History of the Aqua

Who does not know Aqua, Aqua is a brand of bottled water (mineral water) produced by PT Aqua Golden Mississippi in Indonesia since 1973. Besides Indonesia, Aqua is also sold in Singapore. Aqua is a brand of mineral water with the biggest sales in Indonesia and is one of the most famous brands of bottled drinking water in Indonesia, so it has become such a generic brand for mineral water, which each agan went to the stalls to buy bottled drinking water must always told you "bang buy aqua glass / bottle "is not necessarily the same as the older brother in the love stall Aqua brand. Currently, there are 14 factories producing Aqua with different ownership (10 mills owned by PT Tirta Investama, 3 factories owned by PT Aqua Golden Mississippi, and factories in Berastagi, North Sumatra owned by PT Tirta Sibayakindo).



Since 1998, Aqua is owned by multinational companies in the field of food and beverages from France, Danone Group, the result of the merger of PT Aqua Golden Mississippi with Danone.

EARLY HISTORY OF ESTABLISHMENT 

Aqua Group was founded by Tirto Utomo, a native of Wonosobo in 1973. Tirto Utomo or Kwa Sien Biauw (born in Wonosobo, March 9, 1930 - died March 16, 1994 at the age of 64 years) is pengusahaIndonesia. Graduated from Faculty of Law, University of Indonesia is known as the founder of Aqua Golden Mississippi in 1973. On March 16, 1994, he died and was buried in the cemetery of Chinese citizens in the immediate vicinity Krishna, Wonosobo

 

Whereas before Tirto Utomo also worked at Pertamina. But to focus on his business, he give up his job at Pertamina.

The idea of ​​establishing the company AMDK Tirto arise when working as an employee of Pertamina in the early 1970's. When it Tirto duty to entertain delegates an American company. But dinner was interrupted when his wife heads of delegations had diarrhea caused by consuming water that is not clean. Tirto later learned that the guests who come from Western countries are not used to drinking boiled drinking water, but water that has been sterilized.

Originally cynic with Tirto Utomo idea to sell bottled water that price per bottle initially equal to the price of 1 liter of gasoline Premium. However Tirto Utomo sure, in the future Indonesia will lack clean water ready to drink, so he continued to follow his idea and did not think about the snide remark. At first the market Aqua are foreigners in Indonesia, because they believe bottled water safer than the more sterile and groundwater and water taps. By establishing a drinking water plant with sophisticated machinery in Bekasi, so that foreigners have more confidence with this drink bottled water.

Tirto and his brothers began to learn the process of bottled drinking water. He asked his brother, Slamet Utomo to intern at Polaris, a mineral water company when it has been operating 16 years in Thailand. Not surprisingly, at first resembles Aqua Polaris products ranging from glass bottle shape, brand water treatment machines, to machine washing and filling water bottles.

Aqua Awalanya called purity, then a consultant Tirto,, Eulindra Lim, proposing to use the name because it fits the image Aqua bottled water and not hard to pronounce. He agreed and changed the brand of product purity to Aqua. Two years later, the first production of Aqua was launched in the form of glass bottles 950 ml size with a selling price Rp.75, almost double the price of gasoline when it was worth Rp.46 to 1,000 ml.Derived from the Latin aqua meaning water, which was originally sold to a stranger, but then Tirto Utomo see the Indonesian market also has the potential, so he sells small bottles of water and placed in bus terminals in Jakarta and surrounding areas, and along the north coast of Central Java. It turned out to be a success, making Aqua-demand by the driver and passenger bus drivers, as well as other communities. This shows that the Indonesian people in desperate need of clean bottled water.

Aqua success, attracting several other companies to make a name in the name Aqua mineral water. Even if we intend to buy bottled mineral water, always referred to want to buy Aqua, but sometimes not given the brand Aqua, but that Aqua has a good brand image in the eyes of consumers.

Some Aqua major competitors are:• PT. Parmargha by Ades.• PT. Santa Rosa with Oasis.• PT. Rays Sosro with Air Sosro.• PT. Coca Cola Amatil Indonesia with Bonaqa.• PT. ABC Central Food with Pure ABC.

DEVELOPMENT & ACQUISITION BY DANONE

 

In 1982, Aqua replace raw materials (water) which was originally derived from wells drilled into the mountain springs that flow (self-flowing spring) because they contain the natural mineral composition rich in nutrients such as calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron, and sodium.
Willy Sidharta, sales and the first factory machine assemblers Aqua, was the first to improve the distribution of Aqua. 

 

He began by creating the concept of a special door to door delivery which led to the direct delivery system Aqua. The concept of using shipping boxes and gallon-gallon using a fleet of specially designed Aqua consistently making sales rise until sales figures Aqua reach two trillion in 1985.

In 1984, a second factory was established in Pandaan AQUA, East Java in an effort to get closer to consumers in the region. A year later, another Aqua product development in a 220 ml PET packs. This development makes the product Aqua become more qualified and more safe for consumption.

In 1995, Aqua became the first mineral water plant production system implemented in line at the plant Mekarsari. Processing and manufacturing bottled water AQUA done simultaneously. The results in-line system is newly created AQUA bottle can be filled water at the end of the production process, so that the production process to be more hygienic.

In 1998, due to intense competition and the emergence of new competitors, Lisa Tirto as owner of Aqua Golden Mississippi after the death of her husband Tirto Utomo, Danone sold its shares to the Group on 4 September 1998. The acquisition is considered appropriate after some way the development is not strong enough to save Aqua from the threat of new competitors. This step is an impact on improving the quality of the product and put AQUA as bottled mineral water producer (mineral water) the largest in Indonesia. In 2000, coinciding with the turn of the millennium, launches Aqua Aqua Danone-labeled products.

Some products from Aqua:

1. Mizone
2. Aqua Reflection