Highland Spring edges closer to UK’s No1 water brand Evian

HIGHLAND Spring chief executive Les Montgomery says the company is “closer than we have ever been” to ousting French giant Evian as the UK’s leading bottled water brand, with new industry data revealing growth in sales by the Scottish group.

Including own-label water sold by supermarkets, Highland Spring now supplies more bottled water in the UK than any other producer. Figures released yesterday by industry expert Zenith International show Highland Spring accounted for 20.6 per cent of the UK market by volume in 2011, equal to more than one in every five litres sold.

Within that, own-label volumes were 12.5 per cent higher while growth among its core branded waters grew by 6.9 per cent, more than double the 3.1 per cent expansion by the broader market.

Highland Spring retained its long-held position as the UK’s leading sparkling brand with 13.2 per cent volume share, more than double its nearest competitor, Nestle-owned San Pellegrino. Meanwhile, Highland Spring’s still water raised its share from 8.8 to 9.4 per cent to overtake Danone’s Volvic in the number two spot behind sector leader Evian.

Combined sales of still and sparkling Highland Spring are now within reach of Evian’s total UK sales, Montgomery said, leaving the company well-placed to become the number one brand “in the near future”.

“We are closer than we have ever been,” he said. “We are less than one percentage point away from them.”

Owned by the Dubai-based Al Tajir family, Highland Spring has for years been taking aim at the top spot in the UK branded water market. Montgomery, who took command of the Blackford-based company in 2008, described the 2011 performance as a “major achievement” that would help the group towards its other goal of becoming a £100 million turnover business selling 500 million litres annually.

Total sales rose by 10.8 per cent in 2011 to 374.6 million litres, helped by the launch of Hydr8, a lower-price brand aimed at the value sector. The fastest-selling bottled water launched in the UK for the past six years, Hydr8 is now the 11th-largest brand by volume in the take-home category.