It ‘was like being born again’ for Nitin Lotliker and his family when they moved from Mumbai to Australia in 1990.
As a polymer technology engineer, Lotliker always dreamt of creating something which could be healthy for people and good for the environment.
It was in 2006, when Lotliker founded his own company where he designed synthetic containers that were free of BPA, a commonly found chemical in synthetic materials like bottles.
But no one was willing to pay more a bottle. “I found it very difficult to convince large buyers that here is a bottle that gives you a healthy product, but you’ve gotta pay a higher price for the healthier packaging,” he says.
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Nova Spring Water has an annual turnover of $3 million, which will soon grow exponentially. Source: SBS
3 years into the business, he was losing roughly $20,000 a month, with his wife and son helping in the struggling business.
The tough times didn’t last; today, Nova has an annual turnover of $3 million and pumps out 60 million bottles a year.
"My son was only 11 at that time and he would come over after school to help. He is grown today and part of the business," Nitin shares.
Nova Spring Water today is Australia’s only bulk water that is in BPA-free and is recyclable.
Nova Spring Water now exports to China. Source: SBS
His business is set to grow now that Nova Spring Water has expanded its customer base overseas to the Chinese market.
Help came from NSW Business Chamber’s program , which assisted the business to pitch to Chinese buyers, but it was Nova’s BPA-free material that distinguished the company from other water manufacturers.
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