The company’s entry into the premium water segment comes well after rival Coca-Cola bought Smartwater in 2007. For the first half of last year, Smartwater’s sales volume rose 16 percent, according to the industry tracker Beverage Digest.
“Coke’s Smartwater is growing very strongly and is becoming a real asset to Coke and its bottlers,” said John Sicher, publisher of Beverage Digest.
The publication had reported this summer on PepsiCo’s plans to enter the premium water category, noting that the drink would likely be called “Om.” After some consumer testing, PepsiCo says it decided to drop that name in favor of Qua (as in a shortened version of the word “aqua”).
Meanwhile, local government officials, including those in New York City, have touted the benefits of tap water as being free, safe and less harmful to the environment.
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