Following a successful inaugural meeting in Barcelona in May 2008, the Fine Water Society hosted a second forum for those interested in the sector, including premium water producers, distributors and their suppliers, retailers, foodservice and other customers.
See images from the Premium Water Forum. See our Flickr gallery.
The event aimed to establish the opportunity for premium waters in the current economic context by providing market insight, assessing recent developments and networking with industry colleagues.
The morning session began with a welcome and introduction by Fine Water Society board member Jan Bender of Denmark’s Iskilde, who introduced the keynote speaker, fellow FWS board member Steve Rowe, managing director of Spain-based Water Way of Life. Steve set the context for the event, aiming to define fine water and clarify the role of the Fine Water Society.
Martyna Zimakiewicz, senior consultant for Zenith International, then provided an international premium waters market overview in a presentation packed with facts and figures.
A lively question and answer session followed before the meeting moved from market overview to marketing opportunities. Opening the next session was FoodBev Media group editorial director, Bill Bruce, who presented on the subject of ‘Iconic bottled water design’. Diet and nutrition consultant Dr Yasemin Bradley followed, looking at how to enhance consumer appreciation of premium water benefits.
Michael Mascha, founder of FineWaters.com and also a board member of the Fine Water Society, then led a session looking at how a charter of the society could be developed. This took the form of a question and answer session and set the context for the last part of the afternoon session.
After lunch, there were three brand development case studies. The first was from Bart Meijer, CEO and founder of Netherlands-based The O-Company NV, who talked about his experience in copyrighting designer water and bottle design. Simon Woolley, founder of New Zealand’s Antipodes Water Company Ltd, then looked at the environmental impact of bottled water, and closing the session, Alfredo Tabacco, export sales manager for Italy’s Ferrarelle, looked at how to target exports.
The day closed with a session entitled ‘Developing the role of the Fine Water Society for its members’, and took the form of a discussion with the board of the Fine Water Society with input from the audience, chaired by Zenith International chairman, Richard Hall.
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