Product of the Year Spotlight on…Highland Spring

From a “category in need of a shake-up” to winning a Product of the Year award, Highland Spring’s Senior Brand Manager Jennie Inch reveals the thinking behind the brand’s ‘fruitful’ move into healthier hydration.

Tell us about your product and why it resonates with the consumer.

It’s all in the name! Highland Spring Flavour Apple & Blackcurrant offers consumers the chance to enjoy a delicious burst of natural flavour. This innovative product combines all the flavours of juicy apples and tangy blackcurrants with pure, refreshing spring water drawn from deep within the majestic Ochil Hills in Scotland. It is expertly crafted with natural additives and no added sugar. Bringing variety to a low-choice category, this fruity twist on the UK’s number one plain water brand is light and refreshing at home or on-the-go – perfect for any moment, anytime. 

How do you feel about winning a Product of the Year and what impact do you anticipate it will make?

Winning a Product of the Year Award is a landmark achievement for Highland Spring. Because this is the UK’s largest consumer-voted award – backed by over 8,000 shoppers – it provides an unrivalled level of trust and third-party endorsement for the incredible work that has gone into the product’s development and launch. We are delighted, and looking ahead we anticipate this win will help drive further high-impact awareness and trial, bringing our fruity refreshment to even more consumers across the UK.

Where did the idea for the product come from and how does that process work at Highland Spring?

Innovation at Highland Spring is a journey from insight to impact. We recognised that consumers were looking for tastier, healthier hydration options, yet the ‘still’ flavoured water sub-category didn’t offer a wide selection of choices. We bridged this gap by marrying our established brand provenance with a rigorous development process that encompassed flavour trend forecasting, robust proposition design, and exhaustive consumer testing. The result is our Product of the Year winning Flavour – Apple & Blackcurrant – that disrupts a category in need of a shake up with a high-quality, sugar-free proposition that shoppers actually want.

What trends will you be tapping into this year?

This year, we are doubling down on health and hydration. As consumers move away from traditional sugary soft drinks, they are seeking natural, sugar-free alternatives that don’t compromise on taste. Our strategy focuses on leveraging our #1 water brand status to drive awareness and trial of our refreshing, great-tasting, sugar-free Apple & Blackcurrant flavoured still water, helping consumers meet their hydration goals while enjoying a delicious taste experience.

How will HFSS impact the product? 

Good question! Fortunately, we’re well ahead. The full range is HFSS compliant, with zero sugar and no more than 2 kcal per 100ml. As a natural extension of the Highland Spring portfolio, these products sit alongside our Still and Sparkling waters –they were already among the healthiest options on the soft drinks shelf which gave us a headstart. We are focused on working closely with our retail partners to champion healthier hydration and encourage shoppers to choose low- and no-sugar alternatives over traditional sugary drinks.

Describe your winning product in 3 words.

Great tasting refreshment!

Source: Product of the Year

  Agency, Highland Spring, Interview, Jennie Inch, Product Of The Year, Senior Brand Manager