Dominic Rice, co-founder and CEO of CANS, is on a mission to build a new category of non-sweet, no-sugar, no-sweetener soft drinks. After 16 years at Red Bull, Dom is applying his beverage industry expertise to create a genuinely healthy alternative that doesn't compromise on taste. The idea came over a steak dinner in Prague, where three friends shared the frustration of living sugar- and sweetener-free and finding their only drink options were water, tea, or coffee. CANS is built on radical simplicity: Alpine spring water, real fruit, and bubbles — simplicity that took 40–50 test rounds to perfect without any sugar or sweeteners. They are carving out a “third category” in soft drinks, showing that non-sweet drinks can be satisfying, refreshing, and cool to hold. Growth is built patiently, can by can: the first six months focused on laying foundations — distribution, awareness, and trial — before sales reached 500,000 cans in year one. Sampling drives both trial and insight, letting people taste without risk and giving the team direct feedback on reactions and habits. Dom applies the best of his 16 years at Red Bull, from sales and distribution playbooks to in-store execution, while unlearning corporate habits that slow a startup — prioritising speed and subtraction over complexity and addition. The UK launch shows how ready the market is, with both retailers and consumers actively rethinking soft drink options for health and enjoyment. Sleep underpins his productivity and resilience, supported by morning gym sessions, weekend nature breaks, kickboxing, and time with his wife and friends. Self-doubt is met with progress over perfection, leaning on his team and personal relationships to stay grounded as the business scales. Their approach to change is human, not preachy: they focus on making a drink people genuinely enjoy and are proud to hold, letting habits shift naturally. Support the show
