Highland Spring

Highland Spring is a Scottish bottled-water brand and water company based at Blackford in Perth and Kinross. Its water is sourced from approximately 2,500 acres of private organic land in the Ochil Hills and is bottled at the company’s Blackford production site. Although the brand name evokes Scotland’s Highlands, the company’s principal source and factory are outside the traditional geographic boundaries of the Scottish Highlands. The business was incorporated in 1979 and bottled its first product in 1980. It developed as a supplier of natural source bottled water, with a portfolio covering still and sparkling water as well as flavoured products. Highland Spring-branded water is sold across the United Kingdom and the company also serves international markets. In addition to its branded products, the business has manufacturing capability for supermarket private-label bottled water. A major part of Highland Spring’s operating footprint is concentrated in Scotland. The Blackford site is the company’s principal production location, while a facility at Lennoxtown, acquired from Greencore in 2010, produces private-label bottled water for retailers. In 2017 the company opened a new production line at Blackford; the line was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II. The business later invested in rail logistics, opening a rail freight facility beside its Blackford headquarters in August 2022. The terminal became fully operational in January 2023, providing an alternative freight route for part of the company’s distribution activity. Packaging and environmental positioning are central to the brand’s public identity. In January 2019 Highland Spring became the first UK water brand reported to launch a bottle made from 100% recycled PET plastic. The company has also emphasized the relationship between its catchment area, land management and product sourcing. In 2023, Highland Spring sold 404.1 million litres of Highland Spring-branded water in the United Kingdom; the company described this volume as equivalent to less than 2% of rainfall over its catchment area. In April 2024 it expanded beyond unflavoured and sparkling formats with a flavoured-water range. Highland Spring is owned by Emirati-born businessman Mahdi Al Tajir. Its competitive positioning combines Scottish provenance, natural-source credentials, broad retail availability and environmental initiatives involving packaging and transport. The portfolio is oriented toward everyday bottled-water consumption rather than a narrowly specialist or luxury segment, while the company’s source story and sustainability claims provide differentiation in the UK packaged-water market.

Highland Spring was incorporated in Scotland in 1979 and bottled its first product in 1980. The company was established as a supplier of natural source bottled water, with its principal source located in the Ochil Hills. Its catchment extends across approximately 2,500 acres of private organic land, forming the basis of the brand’s Scottish provenance and natural-source positioning. Production is centered at Blackford in Perth and Kinross. The site produces still, sparkling and flavoured water for the Highland Spring brand. The name refers to a Scottish identity, but the factory and source are outside the traditional boundaries of the Scottish Highlands. Over time, the business broadened its activities beyond branded water. In 2010 it acquired a production site at Lennoxtown from Greencore, using that facility to produce bottled water for supermarket private-label ranges. Highland Spring continued to develop its Blackford manufacturing capacity. In 2017 it opened a new production line at the site, with the line officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II. The company subsequently placed greater emphasis on packaging and distribution changes. In January 2019 it launched a bottle made from 100% recycled PET plastic, described in reference material as the first such launch by a UK water brand. Logistics became another area of operational development. In August 2022 Highland Spring opened a rail freight facility adjacent to its Blackford headquarters. The facility became fully operational in January 2023, adding rail capability to the company’s distribution network. The move formed part of the business’s efforts to connect its principal production site with freight infrastructure. The company’s UK branded-water activity remained substantial. In 2023 Highland Spring sold 404.1 million litres of branded water in the United Kingdom, which it stated represented less than 2% of rainfall over the catchment area. In April 2024 the brand launched a flavoured-water range, expanding its consumer offer alongside its established still and sparkling products. Highland Spring is owned by Mahdi Al Tajir, an Emirati-born businessman. The company currently combines branded retail water, private-label production and international sales. Its identity rests on Scottish source provenance and natural mineral-water credentials, while recycled packaging, land stewardship and rail freight have become important elements of its sustainability and operating narrative.

• 2024

  Flavoured-water range launched

  [1]Highland Springen.wikipedia.org

  Highland Spring launched a flavoured-water range in April.

• 2023

  Rail terminal became fully operational

  [1]Highland Springen.wikipedia.org

  The Blackford rail freight terminal became fully operational in January.

• 2022

  Rail freight facility opened

  [1]Highland Springen.wikipedia.org

  The company opened a rail freight facility beside its Blackford headquarters.

• 2019

  100% recycled PET bottle launched

  [1]Highland Springen.wikipedia.org

  Highland Spring launched a bottle made from 100% recycled PET plastic.

• 2017

  Blackford production line opened

  [1]Highland Springen.wikipedia.org

  A new production line opened at Blackford and was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II.

• 2010

  Lennoxtown site acquired

  [1]Highland Springen.wikipedia.org

  Highland Spring acquired Greencore’s Lennoxtown production site for supermarket private-label bottled water production.

• 1980

  First product bottled

  [1]Highland Springen.wikipedia.org

  The company bottled its first product from its Scottish operations.

• 1979

  Company incorporated

  [1]Highland Springen.wikipedia.org

  Highland Spring was incorporated as a Scottish bottled-water business.

A mainstream-to-premium Scottish natural-source water brand emphasizing Ochil Hills provenance, purity, packaging innovation and lower-impact distribution.

• Still natural source water · 1980

  Highland Spring Still

  The brand’s uncarbonated bottled-water range, sourced from the Ochil Hills and sold for everyday retail and food-service consumption. It is the core expression of Highland Spring’s natural-source positioning and Scottish provenance.

• Sparkling water

  Highland Spring Sparkling

  A carbonated water range within Highland Spring’s main branded portfolio. It extends the company’s natural-source offer into a sparkling format for retail, hospitality and meal occasions.

• Flavoured water · 2024

  Highland Spring Flavoured Water

  A flavoured-water range launched in April 2024, broadening Highland Spring’s portfolio beyond still and sparkling water and addressing demand for more varied non-alcoholic drink formats.

• Private-label bottled water · 2010

  Supermarket private-label bottled water

  Bottled-water products manufactured for supermarket private-label programs. Production is associated with the Lennoxtown site acquired from Greencore in 2010 rather than being limited to the Highland Spring-branded portfolio.

• 2024

  Launch of flavoured-water rangeProduct launch

  Background

  The company expanded its branded offer beyond traditional still and sparkling water.

  Action taken

  Highland Spring launched a flavoured-water range in April 2024.

  Source

• 2022

  Investment in rail freightStrategy

  Background

  Highland Spring developed additional freight infrastructure close to its main production and headquarters site.

  Action taken

  The company opened a rail freight facility adjacent to its Blackford headquarters.

  Aftermath

  The terminal became fully operational in January 2023 and added rail logistics to the company’s distribution operations.

  Source

• 2019

  Move to 100% recycled PET packagingStrategy

  Background

  Packaging sustainability became an increasingly visible issue for bottled-water companies.

  Action taken

  Highland Spring launched a bottle made from 100% recycled PET plastic.

  Aftermath

  The launch was presented as a first for a UK water brand and reinforced the company’s environmental positioning.

  Source

• 2017

  Expansion of Blackford production capacityGeneration change

  Background

  The company continued developing its principal Scottish production site.

  Action taken

  Highland Spring opened a new production line at Blackford.

  Aftermath

  The line expanded the site’s production capability and was officially opened by Queen Elizabeth II.

  Source

• 2010

  Acquisition of Lennoxtown production siteM&A

  Background

  Highland Spring sought to expand its manufacturing footprint and private-label capability.

  Action taken

  The company acquired a production site at Lennoxtown from Greencore.

  Aftermath

  The site produced bottled water for supermarket private-label ranges.

  Source

• 2021.03.09

  Reported2021.03.09

  Highland Spring announces 10-litre hydration pack[3]Highland Spring 宣布推出 10 升补水装thegrocer.co.uk

  Highland Spring announced a new 10-litre hydration pack aimed at staycationers and large weekly shoppers, with launch into multiple retailers planned for that month.

Read more

1. 1Highland Springen.wikipedia.org
2. 2Highland Spring official websitehighlandspring.com
3. 3Highland Spring 宣布推出 10 升补水装thegrocer.co.uk