Acqua Sant’Anna is growing faster than the market: new formats, investments and a push into exports

Founded in Vinadio, in the province of Cuneo, Acqua Sant’Anna S.p.A., a privately-owned Italian company that has grown thanks to the entrepreneurial vision and collaboration of the Bertone and Osella families, who are its shareholders, with stakes of 57.5% and 42.5% respectively, has outperformed the market in the first half of 2026 and is looking ahead to the second half of the year by focusing on new formats, innovation, international expansion and the broadening of consumption opportunities. In the first six months, the brand recorded growth of 3.1 per cent by value, compared with the market’s +2.2 per cent, and 2.6 per cent by volume, compared with the sector’s +1.3 per cent. Explaining the reasons behind this performance is CEO Luca Cheri: “The expansion of our distribution network – whilst still operating from the Sant’Anna plant in Vinadio in the Maritime Alps of Piedmont – and our product range has enabled us to reach new consumers with new formats. We have also worked hard on our communications and social media, emphasising the quality and organoleptic characteristics of Sant’Anna, thereby further strengthening the relationship of trust with our consumers.” And with the exceptional heatwave, “it is as if almost one and a half bottles more per 100 had been consumed compared to the previous year”. In a mature market and in the face of a declining population, Acqua Sant’Anna is the only brand with a market share exceeding 10 per cent in both value and volume terms; and, at a time of reduced purchasing power, the company has therefore also focused on value for money. On the industrial front, around €30 million in investment over the two-year period 2025–2026 is supporting the evolution of the beverage platform, with initiatives focused on efficiency and technological innovation, as well as the completion of the syrup production facility. The aim is to further integrate the production process and accelerate the development of non-water hydration products, from iced teas to functional drinks. Another key focus is the international market. Exports now account for 6 per cent, and the strategy currently prioritises the nearest European markets, not least in light of the geopolitical tensions that have made some distant markets more challenging. “If we were to place a compass on Vinadio,” explains Cheri, “we would draw a sphere of influence that is closer, more manageable and more accessible”: France, first and foremost, just a few kilometres from the factory, but also Germany and Switzerland, and the wider European market, with the hope of continuing to grow. Innovation also stems from changing consumer habits. “We always try not to be at the mercy of shifts in market demand, but to anticipate them.” Hence the development of products that combine hydration with functionality – from vitamins and proteins to collagen and hyaluronic acid – and the expansion of distribution from retail to the hospitality sector, vending and travel retail. According to Cheri, the greatest potential lies precisely in areas that are still largely untapped: “We have incredible opportunities for growth, especially in the off-shelf sector.” The out-of-home sector thus becomes one of the strategic priorities, alongside the development of a broader product range, partly thanks to the acquisition of the French company Eau Neuve. “Given the shift in consumer attitudes,” explains Cheri, “there are no age restrictions on the consumption of the water we drink from the moment we wake up until we go to sleep. For us, the primary objective is to make it available anytime, anywhere, combining health and wellbeing.” Thirty years on from the company’s founding, we are already looking ahead to the next phase, in the spirit of the legacy of our founder Alberto Bertone, who passed away prematurely: “This marks the starting point for a new phase. People, quality, technology and innovation are the pillars on which we continue to build to create and drive growth for the next fifty years.”