Icelandic Water Holdings is currently rolling out its premium bottled water brand Icelandic Glacial across the US in strategic phases with Anheuser-Busch, and aims to complete nationwide distribution of the product by the third quarter of 2008. Currently, the European bottled water company has established distribution with Anheuser-Busch in the north-east and south-west of the country, with key state rollouts completed in California, Nevada, Arizona and Hawaii. “The plan is to move across the country," said a company spokesperson. "New York, New Jersey and Florida have also featured in the early part of the distribution campaign. With many more states coming on stream in the early part of 2008 through both on- and off-trade accounts, Icelandic Glacial has enjoyed a very positive reception to its distribution strategy.” Among those retailers now stocking the product are: Target, Safeway, Vons, Dominicks, Whole Foods Market, Wildoats, Pavillions, 7-11, Duane Reade, AMPM, British Petroleum, Albertsons, and airports in Los Angeles and New York.

Californian company Global Beverage Innovations has announced a $7.5 million order for its Anti-Ageing Water from Kunimitsu Kido Company, a highly respected distributor and manufacturer of cosmeceuticals in Japan. The US company claims Anti-Ageing Water is made with the highest quality nutraceutical ingredients, which have been clinically proven to increase DNA repair by up to 30% in 33 days. Stuart Garret of Global Beverage Innovations told water innovation: “The active ingredient in Anti-Ageing Water is the maximised formulation of an effective natural product called quinic acid, which is an extract of the active ingredient from the plant Uncaria Tomentosa. It has been scientifically proven to protect and repair DNA, promote longevity and preserve youthfulness. This is due to its unique anti-inflammatory, anti-viral, anti-mutagenic and antioxidant activities.”

Private label bottler Advanced H2O in Seattle has been purchased by Dallas-based private equity firm HM Capital Partners for an undisclosed sum. The move comes amid several food and beverage company acquisitions by HM Capital, which currently owns Sturm Foods, a maker of nutritional drink mixes. Advanced H2O was founded in 1998 and provides low-cost private label bottled water to supermarket chains and regional retailers on the West Coast. The company will be familiar to water innovation readers for teaming up with children’s stationery brand Crayola in August 2006 to launch Crayola Color Coolerz!, a vitamin enhanced water aimed at kids. HM Capital is currently investing and managing more than $3.7 billion in equity capital. The company has previously invested in food companies including Swift & Co, Morningstar Group, G Heilman Brewing, Ghiradelli Chocolate and G.H. Mumm/Perrier Jouët. It was originally founded by Tom Hicks and John Muse. Hicks is no longer involved in the firm.

UK-based Minton Spring Water believes the strategy of reserving its premium bottled water brand is paying dividends. Minton is best known for its eponymous water packaged in glass bottles and served at fine hotels, restaurants and brasseries. The company also produces PET formats for outdoor catering activities. A 33cl PET pack for the brand’s flavoured water range is distributed through sandwich bars, cafes and clubs. But company officials have ruled out any strategy to widen distribution to larger outlets. A spokesperson told water innovation: “The reason that we have been focusing on non-retail is to keep the brand exclusive. We always felt that, if a restaurant charges customers £3.50 for a bottle of water and they see it in a supermarket priced four or five times less, customers might feel that they were ripped off by the restaurant.” Launched in 1991, the company sources its water deep in the protected moorlands of Dartmoor. The brand reflects a sophisticated product using a simple, clean label depicting the Minton Crest, with the name Minton alluding to the English heritage. The approximate throughput of the bottling plant was 2.5 million litres in 2007. The company has achieved a 7% rise in volumes sold and expects to achieve 8% growth in 2008.

Juice drink manufacturer Sunny Delight Beverages has signed a deal to purchase the Fruit2O water and Veryfine juice brands from Kraft Foods as it moves towards a more nutritious beverage portfolio. The companies did not disclose the purchase price, but the two brands were reported to have a combined 2006 turnover of about $135 million. Along with the brands, Sunny Delight will also take control of the Veryfine plant located in Littleton and Kraft’s packing facility in Fresno, California. About 200 workers employed at the sites will also be transferred to Sunny Delight under the terms of the sale. Sunny Delight Chief Executive Officer Billy Cyr said that the deal was an important step in targeting the growing number of health-conscious consumers in the soft drinks market. He said: “This acquisition will further accelerate our growth and continue our commitment to bring more wholesome beverage choices to consumers. Fruit2O is the leading zero calorie fruit-flavoured water, and Veryfine has been providing high quality beverages since 1865.” Kraft said the brands no longer suit its long-term growth strategies: “As we restore Kraft to reliable growth, we’re focusing our investments on the brands that best fit,” said Rick Searer, Kraft Executive Vice President and President of Kraft North America. “Fruit2O and Veryfine are great brands. However, for Kraft, we believe we will create greater long-term shareholder value by selling, rather than investing in, these brands.” Fruit2O consists of two lines of waters: Fruit2O water is a leading full-fruit flavoured water beverage. It's made with natural fruit essence and is available in eight flavours: raspberry, strawberry, lemon, grape, orange, peach, cherry and lime. The second line, introduced in early 2007, is Fruit2O vitamin enhanced water and is sold in four varieties: Immunity, Energy, Hydration and Relaxation. Meanwhile, Veryfine offers three lines of beverages: juices and juice drinks, nectars and chillers. Sunny Delight is a privately held juice company, based in Ohio and created in 2004 with the acquisition of the Sunny Delight brands from Procter & Gamble Co. Today, the company’s flagship brand remains its SunnyD juice drink.

According to reports in the Indian media, bottled water producer Bisleri International is planning to launch an enhanced water product within one year. Bisleri International Managing Director and Chief Executive Officer Ramesh Chauhan said: “We are certainly working on enhanced water. We want to give something more than just flavoured water, which will offer health benefits to customers.” The exact details of the product are yet to be finalised. However, it is clear that Bisleri, which claims around 30% share in the Indian bottled water market, will be looking at developing a product that gives it an edge over competitors. It’s apparently working closely with people from the flavours segment, ayurvedic extract manufacturers, vitamins and minerals experts. The exact formulation may not yet have been finalised, but the “King of Bottled Water” Chauhan is clear that he wants to enter this category and so his company has almost completed working on the packaging for the enhanced water. In 2007, Bisleri International launched Bisleri Natural Mountain water, changing its familiar corporate colours from blue to aqua green, and will invest a large amount of money in marketing and advertising. Its mountain water is bottled at plants in Himachal and Uttaranchal, and the company is apparently looking to set up at least four more plants during the next year.

*Legal disputes between Danone and Wahaha are to be settled out of court after the French and Chinese governments intervened. Danone has now dropped legal proceedings against Wahaha in China, but cases in other countries are still pending. * The Wahaha Joint Venture Company was established in 1996 as a food and beverage joint venture company between the Hangzhou Wahaha Group, the largest beverage producer in China, and Danone, one of the world’s largest food conglomerates. The dispute between French Groupe Danone and Chinese Wahaha became public in April 2007. The main accusations concern Wahaha setting up a parallel production and sales operation for the same products made by the joint venture (JV), however this is a simplification of the issues involved. General Manager Zong Quinghou had been running the government-owned Hangzhou Wahaha Group Co Ltd since its foundation in 1987 and became an important minority shareholder when the company went from being a state-owned enterprise to a private venture. Since then, the joint venture with Danone has grown, accounting for 8% of Danone sales, contributing €100 million to the top line and in excess of 5% of total net profit. In 2006, Zong agreed to a deal worth almost €400 million, allowing Danone to buy a majority stake in the non-joint venture operations. However, Zong has since had regrets, as Danone has contended that the Wahaha trademark belongs to the joint venture. While Danone has been winning lawsuits outside China, Wahaha has won all cases settled by Chinese courts. The biggest blow to the French group has been the “patriotic” verdict handed down by the Hangzhou Arbitration Commission, stating the Wahaha trademark belonged to its Chinese partner. According to the panel ruling, the trademark had failed to be transferred to the venture in 1999 when the agreement signed by the two groups expired. Zong has had offshore assets of ten companies frozen, and faces at least 20 other lawsuits and arbitrators in five countries, including cases against his wife and daughter who run two of the main companies. What could have been considered a losing battle by some and a never-ending saga by others, may have reached a turning point in November when French President Nicolas Sarkozy visited China. During a presidential dinner in Beijing, Sarkozy met with Chinese President Hu Jintao and Danone Chairman Franck Riboud. In an attempt to encourage resolution, the two governments put pressure on both companies to work towards a speedy and amicable solution. This prompted Wahaha and Danone to release a joint statement where they agreed to suspend all legal proceedings and begin a more constructive dialogue. The consequences of the disagreements have so far cost Danone €19 million a month in sales. However, as soon as there was news of resolution, its shares went up 5%. The joint venture has in the past been used as an example for companies wishing to gain a foothold in the Chinese market. The example has now broadened to include some of the risks involved and will hopefully be completed with solutions on how to solve problems like those facing Danone and Wahaha.

Reuters reported that Axfood AB has decided to acquire Vi-butik in Solna Centrum. The takeover is expected to take place in April 2008, and the store will be converted into Hemkop. Axfood AB is one of the largest food retailers in Scandinavia listed on the stock market.

How long have you known about the Perrier brand? As long as I can remember, I’ve always known the Perrier brand, and especially those bottles. What do you think of when you hear the name 'Perrier'? Bubbles, sparkling, green, refreshment, thirst quenching, and also the fact that Perrier is good for your health. Not to mention: “Perrier, c’est fou!”. A few ads have really stuck with me, particularly the one with the lion by Jean-Paul Goude. Why did you decide to work with Perrier? Perrier is well known throughout the world and it’s also a French drink, just as Paul & Joe is a French brand. On top of that, Perrier evokes freshness, which is the key word for Paul & Joe. It’s the perfect combination. What do the two brands share? The sparkling, fresh, timeless aspect, a fusion of classic and modern styles ... the fact that you never get tired of them, that you always want them and they’re always renewing themselves. Perrier is a drink that people always need and always want, a bit like Paul & Joe. Why do you think these designs fit in with the Perrier brand? The animal drawings and the green colour code are synonymous with freshness and nature, so they fit in completely with people’s image of Paul & Joe and of Perrier. The partnership seemed fairly obvious to me. By adding gold, I wanted something that would clash, shock people, be right on the edge of ‘too much’, while still reflecting the current trend towards anything shiny and ostentatious. We’re entering a period of celebration, complete entertainment and exuberance, the opposite of the minimalist tendencies of 10 years ago. Why link Paul & Joe to an international brand like Perrier, which is distributed in more than 100 countries? Because I was very happy to see the Paul & Joe brand on cafe terraces around the world through these decorated bottles. It was a challenge, a real point of pride and a project that I loved from the start. How did it all start for the Paul & Joe brand? First of all, those are the names of my children, who are now 13 and 16. It started 10 years ago with a desire to create a different idea of men’s fashion – something that strayed from the typical codes at the time, which were grey, austere and minimalist. I revamped this boring style for men by adding fabrics, colour, prints and freshness. The brand moved into women’s fashion because of requests from customers. How has Paul & Joe contributed to the fashion world? Paul & Joe adds a different touch with its pretty fabrics, its clothes that are easy to wear every day, and never too serious. It’s a bit of a half and half approach – very feminine and yet masculine at the same time. It’s this style and freshness that has earned recognition for Paul & Joe in France and abroad. Apart from France, where is the brand the most recognised? The brand is well known in Asia, particularly in Japan. It’s also visible in England and in the US, where we have entered a partnership with the Target chain.

30 million litres of bottled water, enough for 150 million glasses, were distributed last summer to residents in the Midlands when floods cut people off from their homes and tap water supplies. This is more than the entire UK bottled water market 30 years ago. The figure was released by specialist food and drink consultancy Zenith International as part of its annual UK market review. "Bottled water has been a huge success story because of its convenience and health benefits," said Zenith Chairman Richard Hall. "It's hard to imagine how hundreds of thousands of people would have coped without it after last summer's flooding." Back in 1980, the total UK market amounted to 30 million litres, amid general scepticism about the idea of paying for bottled water. Now, the market has grown to more than 2,000 million litres, with half of that coming from consumption on the go, such as in offices and cars as part of today's increasingly busy lifestyles. "30 years ago, it would have been impossible for bottled water to meet this extra demand. Fortunately, although climate change was the cause of the problem, bottled water has a very low carbon footprint since all bottles are 100% recyclable, and much of the rescue relief was provided locally," continued Richard Hall. "In 2006, one in 30 households experienced an interruption in their tap water supplies across the country, so the availability of bottled water is becoming increasingly important," added Zenith Market Intelligence Director Gary Roethenbaugh. "The other advantages, of course, are that you know exactly where a natural mineral or spring water has come from and it will not have been treated chemically in any way."

American dairy company Kemps has launched two new milk products: Kemps Plus Healthy Lifestyle and Kemps Plus Healthy Kids, containing the MEG-3 EPA/DHA ingredient from Ocean Nutrition Canada (ONC). Kemps is said to be the first company to launch a fresh milk product in North America containing the healthy food ingredient, and has placed the MEG-3 logo on the packaging so consumers are aware that the product contains Omega-3 from fish oil. The two new milks each contain 32mg of MEG-3 per 236ml serving. Each serving of Kemps Plus Healthy Lifestyle also contains 50% more calcium than regular 1% milks, whereas each serving of Kemps Plus Healthy Kids contains 50% more calcium than regular 2% milks and is an excellent source of vitamin C. Kemps Vice President of Marketing Rachel Kyllo said: “Kemps Plus delivers relevant and unique new benefits to the milk category in the Upper Midwest. We are pleased to be partnering with Ocean Nutrition to deliver important new benefits to our consumers.” ONC Executive Vice President of Marketing Ian Lucas added: “Omega-3 EPA and DHA are known as cradle-to-grave nutrients because they are so vital to overall good health, whether you are 1 or 101. Even though Omega-3 EPA and DHA have so many health benefits, many people are not getting enough of it in their diet. Ocean Nutrition is excited to partner with a premium dairy brand such as Kemps Plus.”

*Mains-fed cooler company PHS Waterlogic has set up an all-inclusive rental package designed to appeal to cooler buyers who may have been put off by the perceived cost and complexity of supply agreements. * Totalcare aims to provide customer with unlimited pure, filtered, chilled water without the added responsibility and costs of cooler servicing and maintenance. “There are many water cooler suppliers out there, but buyers need to check their small print,” said PHS Marketing Manager Ruth Phillips. “Will all suppliers ensure that their coolers are properly maintained? And what happens in the event of a breakdown? Check the support offered and any extra charges that may be applied. We're setting ourselves apart with Totalcare which is intended to establish industry best practice, with complete transfer of risk and maintenance costs away from the buyer.” The package comprises a mains-fed cooler of the customer’s choice with cold or hot and cold water, delivery, installation and maintenance by trained PHS service engineers. Its cost includes twice yearly planned preventative servicing, including all parts and labour, and a callout and repair service, which is available the next working day. If the cooler cannot be repaired on-site, a replacement unit will be provided. The service is facilitated by a 24-hour, seven days a week manned customer service centre. Package rates start from £6.88 (€9) per week for the Waterlogic 2000 mains-fed cooler, and go up to £10.57 (€14) a week for the Waterlogic 3000 with UV filtered hot and cold water.