Exports drive Sanpellegrino Group’s 2018 growth

The historic Sanpellegrino mineral water and soft drinks brand posted 4% year-on-year sales growth in 2018 to reach €928 million, 56.9% of which was generated outside Italy.

Federico Sarzi Braga, Presidente e AD Sanpellegrino

Exports rose by 8%, with a particularly strong performance in the UK (25%), France (19%) and Germany and China (18%). The USA remained the largest market with 12% growth in sales.

The best-performing brands were the S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna mineral waters, which are sold in more than 150 countries worldwide and grew in value by 6% and 10% respectively.

The Group’s domestic sales remained substantially stable with sales of €400 million, in line with the previous year. Sanpellegrino has announced investments of €70 million over the next three years to renovate the factory building and improve the efficiency of the production plant in Scarperia (Florence).

At the Nestlé Vera factory in San Giorgio in Bosco (Padua), the Group is investing around €29 million in a new canned drinks line and a new warehouse.

The group’s development plans for 2019 include boosting the internationalisation of Acqua Panna, a brand whose sales have exceeded 300 million bottles worldwide.