What Acqua Lete does

Acqua Lete is an Italian mineral water brand operated by Società Generale delle Acque Minerali S.p.A. (SGAM S.p.A.), a privately held S.p.A. with legal and administrative headquarters in Rome and a single bottling facility in Pratella (Campania). The company sources a naturally effervescent bicarbonate-calcic mineral water from a protected aquifer in the Matese mountain range, where the water acquires its mineral profile and naturally occurring CO2 over an approximately 25-year underground journey. No artificial treatments are applied; the water is bottled directly at source with reported CO2 of 1,970 mg/L, calcium of 302 mg/L, bicarbonate of 950 mg/L, and the lowest sodium level (0.005 g/L) among Italian naturally effervescent mineral waters.

The commercial portfolio spans three packaging lines — PET (standard and Premium, 50cl to 150cl), Glass (33cl to 100cl, oriented to HoReCa) and the newer ICON aluminum format — sold through supermarkets, convenience stores and pharmacies for at-home consumption, through the glass line to hotels, restaurants and bars for on-premise service, and via an own-storefront e-commerce channel. The brand monetises primarily through one-off packaged-goods sales at retail and foodservice price points, supplemented by national-visibility marketing anchored on its Premium Partnership with the Italian National Football Teams (since 2015) and additional club sponsorships (AC Milan, SSC Napoli, Atalanta, AC Monza) and federation deals (FIGC, AIA, Fencing, FIJLKAM). Two Ministry of Health label-authorised health claims — digestive function (2005) and calcium contribution to bone health (2022) — and a stack of environmental credentials (ISO 14001 since 2007, ISO 14064-1 since 2012, EPD, 100% renewable energy since 2004, Coripet founding membership) underpin its premium and sustainability positioning.

The operating base of 51–100 employees and 130+ year heritage (first marketed 1893) make Acqua Lete a mid-sized, single-source, single-market Italian CPG operator with no disclosed international distribution, no disclosed revenue, no disclosed funding rounds and no disclosed M&A activity. Customer reach is broadly distributed through mass-market retail and hospitality channels, with the principal commercial risks concentrated in domestic Italian demand sensitivity, input (PET/glass/aluminum) cost cycles, and the competitive intensity of the Italian mineral water market against larger listed and private peers.

Name

Acqua Lete

Legal name

Società Generale delle Acque Minerali S.p.A.

Website

https://acqualete.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1893

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Acqua Lete, operated by SGAM S.p.A., bottles and distributes a naturally effervescent Italian mineral water from the Matese mountains through PET, glass and aluminum formats via retail, HoReCa and e-commerce channels across Italy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Bottled Mineral Water

NAICS

Bottled Water Manufacturing (312112)

SIC

Bottled & Canned Soft Drinks & Carbonated Waters (2086)

akta.pro primary industry

Mineral Water Bottling (Naturally Mineral) (AFAFACAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Sparkling/Carbonated Bottled Water Production (AFAFACAE)

Keywords

• Mineral water production
• Bottled water manufacturing
• Naturally effervescent water
• Beverage packaging
• Italian mineral water

Headquarters

HQ city

Rome

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Bottled Water Sales: Acqua Lete generates revenue through the sale of bottled mineral water in various formats (PET, glass, aluminum) and sizes (33cl to 150cl) through retail and foodservice channels.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Acqua Lete manufactures and distributes naturally effervescent mineral water sourced from a protected underground aquifer in the Matese mountain range in Italy. The water undergoes a natural 25-year underground journey acquiring its distinctive mineral profile before being bottled directly at source. The company offers its mineral water in three main packaging lines: PET (standard and Premium), Glass, and Aluminum (ICON), across multiple sizes from 33cl to 150cl.

Product overview

Acqua Lete is a portfolio of naturally effervescent mineral water products managed by SGAM S.p.A. (Società Generale delle Acque Minerali S.p.A.), originating from the Matese National Park. The product range consists of three main packaging lines: PET (available in standard and Premium variants, in sizes from 50cl to 150cl), Glass/Vetro (in sizes from 33cl to 100cl, preferred by hospitality establishments), and Aluminum/ICON (lightweight format for on-the-go consumption). Acqua Lete is classified as a naturally effervescent bicarbonate-calcic mineral water with very low sodium content (0.005 g/L) and high calcium (302 mg/L) and bicarbonate (950 mg/L) levels. The portfolio is complemented by the In-Forma digital magazine, an informational content platform covering mineral water properties, nutrition, health benefits, and sports hydration guidance.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• PET: Linea PET 100% riciclabile per ogni tipo di utilizzo, sia in casa che fuori.
• PET PREMIUM
• VETRO
• VETRO PREMIUM
• ICON

Products and services

• Acqua Lete PET

Quantifiable outcome

• 302 mg/L calcium content contributes approximately 30% of daily calcium requirement per liter consumed
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers9 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core, major and minor.

• Nazionale Italiana di Calcio (Italian National Football Teams)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2015Acqua Lete has been Premium Partner of the Italian National Football Teams (Azzurri) since 2015. This is a flagship marketing partnership featuring TV advertising campaigns and broad national visibility.
• Fondazione Rita Levi Montalcini OnluscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2011Through the 'Lete per la Vita' campaign, Acqua Lete supported the Rita Levi Montalcini Foundation which has promoted education for over 12,000 children and young women in Africa since 2001. Projects include literacy programs, primary education, and vocational training across over 40 African countries.
• Susan G. Komen ItaliacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2008Acqua Lete has supported Susan G. Komen Italia since 2008, an organization fighting breast cancer since 2000. The partnership focuses on the Race for the Cure event, promoting breast cancer prevention awareness and fundraising. Since 2000, Susan G. Komen Italia has distributed over €1,600,000 for breast cancer research and prevention programs.
• Green Cross ItaliacoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Acqua Lete supports Green Cross Italia, a UN-recognized environmental organization founded by Mikhail Gorbachev in 1993. Since 2007, they collaborate on environmental initiatives including the 'Immagini per la terra' competition for Italian school students, promoting environmental awareness among youth generations.
• AC MilanmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSports sponsorship partnership with AC Milan football club.
• SSC NapolimajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSports sponsorship partnership with SSC Napoli football club.
• Atalanta BCmajorGTM or Marketing PartnerSports sponsorship partnership with Atalanta BC football club.
• AC MonzaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerSports sponsorship partnership with AC Monza football club.
• Federazione Italiana Giuoco Calcio (FIGC)flagshipGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with the Italian Football Federation as part of the broader National Teams sponsorship.
• Associazione Italiana Arbitri (AIA)majorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with the Italian Football Referees Association.
• Federazione Italiana SchermaminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with the Italian Fencing Federation.
• FIJLKAM (Federazione Italiana Judo Lotta Karate Arti Marziali)minorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with the Italian Judo, Wrestling, Karate, and Martial Arts Federation.
• CoripetcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcqua Lete is a founding member of Coripet, a voluntary non-profit consortium for PET recycling. The consortium promotes a closed 'bottle to bottle' supply chain, transforming used bottles into R-PET for new bottle production, reducing virgin raw materials and minimizing waste.
• Giffoni Film FestivalminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPartnership with the Giffoni Film Festival, a major international children's film festival in Italy.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Rocchetta: Italian still and sparkling mineral water brand owned by Danone. Overlapping retail and HORECA distribution and a similar premium positioning to Acqua Lete.
• Ferrarelle: Italy's leading naturally effervescent mineral water, also from Campania. Directly comparable as a domestic naturally sparkling mineral water brand competing in the same retail, hospitality, and sports-sponsorship channels.
• Gerolsteiner: German naturally sparkling mineral water rich in calcium and magnesium. Comparable mineral-profile-based positioning and premium pricing, with strong sports and health-occasion marketing.
• Uliveto: Italian naturally sparkling mineral water with a bicarbonate-calcic profile and health-claim positioning. Closely comparable product composition and target consumer health narrative.
• Lauretana: Italian ultra-light mineral water brand marketed on purity and low mineral content. Comparable as a mid-sized Italian mineral water producer with national retail distribution and a health-claim-led narrative.
• Acqua San Benedetto: Major Italian mineral water company with still and sparkling SKUs. Direct competitor across retail, foodservice, and on-the-go formats, with similar product breadth and Italian market focus.

Broad incumbents

• Perrier: Global benchmark for naturally carbonated mineral water, owned by Nestlé. Comparable product type and premium occasion use, with a much larger international footprint and brand recognition.
• Evian: Global premium mineral water brand owned by Danone. Comparable as a premium mineral water with health/lifestyle positioning, although Acqua Lete is sparkling and Evian still.
• Sanpellegrino: Iconic Italian sparkling mineral water brand owned by Nestlé Waters. Comparable product (naturally carbonated mineral water), overlapping Italian and international distribution, and a much broader portfolio and marketing budget.

Regional players

• Levissima: Italian still mineral water owned by Sanpellegrino/Nestlé. Comparable as a domestically produced Italian mineral water in the same retail and HORECA channels, with strong sustainability credentials.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/Acqua_Lete
• Facebookfacebook.com/AcquaLete

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Acqua Lete