Acqua Cerelia

What Acqua Cerelia does

Acqua Cerelia is an Italian natural mineral water brand bottled at source in Cereglio, in the Bologna province of Emilia Romagna. The spring was discovered in 1902 and commercial bottling began in 1947, giving the brand more than 120 years of heritage. Since March 2022 the company has been owned by Sorgenti Italiane Regionali S.p.A. (SIR), an Italian multi-source mineral water platform that committed approximately EUR 2.5 million to an industrial modernization plan covering production, bottling, and digitalization.

The company operates two product lines. The Salute e Benessere range is the family-oriented retail line distributed in PET and glass formats, while the Black&Gold line is a premium 0.75L glass format targeted at the HORECA channel. Differentiation rests on a low nitrate content of 2 mg/L and a bicarbonate-rich profile, and Acqua Cerelia was the first Italian mineral water to obtain an Environmental Product Declaration (EPD); it is also ISO 14001 certified. Go-to-market combines broad retail distribution for the family line with selective on-premise placements through the Gocce di Eccellenza fine-dining network for the premium line, supplemented by regional sports sponsorships (Virtus Bologna, Pallacanestro Reggiana) and branded-content initiatives such as the Pizza Challenge partnership.

Revenue mechanics rely on bottled-water unit sales across retail and HORECA channels, with the premium tier positioned to capture higher per-bottle margins in fine-dining accounts. The organization is intentionally lean at approximately six employees, reflecting its sub-scale regional status and its reliance on the SIR group for shared commercial and industrial infrastructure. No AI/ML capability, disclosed revenue figures, or material export scale are documented in the available evidence.

Name

Acqua Cerelia

Legal name

Sorgenti Italiane Regionali S.p.A.

Website

https://acquacerelia.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1902

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Acqua Cerelia is an Italian natural mineral water brand bottled at source in Cereglio, Emilia Romagna, owned by SIR Group since 2022. It serves families through the Salute e Benessere retail line and premium restaurants through the Black&Glass and Black&Glass HORECA line.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Bottled Mineral Water

NAICS

Bottled Water Manufacturing (312112)

SIC

Beverages (2080)

akta.pro primary industry

Mineral Water Bottling (Naturally Mineral) (AFAFACAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Bottled Water (Still, Sparkling, Enhanced) (CRADAHAC)

Keywords

• Natural mineral water
• Bottled water production
• Premium water
• HORECA water supply
• Oligomineral water

Headquarters

HQ city

Cereglio (Bologna)

HQ country

Italy

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Bottled Water Sales - Retail: Sale of oligomineral water in PET and glass bottles through retail channels. The Salute e Benessere line targets family/household consumption with formats from 0.5L to 1.5L PET and 1L glass bottles.
2. HORECA Water Sales - Black&Gold Line: Premium water line for fine dining restaurants, sold in elegant glass bottles (0.25L, 0.5L, 0.75L) and PET formats. Targets high-end restaurants and culinary establishments.
3. Direct Distribution Services: Home and premises delivery service for customers who request Cerelia directly through the contact form.

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Acqua Cerelia produces and bottles natural mineral water from a protected spring in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines at Cereglio, Bologna. It operates two distinct product lines: Salute e Benessere (family/retail hydration in PET 0.5L/1.5L and glass 1L formats) and Black&Gold (premium HORECA line in PET and glass bottles up to 1L), both available as still and sparkling variants. The company distributes via retail wholesale, HORECA direct sales, and direct delivery to homes and premises.

Product overview

Acqua Cerelia is a natural mineral water company producing two distinct product lines: Salute e Benessere (Health and Wellness) for retail/family consumption in PET (0.50L, 1.5L) and glass (1L) formats; and Black&Gold, a premium line for fine dining (HORECA) in PET (0.42L, 0.68L, 1L) and glass (0.25L, 0.50L, 0.75L) bottles. Both lines offer natural still and sparkling (frizzante) variants, featuring innovative design and sustainable packaging. The company is owned by Sorgenti Italiane Regionali (SIR) group and operates from Cereglio, Bologna since 1902.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Salute e Benessere: Retail product line for domestic and on-the-go consumption, available in PET (0.50L and 1.50L) and glass (1L) bottles. Designed for complete family hydration.
• Black&Gold
• Gocce d'Eccellenza

Quantifiable outcome

• Nitrate content of 2 mg/L - five times below the 10 mg/L regulatory threshold for infant water safety
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Pizza ChallengeminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 November 2025Official partner for the 6th season of the TV program dedicated to pizza excellence, broadcast on Canale 121 starting November 17, supporting Italian culinary culture.
• Pallacanestro ReggianacoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 September 2025Acqua Cerelia serves as Official Water partner for Pallacanestro Reggiana basketball team during the 2025/2026 season. The partnership includes player hydration support, brand visibility at matches, and alignment with sports wellness values.
• Ristorante Vite (San Patrignano)minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 September 2025Acqua Cerelia is the official water of inVite, an exclusive gastronomic event organized by Ristorante Vite featuring fine dining chefs, with proceeds supporting the San Patrignano community.
• Walter Bussolari PlaygroundminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 June 2025Official sponsor of the 43rd edition of the historic sporting event at Giardini Margherita, Bologna (June 16 - July 17, 2025).
• Final Four Coppa Italia SuperlegaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 January 2025Official Water sponsor for the volleyball championship finals event.
• + Gusto Festival BolognaminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 October 2024Third consecutive year partnership with the Bologna food festival celebrating regional flavors and culinary excellence.
• Virtus Bologna Segafredo BasketcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 1 December 2022Partnership with one of Italy's most decorated basketball clubs, positioning Acqua Cerelia as the Official Water with visibility at Paladozza arena and through team communications.
• Sorgenti Italiane Regionali S.p.A. (SIR)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 March 2022SIR acquired Acqua Cerelia in March 2022, integrating it into a group with other Italian water brands (Acqua Orsini, Fonte De' Medici). The group aims for sustainable, territorial growth while maintaining each brand's identity.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Broad incumbents

• Levissima: Mineral water brand within the Sanpellegrino/Nestlé Waters group sourced from the Lombardy Alps; comparable product (light oligomineral still and sparkling water) and overlapping retail + HORECA channels at national scale.
• San Pellegrino: Nestlé Waters' flagship Italian sparkling mineral water and global fine-dining incumbent; comparable for premium HORECA distribution and sparkling product benchmarks, with a far broader international footprint.
• Perrier: Global premium sparkling mineral water category benchmark; comparable on fine-dining positioning, sparkling water therapy, and international HORECA channel coverage Cerelia's Black&Gold line is targeting.

Direct peers

• Ferrarelle: Italy's leading domestic mineral water brand and the most direct comparison: still and sparkling oligomineral water, national HORECA + retail distribution, and premium positioning (Surgiva, Rocchetta) overlapping Cerelia's full portfolio.
• Fonte De' Medici: Another regional Italian mineral water brand within the SIR group, sourced from Tuscany; comparable on regional spring-bottled positioning, package sizing, and shared parent distribution leverage.
• Surgiva: Italian premium mineral water positioned for fine dining; directly comparable on premium HORECA bottles, sparkling/still formats, and curated chef-network distribution in the high-end on-trade.
• Solé (Acqua Solé): Premium Italian natural mineral water bottled at source in Lombardy; comparable product set, premium retail and HORECA positioning, and emphasis on mineral profile and heritage.
• Acqua Orsini: Sister brand of Acqua Cerelia under SIR (Sorgenti Italiane Regionali); bottled mineral water sourced from a regional Italian spring with shared distribution and GTM infrastructure — making it the most operationally comparable peer.

Emerging players

• Gerolsteiner: German premium mineral water with high bicarbonate and calcium content; comparable on functional mineral branding, gastronomy pairings, and a HORECA-led international positioning strategy.
• Uliveto: Italian mineral water with a bicarbonate- and mineral-rich profile, long positioned for digestion and wellness; conceptually comparable on health-led functional mineral claims versus Cerelia's nitrate-low and bicarbonate-dominant profile.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/acqua-cerelia

Compliance4 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries3 records

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 Cerelia