Wine that can change lives: Little Ripples, the Sydney social enterprise turning vino into water

A new Aussie business is on a mission to turn wine into water – and business is booming, with every bottle of plonk sold changing lives.

An entrepreneur from Sydney is on a mission to turn wine into water – and business is booming.

Late last year, Dustin Leonard launched the brand Little Ripples with four varieties and the range is already stocked in 200 bottle shops in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland.

“What really sets us apart is our powerful social impact component,” Mr Leonard said.

“For every bottle sold, we provide one year’s worth of clean drinking water to one person in need in a developing country.”

In just a few months, Little Ripples has built four wells in Uganda in Africa with the help of aid partner BridgIT Water Foundation.

“We’ve made some amazing progress and received very positive feedback from consumers and retailers,” Mr Leonard said.

The Little Ripples team combines a social enterprise philosophy with expert winemaking.

One of the wells already built, pictured with construction beginning, in Uganda thanks to Little Ripples.

This isn’t the former Cleo Bachelor of the Year finalist’s first socially responsible business.

While still studying at uni, Mr Leonard started a company called HERO condoms, which donated one condom to a developing country for each one sold in Australia.

“We donated over two million condoms … to help stop the spread of HIV-AIDS and save lives. We spent months on the ground,” he said.

“It was there that I came up with the concept for Little Ripples.

“In many places throughout Africa and India, when people wake up in the morning, they can’t just go and turn on a tap and then start their day. They have to walk up to 10km to go and collect water out of a dirty pond that is often contaminated, and this effects almost every aspect of their lives.”

RELATED: The approaching crisis: Is the world running out of water?

Each bottle of Little Ripples wine funds a year's clean drinking water for a person in Africa.

In just a few months, Little Ripples sales have funded the supply of a year’s clean drinking water for 40,000 people, he said.

“While this is great start, it is just the beginning and we have ambitious plans to see this number increase to one million over the next four years.”

Mr Leonard has enlisted the help of winemaker Alex Cassegrain, whose family’s winemaking history dates back to the 1600s in France, and in-house wine consultant Paul Henry, former boss of Wine Australia.

BridgIT Water Foundation founding director Wendy Tisdell is also on board to help with the construction of wells in communities in need.

“It’s typically the role of women and children to collect water in developing countries,” Ms Tisdell said.

“They often have to walk anywhere from two to 10km to collect water from a surface pond that is contaminated. Providing a water system or well to communities that need it will allow more children, especially girls, to attend school.”

RELATED: Former Bachelor of the Year’s vegan condoms and lube have animal lovers hot under the collar

Dustin Leonard, a former Cleo Bachelor of the Year finalist, founded the Little Ripples social enterprise.

The Little Ripples range includes a cabernet sauvignon, a shiraz, a sauvignon blanc and a chardonnay, available in store or online.

“I love the idea that someone’s everyday purchase can act as a catalyst to help accomplish the change that they wish to see in the world,” Mr Leonard said.