Yarpivo started producing its new look Arzik mineral water brand at the start of the year, introducing a new 1.5-litre PET bottle and a more modern label design. The company has also sunk a new non-corrosive steel well down to the source of Arzik, a move which it claims allows it to extend the use-by date of the water to one year.
Although the water has been repackaged, there is no change in its chemical composition, the company said, and it will continue to be marketed as a curative product in accordance with the regulations laid down by the Russian Ministry of Health.
Arzik is said to be good for treating digestive disorders and urino-genital problems and for boosting the immune system.
Yarpivo is counting on the growing consumer awareness of the health benefits of mineral water consumption and has invested heavily ($1.2 million) in upgrading its packaging facilities for Arzik.
The company's line for the new PET bottle has a capacity of 60,000 bottles an hour, while other lines offer the possibility of both 1-litre and 1.5-litre PET bottles, at a rate of 23,000 per hour. These latter lines are used not only for the mineral water but also for the group's beer and carbonates brands.
The total amount invested by Yarpivo in modernising its bottling facilities was more than $33 million.