MILAN – The Sanpellegrino Group has recorded significant growth in 2015, confirming the positive trend of 2014. The Italian company, which is a leader in the beverage industry and has approximately 1,500 employees and product exports to 145 countries worldwide, has generated a revenue of 911 million Euros, an increase of 12.4% compared to 2014.
Great performance in international markets
Its leading position is attributed to the great performance achieved in international markets, where the company has seen double-digit increases in turnover equal to 25.4%. Additionally, there have been good results from the Italian market which confirm the positive performance experienced in 2014, driven by the Levissima brand which has grown by 9%. These numbers demonstrate the mineral water choice of consumers around the globe who increasingly opt for quality hydration. Overall, in 2015 exports of S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna mineral water, along with other drinks from the San Pellegrino brand totaled about one billion and 470 million bottles, representing 52% of the Group's total turnover.
Stefano Agostini's thoughts
"We are particularly pleased with the results achieved in 2015, both in international markets as well as domestically, where there are plans for over 16-million Euros investment to open an innovative production plant by mid 2016 in Lazio, Castrocielo. The Nestlé Vera mineral water bottling plant is a testament to the Group's strategic in the mineral water sector, which is an authentic source of excellence of our country. - states Stefano Agostini, President and CEO of the Sanpellegrino Group. “On the Italian market - explains Agostini - a particularly positive climate season, with hot spikes in the summer months, has led to an increase in sales volumes for the entire sector. Our performance has also benefited from the flywheel effect generated by the Milan 2015 Expo, during which we acted as an Official Water Partner".
The water of the 2015 Expo
S. Pellegrino mineral water, with 150 million special edition bottles distributed throughout 80 countries, was the official water of the World Expo and of the Italian Pavilion, and the Group's products quenched the thirst of about 25% of the visitors to the exhibition site. “The World Expo also contributed to the high performance of the Sanpellegrino brand, given that it is of Italian origin and has the international prestige of being one of the ambassadors of "Made in Italy" throughout the world, growing some 14% in Italy in 2015. According to IRI data - continues Agostini - the mineral water sector grew 15.2% (in terms of litres) from June to September compared to the same period of 2014, and the San Pellegrino Group has achieved a higher than average growth rate, thus improving its market share. This positive result, along with other data, is confirmation that we are continuing to achieve success with our policy of internationalization." 2015 was marked by some major innovations for San Pellegrino Drinks, which recorded a growth of 2.4% and, towards the end of the year, they were presented on the market with a new formulation resulting from continuous investments in research and development to increase the percentage of juice concentrate from Italian oranges to 20% and to reduce the total amount of sugar by 10%.
di Alessandro Michielli
