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*Italian family run business Fonte Sole has added Arte to the company’s luxury flagship Solé bottled water collection. *

Arte is a super premium brand sourced in Nuvolento, Lombardy. Packaged in a contemporary 75cl bottle sold in either still or sparkling options, Arte enables hospitality venues to serve a more exclusive product to VIPs and dignitaries while reserving Solé for core luxury restaurant and bar menus.

The sleek, multi faceted clear glass bottle is certainly an impressive design while the water’s refreshing and crisp taste has also received praise from food critics, hoteliers and restaurateurs.

According to the company, the Arte range pays homage to great artists of Italy. The first featured artwork to adorn the bottle is by Leonardo da Vinci. Stephen Goodchild told water innovation: “We featured Leonardo da Vinci not only because of his stature as an Italian artist, but also because of his fascination with water and its movement. We expect to use other of his works for future Arte editions but have not ruled out using other Italian artists too.” * Italian water on foreign soil*

Solé’s principal export market is the United States where the leading wine and spirit company in each of the major states typically distributes it. Outside of the US, the bottled water has achieved distribution in many countries.

“In the US, Solé enjoys particular success in California followed by Florida and Arizona. In Europe, Germany is a strong market for our returnable products and, in the Far East, Japan and Malaysia are especially important.”

At the end of 2007, the company donated bottles of Arte to help raise funds for the <1> at a glittering Ball held at the Dorchester Hotel in Park Lane, London.

In 2008, the company will be aiming to consolidate gains made in established markets as well as developing sales in new markets, particularly China and India. What’s more, the brand has been shortlisted in this year’s Italian packaging contest <2> and will enter the 2008 water innovation awards.

“Certainly the Arte product has caught the attention of Food and Beverage Directors from leading hotels around the world and this has in turn led to new distribution opportunities,” explained Goodchild.

In terms of environmental and ethical initiatives, Solé Classic is bottled from recycled glass and recycled paper is used for the labels. Moreover, the company’s marketing materials are designed by a social enterprise and the firm claims to be an active supporter of the local community, supplying its water without cost to children and staff at a school close to its bottling plant.

Fonte Sole is run by Giuseppe Bodei whose grandfather founded the business in 1896.

<1>: http://www.braintumourtrust.co.uk <2>: http://www.italiaimballaggio.it