributes to rainforest conservation through its supply chain.
Building that environmental aspect into the business has been an important selling point for consumers who want clean, organic alternatives to the artificial energy drinks already lining store shelves. It has also helped the company attract big name investors like Leonardo DiCaprio.
It’s Not Hard to Be an Environmentally Friendly Business
For small businesses, the story of Runa demonstrates how simple creating an environmentally friendly business can be. It doesn’t have to be about investing in some huge tech venture like electric vehicles or single-handedly solving global warming. It can mean starting small with something like going paperless or using recycled materials in your products. Every little bit helps. And if you find a small way to factor environmentalism into your business, you can build on that and reap the benefits over time.
Image: Runa.org
This article, “Healthy Beverage Startup Gives Hints for Green Small Businesses” was first published on Small Business Trends