A full launch of the Gletcher Water drinking water brand, from the concept and brand platform to listings with X5, Lenta, METRO and Azbuka Vkusa. Svam Group, 2020–2022.
Svam Group is a producer and distributor of soft drinks. In 2020 the company decided to launch its own drinking water brand. The market was growing, and private label margins were higher than those of imported brands. The task: create a brand from scratch and get listed with the largest national retail chains within 12 months.
Drinking water is one of the most competitive FMCG markets. The shelf already holds Bon Aqua, Aqua Minerale, Shishkin Les and dozens of regional brands. Without clear positioning and strong support, a new brand simply gets lost. We needed a strategy that would give the buyer a reason to take our product.
The Russian drinking water market at the time of launch
Reached and held through portfolio management
X5, Lenta, METRO, Azbuka Vkusa: listed within 12 months
From the first concept to a stable market share
The mountain spring as the main point of difference. Visual image: a glacier, purity, nature. A clear contrast with city brands that bottle tap water
Mineral content confirmed by an independent laboratory. Certified to Russian standards. Honest ingredients on the label
0.5 L, 1 L, 1.5 L, 5 L: every format for retail, HoReCa and offices. Still and sparkling versions
Health-conscious families with middle and above-average incomes. Shoppers at X5, Lenta, METRO
Mid-range restaurants and cafés, corporate offices, sports clubs
Premium segment. A deliberate choice, willing to pay for proven quality and composition
To the first meeting with the buyer we brought a Nielsen analysis of the water category, a 12-month promotion plan with a specific budget, and product cards ready to load into the chain's system
First contact with the X5 and Lenta buyers was 3 months before delivery. By the time the goods reached the warehouse, the chains were ready to put them on the shelf
Retail chains earn on suppliers' promotion budgets as well as on margin. We came with specific figures: promotions, shelf placement, tastings, all with amounts attached
The buyer sees category data every month, but when a supplier comes with the same data and its own analysis, the conversation changes. We showed the segment's growth and an unfilled niche