SCOTTISH bottled water brand Highland Spring heads into 2018 with big ambitions as the firm looks to build on the impressive growth it has enjoyed in recent years.
Coming off the back of three consecutive years of double digit growth for the firm, Highland Spring expects to see the bottled water category continue to expand and it’s put its money where its mouth is, investing in excess of £30m in increasing bottling capacity over the last two years.
For convenience retailers, Highland Spring’s ongoing distribution deal with Lucozade Ribena Suntory has been a big factor behind the brand’s boosted presence in impulse and convenience channels, and the firm is looking to help generate even more revenue for retailers this year.
Carol Saunders, head of customer marketing at Highland Spring Group, reckons the bottled water opportunity is there for the taking, suggesting the brand can help improve performance.
“In 2017 Highland Spring announced its long-term category strategy which identifies future growth opportunities for bottled water in 2018 and beyond, revealing a number of consumer-led purchase and consumption drivers that will generate further growth in the category,” said Saunders.
“These drivers are relevant to all types of consumers and occasions highlighting the importance of bottled water always being visible and available.”
To help retailers make the most of their water range in the year ahead, Saunders laid out what Highland Spring reckons are the four drivers generating growth in the category:
- Making Water Special – Bottled water’s inherent qualities, such as taste and provenance, can be leveraged to elevate the relevance of bottled water during a variety of social occasions and as an alternative to alcohol and sugary drinks, to significantly drive frequency of purchase.
- Get the Water Habit – Encouraging consumers to take a sip of water whenever or wherever they are is key to unlocking the opportunity for further growth in the bottled water category.
- My Positive Health Choices – From inward health to outward health, the positive benefits of water are key to category growth and bottled water remains one of the only soft drinks with no calories, sugar, preservatives or additives. Additionally, sparkling water offers health-conscious consumers a zero-sugar alternative to fizzy drinks that can be consumed as a treat.
- Doing it for the Kids – Making bottled water the drink of choice for all kids and their parents to have alongside their meals at all times will help build category relevance and value.
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4.6bn
Volume sales of plain bottled water in the UK are expected to hit 4.6 billion litres by 2020.
9.5%
Highland Spring recorded a growth for its Sparkling variant of 9.5% by value and 7.9% by volume within Scotland over the 52 weeks to 11 November 2017.
13.5%
The UK bottled water market reported year-on-year growth of 13.5% in 2016.
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