Bottled Water Industry

The vast majority of bottled water companies in the United States are very small (10 employees or less) and generate less than $10 million in sales annually. These are local family entrepreneurs with deep roots and strong ties within their communities. Generally speaking, the bottled water industry can be divided into two primary business models.

Home & Office Delivery

The home and office delivery (HOD) portion of the bottled water industry accounts for about 20% of the bottled water market.  These services involve delivery of three, four and five gallon bottles used with water coolers. This segment of the bottled water market has been providing consumers with safe, quality products for over one hundred years in the United States.

Retail Bottled Water

The second industry model is retail sale of bottled water to consumers in 2 ½ gallon, 1 gallon, and smaller sized bottles (e.g., half liter and liter), generally through grocery, club, and convenience stores, as well as vending machines. Retail business accounts for about 80% of the bottled water market, and is the largest and fastest growing segment of the United States bottled water industry.