It’s the festive period and our tables are laden with yummy meats and delicious pies. Naturally, the idea of wanting to serve our family and guests “better” water and drinks would creep into our minds.
As the famous Leonardo da Vinci once said: “Water is the driving force of all nature,” what better way to celebrate life than to drink good water. Although Singapore is really one of the rare few countries in the world where you can easily consume clean water on tap, there are just some days you might want to drink quality water for celebrations, to pair it with the great food you are having, or just to pamper your guests and yourself.
If you did your research, just 1 bottle of 500ml Acqua Panna Natural Mineral Water costs around $3.70 at supermarkets and convenience stores like 7-Eleven. Evian Natural Mineral Water is priced at a similar price ($3.30) for the same amount of liquid.
For the uninitiated, it may be a price shock to you and you will wonder why they are so expensive. You may question why you should spend twice or even thrice the amount on water when you can grab other brands and serve them chilled or just boil your own water to serve without spending a dime.
Before you decide to add other brands into your shopping cart or opt for free alternatives, here are reasons why it is worthwhile to consider paying more for Acqua Panna and Evian natural mineral water.
Acqua Panna and Evian Are Brands That Are Hundreds Of Years Old
Acqua Panna comes from Tuscany, Italy, in a countryside that was home to the Medici family, a powerful family that influenced Italy’s history and politics. While some streams and springs were undrinkable due to pollution, the Medici family have protected their spring (Acqua Panna) and used it as a clean drinking source since the 1500s.
This means that the Acqua Panna water source has over 450 years of history. When people learn of Acqua Panna and its heritage, they will believe that the water is of premium quality as the source is well-known for its “pure” attributes and has been protected for generations.
Evian water is collected and bottled from its source the Cachat Spring in a small village called Evian-les-Bains. The quaint town is situated beneath the French Alps and on the shores of Lake Geneva. The spring was brought to prominence by Marquis de Lessert who drank water from it in 1789 and claimed that the water improved his ailing health. The brand has been around for more than 230 years.
The deep heritage allows the brands to forge trust and confidence with generations of consumers. Customers are willing to pay a premium to consume the spring water as the brands have kept their image the same throughout the centuries.
Single Source Natural Springs’ Scarcity
Acqua Panna’s natural water is from an underground source that takes many years to flow to the spring. The spring is found in the Panna Estate near Florence. The estate is 1,300 hectares large and is home to wildlife and the Villa Panna residence (a farmhouse once owned by the Medici family). The countryside has a history of luxurious and premium vineyards. As the spring water is from the same land that makes good wine, it is natural for people to believe that water from that area will be of quality.
Evian’s water comes from a single source – the Cachat Spring with water that trickles down from the French Alps. The business owns the water source and no one else has the legal rights to take water from the same source. This also means that the business works very hard to keep it protected from pollution and spends a lot of money to keep its glacier pure.
Evian’s water source is heavily guarded to prevent people from entering and causing foul play. It also invests in green technology to ensure that its glacier lasts as long as possible.
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Quality Natural Mineral Water And “Crisp” Flavour With Health Benefits
Acqua Panna’s balanced blend of mineral salts and trace of elements make it a perfect pairing with a variety of dishes and for complementing wines. The water includes elements like calcium, chloride, bicarbonate, magnesium, and sulphate and has a “clear” flavour that is unique to the Acqua Panna natural spring.
The brand markets its water to pair with fine dining too, thanks to its “clear” and “cold” flavour which cleanses the palate for the next course. It is also suitable for those who want to drink wine and water at the same time to not get tipsy – as Acqua Panna will not change the taste of the wine.
Evian water is known to taste “cool” and “crisp” because the water is derived from glacial snow. The nutritional makeup of Evian water includes calcium, chloride bicarbonate, magnesium, nitrate, sodium and sulphates. These are natural components that can only be found from an underground formation called an aquifer from which water flows to the surface of the earth at a source. The spring water is naturally pure with a stable composition.
Source: Evian
Natural spring water is said to bring nutritional value and provides multiple health benefits, according to health site WebMd. It can contribute to better heart health by lowering bad cholesterol and raising good cholesterol, lowers blood pressure, and relieves constipation.
Efforts By Acqua Panna And Evian To Maintain A Sustainable Production Process
The businesses follow sustainable processes and have low carbon footprint, which is suitable for the environmentally conscious consumer.
Acqua Panna has applied for certification with the Alliance for Water Stewardship (AWS) in 2022 to change its production processes and sourcing technology. The AWS is a global membership collaboration of businesses, non-government organisations and the public sector. Members contribute to the sustainability of local water resources through the adoption of a universal framework for the sustainable use of water.
Evian is a forward player in sustainability, as it already announced in 2017 that its French bottling site is carbon neutral. The site is 100% powered by renewable energy.
Evian has also changed its bottling process and uses polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles – plastics that are the most recyclable in the world. However the process to produce these bottles are costly and time-consuming as the company tests the bottles and manufactures the PET material themselves.
Although the bottling process costs more, it is a way Evian stays in line with its healthy living branding and protects the planet. The company produces 6 million plastic bottles per day, and over 2 billion per year – it is heartening to know that all these plastics can be recycled.
Shipping And Distribution, Branding And Marketing Costs
As the 2 brands are from Europe, the prices of goods will automatically rise when they are imported here due to transportation, shipping costs and taxes. The beverages are likely to be heavy too, and that adds to more shipping costs. By the time the beverage we pay for arrive at our tables, we would have paid quite a bit for shipping and distribution even if we don’t see it.
The brands also have to run marketing campaigns and endorsements to reach new markets as well as keep the products relevant.
Partly thanks to their branding efforts, the mineral water are seen as luxury lifestyle products and are served in high-end restaurants. It makes sense for high-end restaurants to serve premium water to their guests as these customers are likely to expect quality service and food, so that includes the water they consume too.
How To Save Money On Acqua Panna and Evian
The most convenient way to get premium water at a discounted price is to buy them in bulk.
Acqua Panna is sold at $14.19 for 6 bottles (500ml) on Amazon, which is $2.37 per bottle and around $1.40 cheaper than if you were to purchase 1 bottle from a grocery shop ($3.70 per bottle).
A pack of 6 bottles of 500ml Evian Natural Mineral Water is $10.15, that’s $1.69 per bottle and around $1.60 cheaper compared to buying 1 bottle from convenience stores like 7-Eleven or Cheers ($3.30 per bottle).
Purchasing Acqua Panna and Evian Natural Mineral Water
| 1 bottle of 500ml Acqua Panna | $3.70 per bottle |
| 6 bottles of 500ml Acqua Panna | $14.19/6 = $2.37 per bottle |
| 1 bottle of 500ml Evian | $3.30 per bottle |
| 6 bottles of 500ml Evian | $10.15/6 = $1.69 per bottle |
You can also watch out for seasonal deals at supermarkets when they slash prices on most products. Try to stock up and buy more of the discounted items to save on multiple trips to the store.
Another way to save money is to sign up for membership or reward cards at grocery stores and collect points/rebates to redeem discounts for the items.
While you are at it, don’t forget to show your family and guests that you spent money buying expensive water for them. The funny thing about branded water is that seeing is often believing. So do present the bottles conspicuously at dinner tables to hint to your guests that you got them really good water.
Featured Image Credit: Angela Teng, Grizzlybear-se
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The post Why Premium Bottled Water Like Acqua Panna & Evian Are So Expensive And Why We Still Buy Them appeared first on DollarsAndSense.sg.
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