Bottled water has become king in the United States. Consumers are trading in their cases of cola for cases of bottled water. In 1983, when Eldorado Natural Spring Water was founded, purchasing bottled water was a bit of a novelty. Fast-forward to 2018, and we have gone from novelty to ubiquity. Eldorado has been a visionary company for seeing trends well into the future. And in all modesty, seeing the bottled water market explode in the twenty-first century has been fulfilling for us. The cycle of water has come full circle.
According to BevNET Magazine, "In 2016, bottled water outpaced carbonated soft drinks for the first time ever." Americans are buying bottled water with a fervent gusto—and a health revolution is underway. Prior to sodas, Red Bull, and Monster Energy, we didn't have a heck of a lot of go-to beverage options. Water was a staple when you couldn't just ride your horse to the nearest soda fountain or head to the nearest country store for a Red Bull.
Years ago, people were consuming various types of water, such as well and spring water. As America evolved and matured, so did the beverages that Americans drank. Or, might we suggest that the beverages actually began to devolve? Eventually, carbonation, artificial sweeteners, and artificial flavoring crowded the market, and the Pepsi Generation was born. Sodas exploded in popularity and people had a plethora of beverage choices. In 2018, however, soft drinks are declining in popularity while regular bottled water and plain sparkling water is on the upswing. This is a result of consumers wanting a healthier alternative to soda.
NBA basketball players are drinking more bottled water now as well—not so much the sparkling variety, but spring water, with LeBron James leading the charge. Players appear to be shying away from the traditional sugary sports drinks in favor of plain water, which is a big shift from the Michael Jordan Gatorade days.
Experts have been sounding the alarm bell on how much sugar the average American is consuming each day, and we are now seeing people come full circle as they begin to prefer water again. Consumers are beginning to respond by shifting to healthier ways to hydrate.
In addition to returning to water, consumers are also becoming more educated on where exactly their water is sourced from. Drinking bottled water is not enough for some. These consumers are taking the time to research and educate themselves, not only on what is in the water, but where it is really coming from.
At Eldorado Natural Spring Water, our water is sourced from a naturally occurring Artesian spring east of the Continental Divide in Eldorado Springs, Colorado. For 35 years, we have been providing award-winning spring water to the great state of Colorado. It is an extraordinary spring and historic Colorado water source.