Sustainable Macclesfield water business goes national

A Macclesfield countryside water-bottling business has gone national, while remaining true to their eco-friendly values.

Crag Spring Water is a British family-run water brand that's nestled at the foothills of Shutlinsloe, known as the 'Matterhorn of Cheshire' in the rural village of Wildboarclough, six miles from Macclesfield.

The company, located inside The Crag Inn pub, has struck a nationwide partnership with The Modern Milkman, which will see fresh spring water from the unspoilt and unpolluted surroundings of the Peak District National Park, being bottled at source and delivered direct to doorsteps all over the UK.

The Modern Milkman will now deliver Crag Spring Water to any location that it already services, helping the brand to expand amid growing demand for its exceptional spring water.

Macclesfield: Have you tried Crag Still or Sparkling? You can now get it delivered to your door, and across the country.

Crag Spring Water bottles their water direct from source and is the only bottled spring water company in the North of England that reuses their glass bottles.

It sells both still and sparking spring water in 330ml and 750ml bottles direct to homes across the UK. You can also find their water sold in Macclesfield businesses like Gastown and The Picturedrome.

Both brands work on an entirely plastic-free model and are strongly committed to protecting the environment.

As a result, the companies have a natural synergy, and have come together to take the Macclesfield water brand nationwide, doubling up on deliveries to save on energy, while maintaining a lower carbon footprint.

The source of Doran's liquid gold.

Talking of the partnership with The Modern Milkman, Crag Spring Water founder Doran Binder said:

"I was beginning to get enquiries from people outside of an area that I can easily service, so it became clear that if I wanted to grow the company and meet that demand, I either needed to invest in my own delivery infrastructure or find a suitable delivery partner.

"Protecting the environment is very important to me, so adding more vans to the road didn't sit well. I began the search for a brand that already distributed across the UK.

"The Modern Milkman seemed like the ideal fit for Crag. Our brand ethos is identical. We are both committed to return and reuse, prioritising this above anything else."

Macclesfield dad Doran Binder started the Wildboarclough Water brand in 2018.

United in their mission to provide a more sustainable and convenient way to enjoy fresh milk, groceries and now spring water, both brands work on an entirely plastic-free model that utilises reusable glass bottles. With the Modern Milkman utilising reusable containers or recyclable and home-compostable packaging on its wider selection of groceries.

The water which runs under the Wildboarclouugh pub was found to be some of the highest quality spring water available in the UK. And it was from here the Crag brand was born.

Having grown exponentially in its first four years, Crag is now delivering to homes all over the country (via its new partner) as well as supplying to restaurants and food and beverage manufacturers, all of whom love Crag for its unique taste and provenance.

Doran also hosts water tasting classes at The Crag Inn. (Image - Alexander Greensmith / Macclesfield Nub News)

So good is the water, in fact, that Mr Binder, has previously been offered $50 a bottle from one American online water boutique, to export his water to connoisseurs in the US. A deal he turned down because of differences in their approach to sustainability.

"I've turned down deals in the past that could have been very profitable, because I'm committed to doing this right," added Doran.

"I wouldn't feel comfortable making a partnership with any brand or company that doesn't share my passion for protecting our natural resources."

The Macclesfield water expert recently shared tips with Macclesfield Nub News on how we can use water to keep cool during heatwaves.

As well as going national, Doran has also found recent international fame dishing out water advice on TikTok. (Image - @beardedwatersommelier)

Simon Mellin, Founder & CEO at Modern Milkman said:

"It's brilliant to work with a supplier with so much in common. We both appreciate that a high-quality product shouldn't have to come at a cost to the environment and have built businesses committed to reducing waste through return and reuse.

"Single-use plastic bottles are huge plastic offenders, littering our oceans and leeching microplastics whilst they take hundreds of years to break down. We fully support Crag Spring Water's commitment to tackling this problem through return and reuse glass bottles.

Zero plastic also means the still and sparkling spring water tastes even better. Working together we've been able to deliver Crag's premium grade spring water directly from the Peak District to our milkround customers, making sustainable shopping convenient."

Those wishing to order fresh milk, groceries and spring water from companies with a strong environmental ethos should head to this webpage.

You can follow Doran on TikTok.

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