How KRNWTR+ saves millions of plastic bottles and turns a profit

Before becoming a full-time entrepreneur, Dubbelman worked for fifteen years in the international banking world, living and working in such locations as South Korea, New York and London. He decided to change direction radically in 2018 and joined KRNWTR.  

KRNWTR began with a clear mission: honest drinking without unnecessary single-use packaging. The founders wanted to inspire people to choose tap water more often than water in plastic bottles. In bars and restaurants in particular, a lot of water is still served in disposable bottles (not only plastic, but also glass), which also have to be delivered in lorries. 

Since you need income to be able to make an impact, Dubbelman and Tom Niekamp of KRNWTR decided to start a business. Central to their approach were a new name - KNRWTR+ - and an exciting new product. They developed a stylish water dispenser that not only filters and cools the tap water, but can also add bubbles or flavours.

Now, more than 1,500 of these dispensers have been installed at clients like Coca-Cola, Shell, Landal, ABN AMRO, Artis and Ajax. Thanks to a smart combination of subscriptions and sustainable products such as glassware and accessories, KRNWTR+ grew into a profitable company with fifteen employees.

‘We’re a company with a mission,’ Dubbelman explains. ‘But if we are to fulfil the mission, we have to make a profit.’ The proposition of KRNWTR+ is based on a subscription model: clients pay a fixed sum per month for the dispenser, including maintenance.

That makes it more interesting for clients to participate. But it also means that KRNWTR+ must first buy and supply every dispenser before the client pays for it. So the money is spent up front and only later recouped. ‘Often, there are five months between us ordering a dispenser and the client’s first payment. The more we grow, the more money we need to pre-finance the dispenser points.’

The fast growth was accompanied by challenges. It became difficult to meet all the payment obligations with only the income and money collected through crowdfunding.

So Dubbelman went in search of a bank partner that looks further ahead than just the historic data, but also takes projections into account and understands the importance of the social impact. He found that support at ABN AMRO. ‘We were already a client at that bank. But we had to convince them all over again for this new loan.’

The talks with ABN AMRO were open and intensive. ‘Our banker is critical, but also understands our mission,’ says Dubbelman. Thanks to his experience in the banking world, Dubbelman was well aware of the things banks pay close attention to and which risks they prefer to avoid. ‘We tried to tell the whole honest story, blemishes and all.’  

KRNWTR+ devised various scenarios. They demonstrated how long-running contracts provide stable income and presented a plan for when the company would start making a profit.

‘Our strength lies in the subscriptions: they’re multi-annual and very few clients have cancelled. So we’re counting on €1.5 million in contracted annual income (separate from the ad hoc sales) for 2026. Even if we don’t grow any further in the coming years, money will continue to come in.’

And that story impressed. ABN AMRO arranged to double the existing loan for KRNWTR+, and an extra government-guaranteed loan (Borgstellingskrediet – available in Dutch only).

With this financial support, the company was able to buy new dispensers, invest in professionalisation and carry out smart innovations. For example, clients will soon be able to pay per dispenser use. This opens the door to further expansion such as placing dispenser points in stations and shopping centres.

Thanks to the financing, KRNWTR+ can continue to grow. So much so, in fact, that the company is making a profit this year for the first time. At the same time, the company has reduced the staff from twenty to fifteen employees.

Dubbelman: ‘That doesn’t make us smaller. It primarily reduces our costs and keeps us competitive. We work with clear goals. Thanks to the new operating system, every employee knows exactly what they have to do and how that contributes to our goals.’  

That way, KRNWTR+ continues to make more impact. According to Dubbelman, the company has saved tens of millions of plastic bottles from being used since it started up. And the ambitions go even further. They want to achieve at least 10,000 dispenser points in the Netherlands by 2030.

His ambition for the coming years? ‘We want to become the ultimate water brand in the Netherlands. As well-known as Spa or San Pellegrino, but local, sustainable, and circular. Water with a story. Every client saves using between a hundred and a thousand bottles on average every year. And that tells you: we can really make a difference with this.'

Dubbelman’s advice to sustainable entrepreneurs who want to apply for financing: ‘Always be honest about the opportunities and the risks. Never lose sight of your mission, but do be business-like,’ he says. ‘Make sure your model is accurate, your data is organised, and your plans are realistic. Banks don’t like surprises.’

In addition to good preparation, personal commitment is also essential. ‘Your banker talks to you, not to a spreadsheet. Show them you believe in it 100% - with both your head and your heart.’