Armenia’s Mineral Waters Now Exported Around the World

Around the world, 124 billion liters of mineral water are consumed annually — that’s 24 liters per capita. At 7–8% annually, this is one of the fastest growing markets.

Armenia has huge reserves of mineral water — in Jermuk, Bjni, Arzni, Hankavan, and Dilijan. About 7 companies are engaged in mineral water production, but this sector has great potential to develop. There have been positive shifts in recent years. There was a record high of mineral water production in 2013 — 43.2 million liters, of which 11.8 million liters were exported. Thus, the industry succeeded in restoring and even exceeding its pre-crisis volumes (35.8 million liters were produced in 2008, of which 9.7 million was exported). Note, in the crisis year of 2009, mineral water production in Armenia dropped by about 30%.

The geographical reach of mineral water exports expanded in recent years, though Russia remains the main sales market, having a share of about 88%. In 2013, about 10.5 million liters of mineral water were exported to Russia. This is only 0.2% of the mineral water consumed in that country. Georgia’s Borjomi, meanwhile, is in the top 10 of the Russian market in terms of sales volume.

Despite the scandal tied to Jermuk in the US a few years ago, the US comes second among countries that import mineral water from Armenia — importing about 300,000 liters (2013). There is also a dynamic growth in export in the US market. A significant amount of mineral water from Armenia is imported also by Ukraine — about 250,000 liters.