BELOKA WATER BEST IN THE WORLD

Snowy Mountains beverage producer Beloka Water has been judged producer of the best tasting sparkling water in the world at the International Fine Water Tasting Competition in China.

The competition in Guangzhou saw a five judge panel of internationally renowned water sommeliers sample water from 104 entries from around the globe, with Beloka Water winning gold in the Sparkling Added Carbonation category.

Deputy Premier and Minister for Regional NSW, John Barilaro, said Beloka Water is a prime example of the State’s clean and safe export products highly sought in Asia.

“Beloka Water has demonstrated on the world stage what incredible water we have here in NSW and to set the bar so high at a global event is outstanding,” Mr Barilaro said.

“Beloka Water is 100% Australian – everything from the caps, labels, and boxes are sourced here – and it’s bottled using recycled glass in a sustainable manner.

“The NSW Government’s Trade & Investment team in China has assisted Beloka Water with market insights and facilitated visits to Dongguan and Guangzhou as well as introductions to Chinese importers.”

Mr Barilaro said Beloka has set the tide high on water quality but is the tip of the iceberg for NSW produce.

“The success of Beloka Water builds on the great progress made by our producers exporting into China, which is one of the world’s fastest growing markets.”

NSW Trade and Industry Minister, Niall Blair, says China presents significant opportunities for NSW producers.

“China is NSW’s largest two-way trading partner in goods and a major focus for our food and beverage producers. The China free trade deal has opened the door to a market with a huge appetite for high quality products which will continue to grow,” Mr Blair said.

Beloka Water has been exporting to China for a year and is now looking at growth opportunities in the United Arab Emirates.

Beloka Owner Joe Commisso says beating the competition to be named world’s best sparkling water is a huge win for his business and a global branding coup.

“Competing against European brands is not easy as they have such strong recognition and presence internationally including here in Australia,” he said.

“So winning this coveted award is a very proud moment. We’ve been well and truly recognised on the international stage so we hope to see Australian fine dining establishments adopt our local premium water over well-known imported brands.”