By Staff Reporter – Introduced by Ethiopian Entrepreneur Ermias Amelga about two decades ago as “Highland Water”, Ethiopia’s bottled water market has experienced significant growth in recent years.
The growth has been driven by a combination of factors including rising urbanization, increasing disposable income, and growing health awareness among consumers. The bottled water industry in Ethiopia has created tens of thousands of jobs. It is estimated that there are 106 water bottling companies in Ethiopia of which the majority are located in Oromia Region close to Addis Ababa where they can access the biggest number of consumers in the country.
All together the water bottling factories produce close to 3.5 billion bottles of water per year. Top Water, One Water, Gold Water, Yes Water, AquAddis, and Daily Water are among the popular water brands in Ethiopia.
According to a report by ResearchAndMarkets, the bottled water market in Ethiopia is expected to grow at a CAGR of 12.71% during the forecast period 2021-2026. The report also states that the increasing population, along with the growing demand for safe and clean drinking water, is one of the major factors driving the growth of the bottled water market in Ethiopia.
A number of local and international players are active in the Ethiopian bottled water market, including Nestle, Coca-Cola, and PepsiCo. Local companies such as Abyssinia Springs and Awash Wine SC are also prominent players in the market. These companies offer a variety of products, including still and sparkling water, flavored water, and functional water.
One of the challenges facing the bottled water market in Ethiopia is the country’s limited infrastructure for water supply and distribution. This has led to a reliance on bottled water for safe drinking water, particularly in urban areas.
Overall, the bottled water market in Ethiopia is expected to continue to grow in the coming years, driven by rising demand for safe and clean drinking water, urbanization, and increasing disposable income among consumers.
