Nestle Waters North America Named Beverage Forum 2011 Company of the Year

STAMFORD, Conn., May 24, 2011 /PRNewswire/ -- Nestle Waters North America has been recognized as the 2011 Company of the Year at The Beverage Forum on May 24 in New York City. The award was presented by the Beverage Marketing Corporation and Beverage World magazine in recognition of the company's strong growth, propelled by outstanding sales and strategic acquisition. Nestle Waters was honored in the large company category, which recognizes organizations with more than $1 billion in annual revenue.

"We are deeply honored to accept this award and proud of our company's performance," said Kim Jeffery, president and CEO of Nestle Waters. "As the largest bottled water company in North America, we're working hard to ensure our business leadership goes beyond just the bottom line, and we're equally proud of our progress toward water stewardship and environmental responsibility goals. We continue to look for ways to create shared value for all of our stakeholders—from communities to employees."

Nestle Waters is the third largest U.S. beverage company volumetrically and continues to experience solid growth, with volume sales up 6.5 percent in 2010. The company is outpacing the bottled water category and continues to make investments in future growth. Since 2000, Nestle Waters has built 14 new plants, made $3.4 billion in capital investments and created 1,300 jobs in the supply chain. Additionally, Nestle Waters announced this month it will acquire the Austin-based Sweet Leaf Tea Company, which includes the Sweet Leaf® and Tradewinds® beverage brands, expanding the company's beverage portfolio to include high-quality iced teas, lemonades and juice drinks.

"Nestle Waters continues to be one of the most dynamic companies in the industry. The company's continued success despite a challenging economic climate is truly a testament to its strong leadership and keen eye for innovation," said Michael Bellas, chairman, Beverage Marketing Corporation and co-chair of The Beverage Forum.

"Under the leadership of company president and CEO Kim Jeffery, Nestle Waters North America has become a driving force in the beverage market through innovation, a strategic focus on growing its portfolio of leading bottled water brands and an ongoing commitment to being a good steward to the environment and a good neighbor to its communities," Kevin Francella, co-chair of The Beverage Forum and publisher of Beverage World magazine, remarks. "As a bottled water industry leader, Nestle Waters is a shining example of how a company culture built on respect can achieve operational excellence while also doing good for the world at large."

With the theme "Reigniting Innovation & Growth," this year's annual Beverage Forum convened more than 200 individuals from the global beverage marketplace to hear leading beverage industry veterans give their expert opinions on the current status of the industry.

About Nestle Waters North America Inc.

With 35-years of experience with healthful hydration in the bottled water segment, Nestle Waters produces six regional spring water brands in the U.S., three international brands, and Nestle Pure Life, its nationally distributed purified bottled water. Sales for Nestle Waters North America topped $4 billion in 2010.  The company's dedication to quality, employee development, seeking to bring shared value to communities, and its commitments to environmental stewardship, especially in the areas of water use, energy and packaging, has led Nestle Waters to the number one bottled water position in the U.S.  

SOURCE Nestle Waters North America