Simplifying Compliance: Helping Vita Coco Stay Ahead on European Regulations
Founded in 2003 as a pioneering coconut water startup in New York city, Vita Coco has grown into a world leading beverage brand and the fastest-growing juice and smoothie brand in the UK in 2024. As a publicly traded company with a global footprint, it has expanded its reach to over 40 countries, establishing a presence across the Americas, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific.
Beyond its core business of delicious, naturally sourced beverages, Vita Coco is a certified B Corp and deeply committed to sustainability and social impact. Through initiatives like The Vita Coco Project, the company works directly with farming communities, promoting regenerative agricultural practices, supporting economic growth, and building essential infrastructure.
“With the ever-changing landscape of EU regulation, we needed a partner who could quickly map our risks and provide a clear roadmap for the future.
Adelie understood our business so well and provided us with exactly the support we needed, not only meeting but genuinely exceeding our expectations.”
Victoria Botting, Head of eCommerce and Sustainability, Europe, Vita Coco
KEY INFO
Services: Regulatory Scanning
Industry: Food & Beverage
Company Size & Location: Large Scale Global Enterprise, New York
The Challenge
The European Union's commitment to environmental sustainability has created a dynamic and rapidly evolving regulatory landscape. New directives are continuously being introduced, making it increasingly difficult for global brands to keep track of every law and ensure compliance across multiple markets. This growing complexity presents a significant challenge for even the most proactive companies that are determined to do business the right way.
Vita Coco, a brand with a strong commitment to sustainability, recognised this complexity and proactively sought a way to navigate it. They were looking for an expert and reliable partner who could:
Scan the regulatory landscape for them to make sure they had every regulation covered across Europe.
Simplify complex data into clear, actionable guidance, providing a comprehensive roadmap for both current compliance and future regulatory changes.
Our Approach
Step 1: Comprehensive Horizon Scanning
We began by precisely mapping Vita Coco’s product range and operational countries to define the scope. This was followed by an extensive regulatory analysis which included evaluating active regulations impacting expansion and reporting thresholds triggered by revenue growth.
We processed data from official EU documents and government mandates to identify current and emerging regulations impacting the business. This ensured zero gaps in their regulatory coverage across all markets.
Vita Coco’s global value chain (Impact Report 2024)
Step 2: The Bespoke Regulatory Database
We took all of this complex, multi-source information and distilled it into a single, comprehensive regulatory file that became their new central source of truth. This bespoke file contained a complete breakdown of country-specific regulations (packaging, labelling, EPR), including enforcement dates, the specific actions required to meet them, and the risks of non-compliance.
Step 3: Actionable Insights
We knew Vita Coco didn't need just more data. So, we cut through the noise and created a concise summary report. This document outlined the key findings and gave their leadership a clear strategy for forthcoming changes, enabling them to make confident, informed decisions.
The Impact
Clarity and Risk Mitigation: The bespoke regulatory database provided a complete, single-source overview of all applicable regulations, which eliminated uncertainty and gave Vita Coco full visibility into the rules that applied, when they were enforced, and the specific actions required to meet them.
Strategic Foresight: By providing a clear roadmap for the future, the database and report enabled Vita Coco to prepare for upcoming changes well ahead of time.
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