MILAN – The Sanpellegrino Group recorded significant growth in 2014: after an essentially stable year in 2013, Italy’s leading drinks sector company reported a turnover of 811 million euros last year, with an increase of 6.3%. This therefore resumes the positive trend that has even characterised Sanpellegrino in years which have been difficult for domestic food companies due to reduced consumption, particularly in Italy. Now, the good news is coming from our very own country, where the company closed with sales of over 2 billion bottles: an increase of 0.4% compared with 2013; an encouraging sign added to the data registered by the Group on the international markets, where growth continues with rates in double figures (+13.9% volume in 2013). In particular, S. Pellegrino mineral water reports growth of around 6%, Acqua Panna, over 4% and Sanpellegrino Beverages, over 15.1%.

Recovery and faith

“We have closed an excellent 2014 and in the light of the recovery of our sales in Italy, we are also looking forward with faith and renewed enthusiasm to 2015, where we will be major players at the Expo – states Stefano Agostini, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Sanpellegrino Group – Notwithstanding the decrease in internal demand and the bad weather of last summer, we have succeeded in increasing the volume of mineral water and maintaining a prominent position in the non-alcoholic drinks sector, thanks to investments in innovation and product restyling. This is a positive result, all the more important given the conditions of the Italian market,  with the data records indicating we are continuing to make gains with our internationalisation policy for S.Pellegrino mineral waters, Panna and Sanpellegrino Beverages. We are convinced – Agostini concludes – that in future, these figures will also be able to benefit from the effects of Expo Milano 2015, an opportunity for the whole Italian agri-food industry to show its colours before the eyes of the world”.

New markets

Indeed, the global expansion of the Group continues; its products reached 6 new markets (Algeria, Dominica, Kyrgyzstan, Mayotte, Venezuela and the Virgin Islands) in 2014, thus exceeding the quota of 140 countries. As a whole, exports of S.Pellegrino mineral waters, Acqua Panna and beverages under the Sanpellegrino brand have exceeded sales of a billion units and today represent 47% of the overall turnover of the Group.