The new venture, which is backed by former investors in Soho House and luxury hotel brand Mr & Mrs Smith, uses water sourced from a protected spring in Cheddar Gorge, Somerset, and has been designed for restaurants, pubs and hotels ‘seeking more circular solutions’ to their bottled water supply.
“After years in the industry, it became impossible to ignore the waste built into something as simple as bottled water,” says Gould-Porter, who confirmed his departure from Island Poké in January following the grab-and-go brand’s sale to Honi Poke last year.
“Elder exists to redesign that system, without asking venues to compromise on quality, experience or ease.”
Gould-Porter claims that Elder’s circular system will ‘deliver meaningful cost savings’ for hospitality operators compared to traditional bottled water brands, while also removing waste and disposal fees and strengthening their ESG credentials.
Elder Water is delivered to customers in reusable glass bottles, which will then be collected by the company when used.
The brand is initially rolling out with a group of sustainability-focused hospitality partners including Tramp private members’ club in London, and gastropubs including The Merry Harriers in Surrey and The Waterman’s Arms in Barnes.
“Hospitality has always shaped how people eat and drink, and Elder is redefining water - how people bottle, refill and drink it,” Gould-Porter adds.
Elder’s long-term ambition is to build a nationally scalable circular water system that could operate across multiple channels and sectors.