At an Indian gourmand meals retailer, Avanti Mehta is organising a blind tasting of drinks sourced from France, Italy and India. No, this is not wine, it is water.
Individuals use tiny shot glasses to verify the minerality, carbonation and salinity in samples of Evian from the French Alps, Perrier from southern France, San Pellegrino from Italy and India’s Aava from the foothills of the Aravalli mountains.
“They’ll all style totally different … try to be selecting a water that may give you some form of dietary worth,” stated Mehta, who’s 32 and calls herself India’s youngest water sommelier, a time period often related to premium wine. Her household owns the Aava mineral water model.
Premium water is a $400 million (€337.11 million) enterprise on the earth’s most populous nation and is rising larger as its rich see it as a brand new standing image that matches in with a spreading wellness craze.
Premium Indian mineral water prices round $1 for a one-litre bottle, whereas imported manufacturers are upwards of $3, or 15 occasions the worth of the nation’s lowest-priced primary bottled water.
Clear water is a privilege within the nation of 1.4 billion folks the place researchers say 70% of the groundwater is contaminated.
Faucet water stays unfit to drink, and 16 folks died in Indore metropolis after consuming contaminated faucet water in December.
Many in India see bottled water as a necessity and customary 20 US-cent bottles can be found broadly at comfort shops, eating places and accommodations.
The market is price almost $5 billion yearly and is ready to develop 24% a yr – among the many quickest on the earth.
Bottled water demand in United States or China is pushed by comfort, making it a $30 billion-plus market in every nation which is able to develop simply 4-5% every year, Euromonitor says.
In India, the premium water section is main the surge in demand, accounting for 8% of the bottled water market final yr in comparison with simply 1% in 2021, Euromonitor stated.
“Mistrust of municipal water in some areas has escalated the demand for bottled water. Now, folks perceive how mineral water has extra well being advantages. It is costly, however the class will growth,” stated Amulya Pandit, a senior guide at Euromonitor specializing within the drinks market.
Amongst its shoppers are New Delhi-based actual property developer BS Batra, who says his household makes use of solely premium water at dwelling to get extra minerals and safeguard well being.
“You’re feeling totally different, extra energetic throughout the day,” stated Batra, 49, an avid badminton participant.
“I eat mineral water even with whisky at dwelling, and children use it for his or her smoothies.”
Water Lures Bollywood Star, Rich
The favored 20-cent plastic bottled water is especially made by Pepsi, Coca-Cola and Indian market chief Bisleri. As well as, Indians who can afford it, set up purifiers of their houses which clear the water but additionally take away most minerals.
Imported and native premium waters are luring rich shoppers and companies alike.
Bollywood star Bhumi Pednekar and her sister have launched Backbay – promoting 750 ml cartons of mineral water for $2.2; Indian conglomerate Tata is increasing its premium water portfolio, and retailers and companies are reporting greater gross sales.
Tata Shopper Merchandise, additionally Starbucks’ accomplice in India, sells 20-cent bottled water, however premium water is its precedence because it sees prosperous, health-focused shoppers prepared to spend on the drink with out worrying concerning the value, CEO Sunil D’Souza stated in an interview.
“I haven’t got to push water uphill…I see a protracted, lengthy, lengthy runway for the enterprise,” he stated.
Tata’s premium ‘Himalayan’ mineral water manufacturing facility – which a Reuters photographer visited – is situated within the foothills of the Himalayan vary in Himachal Pradesh state.
Staff there largely preserve a hands-free watch on machines filling plastic and glass bottles with water sourced from a pure underground aquifer.
Wanting For Springs
Most Indians choose nonetheless water, and the glowing variant stays area of interest. Tata stated it plans to launch a glowing Himalayan water, and can be scouting for pure springs for increasing its different choices.
At three Foodstories Indian gourmand shops, gross sales of premium waters tripled in 2025. Buyer demand prompted the chain to import “mild and creamy” Saratoga Spring Water from New York, which prices 799 rupees ($9) for a 355-millilitre (12-fluid-ounce) bottle, and shares offered out inside days, stated co-founder Avni Biyani.
Indian mineral water model Aava’s gross sales touched a file 805 million rupees ($9 million) final yr, rising 40% a yr since 2021. Tata stated its primary and premium water portfolio will develop 30% a yr, after rising tenfold to $65 million in six years.
Imported waters, which are a magnet for an over 30% tax, are pricier than Indian manufacturers. Nestle’s Perrier and San Pellegrino, and Danone’s Evian retail for over 300 rupees, or $3.20, for a 750 ml bottle.
Nestle declined to remark, whereas Danone stated the Indian bottled water market was rising at a ‘sturdy’ tempo however imported waters ‘are typically area of interest and boutique’.
“If you open your faucet, you are not getting an Aava, Evian … And that’s what you are primarily paying for,” stated water sommelier Mehta.
On the water tasting session, some members stated they loved the expertise however many discovered the worth exhausting to swallow.
“To be sincere, it’s form of costly,” stated government Hoshini Vallabhaneni, one in all 14 folks on the occasion. “For on a regular basis use – it can burn a gap within the pocket.”
