evian Sparkling

Source: Danone

The 330ml cans rolled into Tesco today (rsp: 79p)

Evian is mounting a major challenge to Highland Spring and Nestlé Waters with the launch of its first sparkling water.

The brand’s new sparkling water rolled into Tesco in 330ml aluminium cans today (11 January). A one-litre rPET bottle will follow later this year (rsp: 79p-£1.60).

The NPD was “crafted” by a “15-year natural filtration journey through the glacial rocks in the heart of the French Alps”, said Evian.

It represented “new possibilities for the brand, as we reimagine our uniquely sourced water into an exciting new product”, said Evian VP for marketing Shweta Harit.

“This new product contains the perfect level of sparkles with its fine bubbles creating a subtle taste and gentle intensity,” she added.

It comes on the back of a strong year for the bottled water brand, which added £16.2m in value sales as lockdown restrictions eased and the on-the-go market returned [NielsenIQ 52 w/e 11 September 2021].

Yet Evian Sparkling will face stiff competition in the supermarkets, as it is not the only player eyeing canned fizzy water as an area for growth.

Take Highland Spring, for instance, which last year fired a shot across the bow of the likes of Dash, Ugly and San Pellegrino with a trio of fruity sparkling water cans.

Coca-Cola, meanwhile, looks set to launch its Aha brand of fruity sparkling water cans in the UK: The Grocer revealed last year the soft drinks giant had applied to register Aha as a trademark in the UK.

Smaller players are eyeing the format too. In July 2021, alkaline ionised bottled water startup Actiph launched a canned vitamin-packed sparkling water drinks brand called Acti-Vit.