Please enable JS and disable any ad blocker Responsibly sourcing mineral water with care Perla Harghitei and Apemin Tușnad are investing heavily in new technology and sustainable practices tells us how the two companies have maintained their position as the most modern natural mineral water businesses in Romania fresh water has been the main source of life for the Earth’s flora and fauna amidst the ramifications of global warming and the consequential rise of renewable energies and products natural and readily available water for both the environment and humans is more important than ever the Eastern Carpathian Mountains possess abundant reserves of natural mineral water suitable for quenching the thirst of millions across the country The group of companies, Perla Harghitei and Apemin Tuşnad (PH-AT) and consideration for its future generational legacy has become the leading provider of glistening natural mineral water in returnable glass bottles The company offers water in both still and sparkling varieties situated at the foothills of the Harghita Mountains – an outstanding natural area with some of the largest reserves of mineral water in Europe Perla Harghitei’s sister company that includes the Tușnad captures water from the natural volcanic area in the lower Ciuc basin “The mineral salts found in our natural water comprise calcium, magnesium, sodium, potassium, and bicarbonates. As such, our product is rich in essential minerals that are great for the hydration, health, and well-being of the body,” introduces Mihai Neagu PH-AT’s brands are heavily present in the national beverage industry being featured across all distribution channels including both modern and traditional trade “We are nurturing a culture of honesty and respect with all our consumers We hold the best quality standards in all we do,” he adds Operating in such a long-standing industry means that PH-AT is well-positioned to witness the substantial growth and evolution of the natural water market Most noticeable is the pace of new technology which has greatly influenced the speed of the two businesses Neagu believes that in the realm of corporate responsibility and environmentalism companies must be able to hold themselves accountable in front of their customers “Sustainability is a major challenge that didn’t even exist as an agenda-setting factor a decade ago consumer behaviour has changed in terms of how perception is built towards a brand and how the product is delivered in a rapidly growing gig economy,” he says both consumers and businesses are affected by various socioeconomic disturbances PH-AT is working hard to overcome these challenges as some of the most dynamic and modern natural mineral water bottling companies in Romania This has been achieved by streamlining activities and significantly investing in technology that helps the businesses use resources more sustainably and take the utmost care with their water PH-AT’s plants in Sâncrăieni and Tușnadu Nou operate with the most up-to-date technology in the industry which reduces losses and facilitates the use of cutting-edge equipment for capturing and bottling natural mineral water “In a very fragmented and competitive category ensure high-quality standards in all our activities and offer the best natural hydration options for our consumers our products are filled with the essential minerals necessary for the improved physical and mental well-being of all consumer categories,” highlights Neagu our products are filled with the essential minerals necessary for the improved physical and mental well-being of all consumer categories” In order to maintain its enviable position in the industry PH-AT has an ambitious master plan for the next five years investing approximately €48 million in new technology and production lines as well as introducing modern warehouses “We will invest as much as it takes to get the best out of our natural resources Our plan for the years to come is to keep up with the financial pace that we set last year we estimate that we will have invested €9.3 million by the end of 2024,” informs Neagu the companies will start operating their new innovative water treatment station and warehouses and wish to complete the integration of their operational and commercial digitisation tools both businesses are boosting the dynamics of their social and environmental responsibility projects whilst strengthening their market position based on a consumer-centric communication strategy “Our biggest challenge is to grow our returnable glass segment which is one of our most sustainable but difficult projects since it involves changing consumer behaviour in a complex logistical chain,” admits Neagu each company’s management is determined to succeed as it is aware of the importance of a circular economy in its sustainability journey PH-AT also continues to maintain good relationships with partners and suppliers bolstered by the unmatched product output and plant location in Transylvania Both businesses work with some of the best suppliers in Europe for their production lines and raw materials maintaining close partnerships with big players in the logistics chain to ensure their products are delivered to customers in the best condition “Our aim is to increase our consumer base in every corner of not only Romania but other strategic markets as well and other European countries,” he sets out With over 450 experienced members of staff PH-AT encourages a people-oriented culture as the businesses and their teams have grown together PH-AT also empowers its employees through their work with an organisational programme that recognises their contributions the management team consists of hard-working professionals with valuable backgrounds in the global beverage industry as well as excellent knowledge of the business and regions where its plants and core consumers are located Many of the companies’ employees have been with the business for decades making their insights and experience priceless “The main advantage I can draw from this is that together we make a powerful team built around common values as people feel at home working here,” emphasises Neagu PH-AT is currently focusing on attracting new valuable talent who will be a good fit and are passionate about their roles ensuring the highest engagement levels for years to come the two companies are cultivating themselves around their staff and caring for the environment,” concludes Neagu We use cookies to ensure your best experience on our website. If you continue using our website, we'll assume you agree to our cookie policy one of the largest producers of natural mineral water in Romania and market leader in the category of bottled water in returnable glass bottles has set a goal for 2023 to increase its turnover by 18 percent to 148.5 million RON and strengthen the company’s position among the industry players The company’s management also estimates a sales volume 11 percent higher than in 2022 a performance supported by investments in technology and organizational development sales growth has been in line with the company’s objective with a volume increase of 10 percent recorded until May “We are starting to see the results of the optimization and streamlining processes of the company’s activities which we have worked on together with the entire team over the past two years Investments in technology help us use resources more logically and sustainably with care and responsibility for every drop of water so that we can continue to offer our consumers natural mineral water produced to European quality standards This is why we are making every effort to become the most modern natural mineral water factory in Romania despite a challenging year for both consumers and retailers,” said Gyarfas Kurko President of the Board of Directors of Perla Harghitei Perla Harghitei has budgeted 25 million RON for technology investments The most important projects focus on the sustainability of the production process by increasing the efficiency of the natural mineral water bottling lines The digitization of the factory in Sâncrăieni carried out with the help of state-of-the-art technology in the beverage industry allows for maximum reduction of losses and exclusive use of cutting-edge equipment for bottling water Another 10 million RON is allocated for the expansion of the administrative building with a new space of approximately 1500 square meters which will be constructed in the next two years The company includes the brands Perla Harghitei and Tiva Harghita in its portfolio and the production unit in Sâncrăieni has four PET bottling lines with a total capacity of 50,000 bottles per hour and one glass line with a bottling capacity of 14,000 units per hour and the possibility of loading over 100 trucks per day The development of the returnable glass line is one of the company’s most important sustainability projects but also one of the biggest challenges for the business: “Water in returnable glass bottles deserves to regain its position in consumer preferences being a more efficient option both for their budget and for the environment and future generations That is why we are determined to find a solution to increase the commercialization of bottled water in this packaging which we had to temporarily delay due to the fact that glass prices have tripled in the last two years,” says Magyari Ors The company has also created a portfolio of bottled water for the HoReCa industry and is running campaigns to raise awareness of the benefits of using this type of packaging the company aims to complete the integration of operational and commercial digitization tools by implementing a new integrated ERP system exponentially increase the dynamics of social and environmental responsibility projects and strengthen its market position by developing a business strategy centered around the consumer and the organizational team Perla Harghitei recorded a turnover of approximately 125.5 million RON and a profit of 14 million RON The mineral water market remained on a slight upward trend in 2022 and the company’s most recent market study shows that an individual consumes over 112 liters of bottled water per year in Romania.