The latest news, trends, analysis, interviews and podcasts from the global food and beverage industry

*The introduction of Malmberg to British consumers comes a decade after the brand was first introduced to Swedes. Using mineral water sourced from a spring in Yngsjö, Malmberg is available in still, sparkling and citron variants. The range – solely geared towards horeca channels – is sold in 33cl and 75cl glass or 50cl PET bottles. *

Malmberg Sales and Marketing Manager Nicklas Lindblad told water innovation magazine: “Malmberg was first sold in 1994 only to a few prominent restaurants in Southern Sweden and Stockholm. Today, Malmberg is well known throughout Sweden and has its own sales and distribution networks. Moreover, the brand is represented in over half of the country’s 200 top star restaurants. Meanwhile in Denmark, the brand is growing and hopefully it will become just as successful.”

Besides Sweden, Denmark and the UK, Malmberg has already made inroads into Holland and Spain. The next target markets for the brand are North America and South Korea. In fact, Lindblad revealed that a United States launch is imminent following the appointment of Fine H2O as a sales partner.

Malmberg has ambitions to build its own plant to meet international demand for the brand anticipated in the future. However, the company has a modest 2008 production target of around 1.5 million litres with support from local bottling partner KM Produktion.

“The arrangement with KM Produktion allows Malmberg to focus on getting the brand into the market and to achieve higher sales while our partner uses its knowledge and expertise to produce our beverages,” concluded Lindblad.

Malmberg Original Water is the smallest subsidiary in the Malmberg Group, a Swedish business with associate companies that also focus in producing water purification and alternative energy systems.