What Acqua Santa Croce does

Acqua Santa Croce is an Italian natural mineral water bottler founded in 1975 and headquartered legally in Rome, with production operations based in the Central-Southern Apennines near Canistro, Monteroduni, and Castelpizzuto. The company draws oligomineral water (fixed residue of 177 mg/L, nitrate content of 0.5 mg/L) from a protected mountain spring that flows without artificial capture, and operates a top-ten Italian production facility comprising six PET bottling lines and one glass bottling line, modernized in 2016 with latest-generation Atlas machinery. The Italian Ministry of Health has formally recognized the water as suitable for the preparation of infant food, a key regulatory differentiator.

The company's product portfolio spans five main lines: Linea PET (0.5L, 1.5L, 2L), Linea PET HORECA (1L premium droplet design), Gamma Vetro (0.75L and 1L glass), multipack PET formats, and a consumer-focused Linea PET ASC, all available in naturale (still), frizzante (sparkling), and leggermente frizzante (lightly sparkling) variants. Distribution is multi-channel and strictly domestic: direct e-commerce through a Shopify storefront with a 75kg minimum order and Italy-only delivery, HORECA direct sales, retail/grocery through distributors, and dedicated supply to sponsored sports clubs.

Revenue is generated entirely through unit-priced bottled water sales across consumer and HORECA segments. Marketing investment is heavy and concentrated: national TV advertising on Mediaset (returned in early 2025), six Italian football sponsorships (Torino, SSC Bari, AC Milan, Bologna, Frosinone, Palermo), a volleyball partnership (Emma Villas Volley Siena), streaming product placements (Prime Video, Paramount+), and a partnership with the Società Italiana di Urologia for medically validated hydration positioning. The company is privately held by the Colella family through Colella Holding (acquired 2007), with second-generation General Manager Andrea Colella. No external investors, funding rounds, or M&A activity beyond the 2007 acquisition have been disclosed.

Name

Acqua Santa Croce

Legal name

Santa Croce S.r.l.

Website

https://acquasantacroce.it

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

Acqua Santa Croce is a Colella family-owned Italian natural mineral water bottler founded in 1975, producing oligomineral water from a protected Apennine spring for retail, HORECA, e-commerce, and sports sponsorship distribution exclusively within Italy.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Bottled Mineral Water

NAICS

All Other Specialty Food Retailers (445298)

SIC

Bottled & Canned Soft Drinks & Carbonated Waters (2086)

akta.pro primary industry

Dairy & Refrigerated Foods Packaging (IMALAHAG)

Keywords

• Bottled mineral water
• Natural spring water
• PET bottle packaging
• Glass bottled water
• HORECA beverage supply

Headquarters

HQ city

Canistro

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices3 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Bottled Water Sales: Sale of natural mineral water in PET and glass bottles through multiple channels including e-commerce, retail, and HORECA sectors. Product lines include Linea PET (0.5L, 1.5L, 2L), Linea PET HORECA (1L), Linea Vetro (0.75L, 1L), and Multipack options.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Acqua Santa Croce is a natural mineral water brand that bottles water directly from a protected Apennine mountain spring into PET and glass containers. The portfolio is organised into a consumer PET line (0.5L, 1.5L, 2L in still, sparkling, and lightly sparkling), a premium HORECA PET line (1L droplet-shaped bottles), and an elegant glass line (0.75L and 1L) for premium foodservice, distributed via e-commerce, retail, HORECA, and sports partnerships in Italy.

Product overview

Acqua Santa Croce is a natural mineral water brand offering a diversified portfolio of bottled water products across multiple packaging formats and channels. The product portfolio consists of five main lines: LINEA PET (standard plastic bottles in 0.5L, 1.5L, 2L formats), LINEA PET HORECA (premium PET with droplet design for hotels/restaurants/catering in 1L), GAMMA VETRO (elegant glass bottles for HORECA in 0.75L and 1L), Multipack Linea PET (bulk family packs), and Linea PET ASC (consumer retail-focused PET). All products are available in naturale (still), frizzante (sparkling), and leggermente frizzante (lightly sparkling) variants. The company also operates an e-commerce platform enabling direct consumer purchases with minimum order requirements.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Linea PET (Consumer PET Bottled Water) Consumer PET bottled water line in 0.5L, 1.5L, and 2L formats, available in naturale (still), frizzante (sparkling), and leggermente frizzante (lightly sparkling) variants. Sold through retail, supermarkets, and the company's e-commerce storefront for everyday family hydration.
• Linea PET HORECA (Premium 1L PET for HORECA) Premium PET bottle line in a distinctive droplet shape, designed specifically for hotels, restaurants, and catering (HORECA). Available in 1L naturale (still) and frizzante (sparkling), sold in 6-bottle packs for foodservice table service.
• Gamma Vetro (Glass Bottled Water for HORECA) Elegant glass-bottled mineral water line for the HORECA channel, available in 0.75L and 1L formats in naturale, frizzante, and leggermente frizzante variants. Designed for premium dining experiences and fine hospitality table service.
• Multipack Linea PET (Bulk Family Packs) Bulk purchasing option for PET bottled water in multi-pack configurations across 0.5L, 1.5L, and 2L bottles, intended for high-volume family consumption and e-commerce orders with a 75 kg minimum order requirement.
• Linea PET ASC (Retail-Focused PET Consumer Line) Consumer-focused PET bottled water offering 0.5L and 1.5L formats (naturale, frizzante, leggermente frizzante) plus 2L naturale, positioned for retail shoppers seeking quality bottled water with carbonation variety.

Quantifiable outcome

• Low nitrate content of 0.5 mg/L ensures high purity
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration7 records

Feature3 records

Partnerships

13 partnerships are on record, tiered core, minor and flagship.

• Bologna FCcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 24 October 2025Official Water Supplier relationship for team hydration during 2025 season.
• AC MilancoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 4 August 2025Partnership to promote Wellness, Quality and Sustainability. Collaboration focused on conveying healthy lifestyle messages through football.
• Frosinone CalciominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 18 July 2025Official Water Partner for 2025-2026 season, providing hydration for team.
• SSC BariflagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 15 July 2025Main Sponsor for 2025-2026 season. Acqua Santa Croce is exclusive sponsor on pre-match and training jersey fronts, with significant brand exposure at Stadio San Nicola through LED displays, hospitality areas, and press conference backdrops.
• Palermo FCminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 14 July 2025Official Water Partner arrangement for brand visibility in Sicilian market.
• Torino Football ClubcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 July 2025Biennial Official Water Partner agreement starting 2025/2026 season. Acqua Santa Croce will supply water to all players during training and matches, promoting hydration and healthy lifestyle values.
• Prime Video - Strapizzami di CoccoleminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 19 June 2025Product placement integration in the food series hosted by pizza master Errico Porzio, featuring Neapolitan pizza culture.
• Emma Villas Volley SienaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 February 2025Official water partner for 2024/2025 Serie A2 volleyball season, promoting balanced hydration through sport.
• Molino CasillominorGTM or Marketing Partner · 17 January 2025Co-exhibited at Sigep 2025 (Rimini foodservice exhibition) in Molino Casillo's stand (D5 | 049-048) to present glass line products.
• Paramount+ - Vita da Carlo 3minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 11 November 2024Product placement in Carlo Verdone's series about Sanremo Festival, airing on Paramount+, Sky Glass, and Sky Q.
• SSC Bari (Renewal)flagshipGTM or Marketing Partner · 6 September 2024Renewed and strengthened sponsorship for 2024/2025 season, marking increased investment in Puglia region.
• MineracquacoreOthers · 1 January 2016Membership in Mineracqua, the Italian federation of natural mineral water industries. Member of Confindustria, Conai, Federalimentare, and European Federation of Bottled Waters.
• Società Italiana di UrologiaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership to promote health and proper hydration, leveraging medical/scientific credibility.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Nestlé Waters: Global bottled-water division of Nestlé that owns San Pellegrino, Levissima, Perrier, and other regional brands. A broader incumbent with overlapping capabilities in Italian mineral water but operating at multinational scale and product portfolio breadth.

Direct peers

• Sangemini: Italian mineral water brand with both still and sparkling offerings in PET and glass, sold through retail and on-premise. Comparable on packaging format mix, Italian national footprint, and HORECA glass-line strategy.
• Rocchetta: Italian mineral water brand within the Sanpellegrino portfolio, with a focus on still and lightly sparkling variants. Comparable on low-mineral positioning, multi-format packaging, and Italian retail/HORECA distribution.
• Uliveto: Italian mineral water brand with a distinctive mineral profile, sold in retail and foodservice. Comparable on oligomineral positioning, Italian national distribution, and PET/glass packaging strategy.
• Bisleri: Historic Italian mineral water brand with strong national retail presence and a PET-led portfolio. Comparable on category positioning, PET format breadth, and Italian mass-market distribution.
• San Pellegrino: Premium Italian sparkling mineral water brand owned by Nestlé Waters, distributed through retail and HORECA channels globally. Direct competitor on sparkling/oligomineral positioning, packaging formats, and Italian premium dining exposure.
• Acqua Lete: Italian natural mineral water brand bottled in Southern Italy, sold through retail and HORECA. Comparable on regional Italian source, still/sparkling portfolio, and multi-format PET packaging.
• Acqua San Bernardo: Italian natural mineral water brand with national distribution through retail and HORECA. Comparable on multi-channel GTM, family-owned heritage, and Italian consumer branding through sponsorships.
• Ferrarelle: One of Italy's leading natural mineral water brands, headquartered in southern Italy with a multi-format PET and glass portfolio. Closely comparable to Acqua Santa Croce in terms of product range (still and sparkling), packaging mix, and Italian retail/HORECA distribution.
• Levissima: Italian natural mineral water brand (Sanpellegrino Group/Nestlé Waters), sourced from the Alps and distributed nationally. Comparable on Italian mineral-water positioning, retail and HORECA channels, and premium packaging.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SantaCroceAcqua
• Facebookfacebook.com/acquasantacroce
• Instagraminstagram.com/acquasantacroce

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

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 Santa Croce