Dive Brief:
- Primo Brands opened a factory in Hot Springs, Arkansas, the company’s first new facility following its merger with BlueTriton’s water brands in 2024.
- The 200,000-square-foot facility will add "much-needed" production capacity for Mountain Valley, a line of premium spring and sparkling water Primo says is experiencing strong demand.
- The new facility also includes logistics and warehouse space, as well as a retail high-speed production line and two large-format production lines.
Dive Insight:
The new facility comes as packaged water is experiencing strong volume growth as consumers opt for better-for-you beverages. Water is the U.S.’s No. 1 packaged beverage by volume, according to the Beverage Marketing Corporation.
Mountain Valley also stands to benefit from consumers seeking out premium water, with shoppers becoming more discerning in picking brands based on source, taste and quality.
Other beverage giants have tapped into the trend, including Coca-Cola-owned Topo Chico and Arizona Beverage, which inked a deal to bring Italian brand Ferrarelle to the U.S.
Mountain Valley has been part of the Arizona community for more than 150 years, with the product sourced from the Ouachita Mountains since 1871.
“The Mountain Valley grew because people found it, loved it, and told their friends,” Eric Foss, chairman and CEO of Primo Brands, said in a statement. “When a brand earns that kind of loyalty, our job is to make sure there's enough of it to go around.”
Primo Brands’ portfolio also includes Poland Spring, Pure Life, Saratoga and Deer Park. The former BlueTriton was formed after Nestlé sold its North American bottled water business in 2021 for $4.3 billion.
In Primo’s most recent quarter ending June 30, the water bottler recorded about $1.8 billion in sales, a 3.8% increase over last year. The company attributed the growth to its premium brands and regional spring waters.
