Jun 02
Water: Nestlé renewed the offensive in France
For three months, Nestle tries the impossible in France. In a market of bottled water down the last ten years, the world number one is preparing to launch a new brand. And not just any, as this is the introduction in France of Pure Life, world's leading brand of bottled water.
"There is a French project that builds on the success of Nestle Pure Life," said Le Figaro Hubert Genieys, communications director of Nestlé Waters. The group is "by the summer" to make a decision. The weather also seal the fate of Aquarel spring water to Nestle family launched in 2000 with sales in France have not taken off.And that could eventually be replaced by the French version of Pure Life Pure Life.
Nestle Pure Life is tested in twenty supermarkets size of Le Mans and Angers, the two largest test markets in Europe, as announced last month our colleague Ray beverage. The test should be completed in the coming days, once the remaining stocks sold. "The book starts slowly," says Jean-Marc Renaudin, head of the radius drinks Leclerc Angers. "It's a grain of sand against a mountain!" He adds, referring to sales of Cristaline: the market leader – sold € 1.02 pack of six 1.5 liter bottles – sells 25 30 pallets per week (2800-3360 packs), while Pure Life, which costs twice as much, capped at half a pallet (32 packs) … In times of promotions (- 50%), however, sales may go up to four half-pallets in a weekend.In Intermarché of Le Mans, the permanent discount on Pure Life (1.02 euro) cut the lead in sales (which reads from one to ten) with Cristaline.
The linear congested
"It is completely below the cost price, these prices will not last long!" Fumed Peter Papillaud majority shareholder group Alma (Cristaline Vichy Celestine, St Yorre, etc..), Which gives the winning Figaro 0.33 euro per bottle, without promotion or communication, through reduced shipping costs to a minimum. Since he has seen at Le Mans last month, the posters of Pure Life, Peter Papillaud still furious. He campaigned against Nestlé with its distributor customers.Until patterns of signs to which he recalls that they allowed, with Cristaline, "not to lose money on the waters first prize."
The placement price of one Pure Life is strangely reminiscent of Aquarel (2.95 euros per pack of 6), a time sponsor of the Tour de France, with which Nestlé wanted to become a leader in Europe. Number two in Spain, and number three in Hungary, Aquarel never exceeded 1.5% market share in France. In several large areas of Le Mans and Angers, it has already disappeared from the shelves for almost a year. "In France, in a particularly unfavorable brand now boasts good performances, however, below our expectations," said Hubert Genieys."Aquarel suffered a mid-range position, caught between an actor unbeatable pricing and what Cristaline mineral water like Evian, Volvic and Vittel that provide reinsurance, analysis Bernard Malik, a partner the firm Roland Berger.
This does not Nestle to think big. He hopes to replicate the success story in France Pure Life number one in the United States, Egypt and Jordan, number three in Turkey and Shanghai. His recipe: low price, strong networking planning and adaptability to local consumption patterns. Launched in 1998 in Pakistan, the water present in 28 countries is natural in France, addressed to the U.S., desalinated in the Middle East, remineralized in some countries. For five years, she has an annual growth of 24%, but its presence in northern Europe is limited to Great Britain and Germany.Nestle's dream to find a recipe for anti-crisis on the French market.
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