Bottling demand | A conversation with Khristopher Lalemand, founder of 200 Billion Bottles in Auburn
Photo/Amber Waterman
Khristopher Lalemand
200 Billion Bottles
144 Main St.
Founded: January 2010
Employees: 3
Startup costs: $5,000
Projected revenue, year one: $35,000
Projected revenue, year two: $125,000
Contact: 212-6746
www.200billionbottles.com
What is 200 Billion Bottles?
200 Billion Bottles is a company that designs and sells stainless steel water bottles that are visually pleasing and environmentally responsible. We are able to sell our high-quality bottles at about 20% less than our competitors, which helps us reach our large target market — people who are not early adopters of the “green” lifestyle and aren’t willing to spend $19-$35 on a water bottle.
Why did you start the company?
I saw that there were no other businesses in Maine that educated the public about the dangers of the current plastic water bottle culture and attempted to change it. I couldn’t ignore the growing problems associated with consuming, producing and transporting plastic water bottles. It took an estimated 50 million barrels of oil to produce and transport bottled water in America in 2009. While they may be convenient, eight out of 10 plastic water bottles end up in a landfill or incinerator. I wanted to create a business that manufactured and designed bottles locally, instead of having them manufactured overseas to help contribute to the local economies. I felt that I could raise awareness about this important issue and make a difference in the Auburn community.
How do you market 200 Billion Bottles?
One way we have marketed our business that has proved extremely successful has been attending multiple trade shows throughout the year, even when the company was just a few weeks old. I designed a display to show the amount of water bottles that the average Mainer uses in a year, (two plastic water bottles a day, which is over 700 a year, at an average price of $1.25!), which helps facts and figures to become more tangible.
Another interesting way that we have approached marketing is by targeting our products to an already established market — the market of people who buy ecologically responsible goods and services. By tapping into this market, we have been able to increase awareness about the company by advertising in publications that focus on sustainability and green living and marketing our products to retailers that are ecologically responsible.
How do you finance 200 Billion Bottles?
Initially, 200 Billion Bottles was financed through my own personal savings. However, I failed to anticipate the amount of funds that would be needed to obtain more inventories and keep up with demands. I was able to find a family investor who allowed me take out a loan against a savings account. I chose this method because I realized that if I personally knew the investor, I would be more focused on creating a sustainable revenue stream.
What has been your biggest challenge?
My biggest challenge has been the timing of purchasing inventory with the selling of inventory. Because 200 Billion Bottles started out with relatively conservative funds, we couldn’t purchase more inventories until we already sold what we had on hand. This created a “gap” when we were waiting for new inventory to arrive. By looking into other financing methods instead of personal savings, I was able to lessen this time gap and create quicker turnaround.
What has been successful about your business strategy?
I started going to trade shows and events as soon as the company was created to spread the word and get our products into the hands of the public. These targeted events have also helped us secure several of our retail accounts across the state and New England.
What are your goals for 200 Billion Bottles?
We would like to increase our level of inventory so that we can start to support the sales that come from larger retailers. Also, we want to redesign our website to be more informative and more “web 2.0.” In the long term, we would like to increase our number of retail accounts as we feel this will be the best way we can reach the largest number of people with our message.
Interview by Lara Cole
New Ventures profiles young businesses, 6-18 months old. Send your suggestions and contact information to editorial@mainebiz.biz.
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