Danone, Harrogate Water ink share purchase agreement

It will provide new opportunities for both businesses to deliver growth across complementary channels

Danone and Harrogate Water have announced that they have entered into a share purchase agreement under which Danone will (through a UK subsidiary) acquire a majority stake in Harrogate Water.

Harrogate Water is a family-owned business with a unique British heritage and core strengths in foodservice and on-the-go consumption. The current shareholders of Harrogate Water, the Cain family, will remain as minority shareholders and continue to contribute to the growth of the company.

Harrogate Water is the owner of the award-winning, British water brand “Harrogate Spring Water”, one of the UK’s leading bottled water brands, and the charitable brand “Thirsty Planet”.

Danone is one of the world’s leading natural source water companies globally and home to iconic brands, including evian and Volvic. The acquisition will further develop Danone Waters’ position in the UK and support future growth for Harrogate Water’s portfolio.

It will provide new opportunities for both businesses to deliver growth across complementary channels, combining the respective know-how of Harrogate Water in foodservice and Out of Home channels and Danone Water in retail channels with its evian and Volvic brands.

This move also reflects the shared ambition of the two companies to encourage healthier and more sustainable drinking choices. Harrogate Water has a focus on sustainable business practice, including 100% recyclable packaging, bottles made from majority recycled content, both PET (rPET) and glass, as well as an exclusive partnership with Keep Britain Tidy. This will contribute towards accelerating Danone’s initiatives and commitments to bring the health benefits of mineral and spring water to more people, in a way that also helps to protect the planet’s resources, in line with Danone’s ‘One Planet. One Health’ vision, including the waters business’ commitment to be carbon neutral in Europe by 2030 and to be using 100% rPET in Europe by 2025.