Resurge seen in drinking water sales
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Thailand's Bt20-billion drinking-water market should see a resurgence after growth was nearly flat last year because of the massive flood in the fourth quarter.
Chanvit Kingthien, brand manager for Thai Beverage Marketing, said major bottlers of drinking water with plants in the flooded areas had suffered badly, and some would not fully recover until the second or third quarter.
“The overall market for bottled drinking water was nearly flat last year, with growth of only 1 or 2 per cent. However, we expect the market to recover this year with estimated growth of 10 per cent,” he said.
Chanvit said Thai Beverage Marketing targeted dramatic growth in sales of its Chang drinking water, by more than 30 per cent this year.
“We have increased our marketing budget for Chang drinking water by 30 per cent. We spent about Bt100 million on our drinking-water brand last year,” he said.
He added that amid the flooding, the company was able to increase sales of its Chang drinking water.
“Thai Beverage did not suffer a serious impact from the flood, thanks to our drinking-water plants being in various locations – Kamphaeng Phet, and Bang Ban and Wang Noi districts in Ayutthaya – to diversify business risk.”
Chanvit said three or four small drinking-water brands entered the market in particular locations last year as major producers could not deliver their products because of the flood.
He said Thai Beverage Marketing by the end of last year started to export its non-alcoholic beverages – flavoured soda water and Rangers energy drink – into Laos to test the market.
