Coolest Dutch Brand 2021

A detergent that smells good and makes you feel good. Who is behind the winner of the Coolest Dutch Brand 2021? Last night, during the final event of the Coolest Dutch Brand, three companies – KarmaKebab, Lalaland and Marcel’s Green Soap – pitched their business to the jury and public. Taco Schmidt, Managing Director at Qindle, was part of the jury, “Every year, the Coolest Dutch Brands event gathers a selection of innovative and appealing sustainable brands creating real change. This year’s finalists are a good example of solid marketing strategies, innovation and brand equity”.

Meet the winner

Marcel’s Green Soap 

With three environmentally conscious daughters, Marcel Belt noticed there were few sustainable alternatives to cleaning products and detergents in the market. He decided to do it himself, a 100% vegan cleaning products and detergents brand. A brand that looks good, smells good and makes you feel good about your purchase without breaking the bank.

Marcel’s Green Soap was the first brand in Western Europe with 100% recycled plastic bottles and is about to launch its 100% palm oil-free detergent in the market. Marcel’s Green Soap wants to reach what they call ‘light-greeners’, people who want to make more sustainable choices but do not always do so. They believe that by making the cleaning experience a more enjoyable one, and keeping affordability, consumers will make the right choices.

If you make sustainability fun, the consumer will come naturally.

Achievements: first brand with 100% recycled plastic bottles in Western Europe. First 100% palm oil-free detergent in the market. A completely plastic-free personal care line (packaging and product). Fully biodegradable plant-based hand and cleaning wipes.

The runners up

KarmaKebab  

The meat-free kebab in The Netherlands officially launched in 2020. By then, the brand had signed contracts for 150 festivals and had just won the Horecava Innovation Award. Two months later, the first lockdown hit the Netherlands. They needed to be creative. By the second lockdown, KarmaKebab Delivery was up and running. The company started selling via retailers and is now about to launch its first (franchise) store in Utrecht.

So, what makes these Kebabs so unique? On the one hand, their sustainability efforts. KarmaKebab is made from celeriac grown by local farmers rather than imported soya, like most other meat alternatives. On the other hand, the quality of the product. The brand affirms that its primary marketing tool is the product itself, its taste and quality. Their goal is to convince meat lovers that sustainable alternatives can be tasty and, consequently, reduce meat production.

Sustainability is not a discipline, it is the foundation of who we are.

Achievements: Only in 2021 they produced 50,000 kilo KarmaKebab – which makes for 3,333 lams – and saved 68 million liters of water and 1.1 million kg of CO2.

Lalaland  

The perfect blend between inclusiveness, technology and sustainability. Lalaland is on a mission to make fashion brands conscious of the current beauty standards – predominantly white, skinny models. They do this by offering their clients 3D avatars representing people of all ages, ethnicities and body shapes. These avatars allow consumers to feel better represented and give them a more realistic image of the product fit, reducing the number of returns from online purchases. Through 3D avatars, fashion brands can reduce or even eliminate expenses on photoshoots and models—a win-win for brands and consumers.

Lalaland inclusive business model goes beyond the technology and into the brand itself. The company has 14 different nationalities among their employees and several women holding leadership positions.

We are on a mission to make the web a more diverse place.

Achievements: Google Startups Black Founders Fund. Philips Innovations Awards 2020. And recently announced, the company raised €2.1 million for a revolutionary AI-driven fashion model generator.

All three finalists showed what it is to be a go-getter, passionate, committed brand. They base their business model on positivity and joy. Their drive is to create change while making their clients happy and the world a little bit better. Congratulations to all three!