Hawke’s Bay companies bottle world’s first collagen water

Two Kiwi exporters have teamed up to bottle the world’s first collagen water as global demand for “functional food” continues to grow.

Adashiko Collagen Refresh is made with pure Japanese peptide collagen and Hawke’s Bay artesian water, with no preservatives, flavours or other additives.

The water is being gradually rolled out across supermarkets nationwide at a cost of $5 for 350ml or $10 for a 750ml bottle. It will also be available in bars and restaurants.

The 350ml bottle contains five grams of the porcine (pig) collagen, while the larger bottle contains 20g or four 5g servings.

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Luci Firth, Adashiko chief executive, said the beverage was designed to rejuvenate the premium bottled water market and introduce nutraceuticals to the hospitality industry.

“The bottled water category in the hospitality industry typically consists of unflavoured still and sparkling varieties and has seen little innovation for some time.

“Many New Zealanders will struggle to pay for bottled water and with so little value added by suppliers, restaurateurs and bar owners are left to compete head-on with tap water, while still having to cover the cost of supplying it,” Firth said.

“The addition of a functional water product to this category means they will now be able to offer a competing product which they can justify retailing at a premium price point.”

Firth said the concept first came to her in Japan, where the collagen market is well-developed and is a common addition to many products.

“We see the market for our collagen water product as unisex, while it appeals to females from a cosmetic perspective, many males will also take it for functional benefits such as joint support.”

Product development took more than a year and was a joint venture between Adashiko, which exports a range of collagen products, and Hawke’s Bay manufacturer Parker Beverages.

Doug Speedy, managing director of Parkers Beverage Company, said specialised equipment allowed them to pasteurise the product to a precisely controlled temperature.

“What we found is that the refined collagen also gives the water a crisp, light taste and there was no need for additional flavours to mask any bitter notes that can be associated with this type of product,” he said.

Adashiko already has interest from customers in export markets around the world as it looks to capture a share of a $2 billion global collagen RTD category.

But exporting bottled water from New Zealand could be a…