Highland Spring
Highland Spring is a privately held UK bottled water producer founded in 1979, sourcing natural spring water from underground springs in Scotland's Ochil Hills. It sells still, sparkling, flavoured, glass, boxed, and recycled-plastic water through UK supermarket and convenience retail channels.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1979
- HeadquartersPerth, United Kingdom
- Headcount251–500
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingHardware or Manufacturing
What Highland Spring does
Highland Spring is a privately held UK bottled water producer headquartered in Perth, Scotland, with operations centered at its Blackford production site. Founded in 1979, the company draws natural spring water from underground sources in the Ochil Hills and has grown into what it describes as the UK's leading water brand. For the year ending December 2024, the company reported revenue of £148.2 million, up 13.5% year-over-year, and pre-tax profits of £7.59 million.
The company operates a diversified product portfolio. Still and sparkling spring water are the core offerings, complemented by a flavoured still water range (Apple & Blackcurrant, Orange & Passionfruit, Summer Berries), premium glass bottles, boxed water, bottles made from 100% recycled plastic, and a specialized Hydr8 hydration line. Highland Spring generates revenue almost entirely through wholesale bottled water sales to UK retail channels — supermarkets and convenience stores — with distribution limited to a single domestic geography. The company is investing in operational expansion at the Blackford site, has begun constructing a solar farm to partially power production, and has entered a partnership with the Woodland Trust to support UK woodland conservation.
The business model is a conventional branded CPG wholesale model: Highland Spring produces and packages branded water at its Blackford facility, then sells through retailer-distributed channels at consumer price points that are not publicly disclosed. Its customer base, while not broken out by retailer, is implicitly concentrated in the UK grocery and convenience sectors. Marketing is executed via organic social (Facebook, X, Instagram, LinkedIn) and the company website, with no disclosed direct-to-consumer e-commerce channel of note. There is no indication of public-company ownership, M&A activity, or external venture funding rounds within the source data.
Highland Spring firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Highland Spring
- Legal name
- Highland Spring Limited
- Website
- https://highlandspringgroup.com
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1979
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 251–500 employees
- Short description
- Highland Spring is a privately held UK bottled water producer founded in 1979, sourcing natural spring water from underground springs in Scotland's Ochil Hills. It sells still, sparkling, flavoured, glass, boxed, and recycled-plastic water through UK supermarket and convenience retail channels.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Highland Spring industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Bottled Water
- NAICS
- Bottled Water Manufacturing (312112)
- SIC
- Bottled & Canned Soft Drinks & Carbonated Waters (2086)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Spring Water Bottling (AFAFACAA)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Sparkling/Carbonated Bottled Water Production (AFAFACAE), Flavored/Enhanced Bottled Water Production (Essenced, Vitamin, Electrolyte) (AFAFACAF), Bottled Water (Still, Sparkling, Enhanced) (CRADAHAC)
Keywords
Where Highland Spring is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Perth
- HQ country
- United Kingdom
- HQ region
- Europe
Offices2 records
Markets served
Highland Spring business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Hardware or Manufacturing
- Cost components
- Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Bottled Water Sales: Highland Spring generates revenue through the production and sale of bottled water products including still water, sparkling water, flavoured water, glass bottled water, boxed water, and 100% recycled plastic bottles.
Go-to-market motion1 record
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels5 records
Highland Spring product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Highland Spring produces and sells bottled natural spring water sourced from underground springs in the Ochil Hills, Scotland. The portfolio includes still and sparkling water as core SKUs, plus flavoured still water, glass-bottled water, boxed water, and 100% recycled plastic bottles. Products are sold through UK retail channels under the Highland Spring brand, with the Hydr8 line as a specialised hydration sub-brand.
Product overview
Highland Spring is a UK bottled water company offering a diversified portfolio of spring water products sourced from the Ochil Hills. The core offering consists of Still Water and Sparkling Water as the primary products, complemented by a Flavoured Still Water range (including Apple & Blackcurrant, Orange & Passionfruit, and Summer Berries varieties). The company provides multiple packaging formats including plastic bottles (including 100% recycled variants), glass bottles, and boxed water, with a specialized Hydr8 hydration line. Highland Spring positions itself as the UK's leading water brand with a focus on natural sourcing, sustainability, and responsible packaging.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Hydr8: Product line under Highland Spring offering hydration products
Products and services
- Still Water Pure tasting, refreshing spring water sourced from the Ochil Hills, available in various bottle sizes and formats for UK consumers.
- Sparkling Water Carbonated spring water sourced from the Ochil Hills, offering refreshment with natural bubbles for UK consumers.
- Flavoured Still Water Sugar-free flavoured spring water in varieties including Apple & Blackcurrant, Orange & Passionfruit, and Summer Berries, targeted at consumers seeking flavoured hydration without sugar.
- Glass Bottled Water Premium spring water packaged in glass bottles, targeted at consumers and hospitality occasions seeking enhanced taste and sustainable packaging.
- Boxed Water Spring water packaged in a recyclable box format, offered as a sustainable alternative to plastic bottles for environmentally conscious consumers.
- 100% Recycled Bottled Water Bottled water packaged in bottles made from 100% recycled plastic, supporting the circular economy and reducing use of virgin plastic.
- Hydr8 Specialised hydration product line marketed under the Hydr8 sub-brand within the Highland Spring portfolio.
Companies that use Highland Spring
Customer profileSegments3 records
Ideal customer profiles2 records
Highland Spring technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Highland Spring partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
One partnership is on record.
- Woodland TrustcoreHighland Spring Group announced a new partnership with the UK's largest woodland conservation charity, the Woodland Trust. This partnership aligns with Highland Spring's sustainability and environmental responsibility focus, supporting woodland conservation efforts in the UK.
Scale indicators3 records
Recent moves4 records
Expansion highlights4 records
Highland Spring competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Buxton Water: Nestlé-owned UK natural mineral water brand bottled in the Peak District. Directly competes with Highland Spring in UK retail on still and sparkling spring/mineral water, with overlapping customer base and channels.
- Volvic: Danone-owned natural spring water brand sold across UK retail. Competes head-to-head with Highland Spring in still and flavoured water segments, with comparable sustainability messaging and packaging formats.
- Evian: Danone's global premium spring water brand with established UK retail presence. Comparable natural spring source positioning, premium pricing strategy, and broad packaging range.
- Harrogate Spring Water: UK independent bottled water producer drawing from a Harrogate spring, sold through retail and home delivery. Closest direct competitor in scale and independent heritage within the UK market.
- Perrier: Nestlé-owned naturally sparkling mineral water with premium positioning. Closely comparable to Highland Spring's sparkling product line and glass-bottle premium tier.
- San Pellegrino: Nestlé-owned premium sparkling mineral water with strong UK foodservice and retail presence. Comparable premium sparkling positioning and glass-format packaging.
Broad incumbents
- Nestlé Waters UK: UK arm of the global bottled water leader, owner of Buxton and Perrier among others. Operates broadly across multiple water and beverage categories, leveraging deep retail relationships and marketing scale that dwarf Highland Spring.
- Danone Waters UK: UK division of Danone, marketer of Evian, Volvic, and Aqua. A diversified incumbent with category-leading scale, broader sustainability programs, and stronger trade-marketing budgets.
- Britvic: UK-listed soft drinks major with extensive UK retail relationships across juices, carbonates, and water. While not a pure-play bottled water peer, it competes for shelf space and consumer occasions, particularly in flavoured water.
Regional players
- Aqua (Danone): Danone's bottled water brand serving Indonesia and other Southeast Asian markets. Comparable as a regional spring water brand under Danone's portfolio, but operates outside Highland Spring's UK geography.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat3 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Highland Spring social profiles
Digital presenceHighland Spring financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Highland Spring leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles3 records
Highland Spring funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds2 records
Investors3 records
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Highland Spring M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Highland Spring
What does Highland Spring do?
Highland Spring produces and sells bottled natural spring water sourced from underground springs in the Ochil Hills, Scotland. The portfolio includes still and sparkling water as core SKUs, plus flavoured still water, glass-bottled water, boxed water, and 100% recycled plastic bottles. Products are sold through UK retail channels under the Highland Spring brand, with the Hydr8 line as a specialised hydration sub-brand.
Is Highland Spring a public or private company?
Highland Spring is a private company. It is classified as founder individual operated bootstrapped and is currently operating.
When was Highland Spring founded?
Highland Spring was founded in 1979. It employs 251 to 500 people.
Where is Highland Spring based?
Highland Spring is headquartered in Perth, United Kingdom, in the Europe region.
How does Highland Spring make money?
One revenue line is on record: bottled Water Sales.
Who are Highland Spring's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Buxton Water, Volvic, Evian, Harrogate Spring Water, Perrier and San Pellegrino. Broad incumbents are Nestlé Waters UK, Danone Waters UK and Britvic. Aqua (Danone) is listed as a regional player.
Does Highland Spring have an API?
No public API is recorded for Highland Spring.
What industry is Highland Spring in?
Highland Spring's product category is Bottled Water. Its primary akta.pro industry code is AFAFACAA, Spring Water Bottling, with a secondary code of AFAFACAE, Sparkling/Carbonated Bottled Water Production. Its NAICS code is 312112 and its SIC code is 2086.