From a Garden in Dubai to a Global Stage
When a small company from the UAE stands alongside international giants at a global awards ceremony, it means more than recognition. It is a signal that innovation no longer belongs exclusively to the world’s largest corporations. It can come from anywhere – even from a garden in Dubai.
At the 2025 World Sustainable Travel & Hospitality Awards, Sprudel received a Commendation for World’s Leading Sustainable Water & Waste Innovation. For us, this was not just an award. It was proof that a homegrown idea can scale globally when built with intent, design discipline, and perseverance.
The Beginning: A Garden, Lockdown, and an Idea
The story began during lockdown. Supply chains were disrupted, the hospitality industry was silent, and the world seemed to have stopped. Yet, in that stillness, an idea started to form – what if hotels could move away from single-use plastics entirely, and what if the UAE could design and manufacture a solution itself?
Without access to workshops or factories, the first Sprudel prototypes were built outdoors – tested, adjusted, and reassembled under the Dubai sun. The “workbench” was a garden table, the “lab” was the back patio, and the sound of running water became the rhythm of progress.
From Prototype to Proven System
Those rough beginnings turned into what is now the Sprudel Closed-Loop Bottling System (CBS) – a fully functional, UAE-manufactured water dispensing and bottling system used by hotels to replace imported plastic bottles.
Today, the system operates across hospitality outlets where reliability and sustainability go hand in hand. The same units installed years ago still function perfectly – a reflection of strong engineering and consistent after-sales service.
This journey from garden prototype to global recognition mirrors the early days of some of the world’s most influential companies – Apple, HP, and Amazon – all of which began in garages. The parallel is clear: groundbreaking ideas often start small, built by people who simply refuse to stop refining them.
The Broader Meaning for the UAE
For a young, homegrown company, being recognised internationally in the category of sustainable water and waste innovation is deeply symbolic. It shows that the UAE is not just a consumer of global technology but a producer of it – capable of designing systems that solve global challenges.
It also reinforces the country’s Make it in the Emirates ambition – proving that world-class innovation can be conceptualised, engineered, and manufactured locally.
The People Behind the Progress
Sprudel’s recognition is built on teamwork – from the first sales conversation to every after-sales visit. Every installation represents a complete cycle of trust between us and our clients. Systems work flawlessly years later because they are cared for by people who treat every project as personal.
This mindset is what keeps the brand growing. The team does not just install systems; they build relationships that last as long as the machines themselves.
Looking Ahead
Winning a global commendation is not the destination. It is confirmation that the direction is right. From those first garden experiments to today’s international recognition, the journey has been one of persistence, craftsmanship, and purpose.
If the past few years have proven anything, it is this – when people care deeply about what they build, and when they build it with intent, it lasts.
