Water has always been a fundamental product in consumer’s lives only simply to satisfy a necessary need. Whether it is bottled or not, water will always be a part of your life.
Wouldn’t you agree that a market this massive and this essential to the consumer’s life has not been exploited enough?
Eau Fine, Voss, and Bling H2O are the new actors in the water market. These brands have created a new niche that is well appreciated by trendy clients because of their non-conventional packaging, source, and taste. With these new brands shaking up the ‘bland’ water market, they have created a sense of “Art de la table”. Now, water possesses a terroir, similar to wine, which brings a sense of uniqueness to water brands. The specific properties given by its natural environment have given each water brand a specific taste and also benefits. The industry is diversifying itself towards premium products and water is not anymore “basic”, it is something that can be exclusive to a consumer.
Some water experts have defined a technical tasting vocabulary; water possesses their own protected designation of origin, and marketers worked on their own creative packaging.
To create the “Art de la table”, many premium restaurants offer rare waters to their customers. Products that are exclusive and difficult to find anywhere else will create a unique experience when dining at premium restaurants. For example, Georges V and the Crillon offer several choices of rare waters.
A perfect example is the famous Colette shop in Paris, which has created a water-bar that proposes more than 85 different waters. It is clear that this shows how trendy this new niche in the water industry has become.
Several companies have tapped this niche market in recent years. The water market has reached saturation for quite some time, with groups like Danone, Nestlé and Castel, which share more than 2/3 of the market. Before, water was a neglected industry with more attention on beverages like wine and coffee. The market how now drastically changed and now there are customers that have created a strong brand loyalty for specific brands because of taste, but even more importantly, for their unique packaging. Some brands like Voss and St. Georges, which have been created by famous designers such as Calvin Klein and Philip Stark, have changed the perception that bottles should only be packaged in bottles, but rather glass flasks.
Even if this trend is evolving quickly, premium water will remain a rare product, as production cannot grow as fast as other luxury products. The Chateldon is present in luxury restaurants and will remain a rare water because only 3 million bottles could be produce each year whereas Evian produces more than 150 millions of bottles a year.
It is not only about exceptional terroirs but also about the brands history. For example, Eau Finé, a famous Japanese still water, is bottled with water from more than 1,000 years ago. The legend says that Kabodaishi, a well-known Buddhist monk from the 8th century, gave birth to the water by splitting a rock with his stick.
In the premium water market, packaging is the most important. For example, Bling H2O is an American brand from Tennessee, which is set by Swarovski diamonds. A 37.5cl flack is sold for more than €40 at the Bon Marché. The price could rise till €480 for a 75cl bottle. Other brands like Blk. Water propose a concept completely new. Indeed, Blk. Water (Black Water) means exactly the name says. It is composed of pure water infused with fulvic acid which gives it a natural dark black color. This acid is present in the plants and plays a crucial role in their growth. The brand advertises that this brand brings better hydration because of its natural element.
The reason why this new market is creating such a buzz is because these products cannot be found in major retailers such as Carrefour, Leclerc, or Casino. Premium waters are only sold in specific outlets, which bring even more uniqueness to the product.
Pierre-Alexis Prière
The Skemarketeers 