The Source of Our Story
We are more than a company. We are a collective of guardians, scientists, and connoisseurs on a quest to honor and share the purest water on Earth.
Our Mission
Our mission is to redefine humanity's relationship with water. We seek to elevate it from a mere commodity to a celebrated element, a source of wellness, and a direct connection to the pristine, untouched geology of our planet. We are driven by the conviction that true quality comes from nature, not a factory. Therefore, we commit ourselves to sourcing water of unparalleled purity from protected, sustainable aquifers. We pledge to preserve its innate character through minimal, respectful intervention and to bottle it in a way that honors both its integrity and the health of our environment. Our ultimate goal is to deliver an experience in every bottle—a taste of time, terroir, and the profound, life-affirming power of water in its most authentic form. We strive to not only hydrate bodies but also to inspire a deeper reverence for the natural world and the precious resources it provides. Our mission is also an educational one: to foster a global community of connoisseurs who understand and appreciate water's complexity, and to set a new, unassailable standard for quality and ethical conduct within the beverage industry.
Our Journey from Idea to Icon
2019: The Genesis
AquaVitae was born from a shared dissatisfaction among its founders—a geologist, a chef, and an environmentalist. They observed a market flooded with sterile, over-processed waters in wasteful plastic bottles, all lacking a connection to their source. They envisioned a brand that would champion water's 'terroir', celebrating its natural mineral composition and geological origins with the same reverence afforded to fine wine. The quest began not in a boardroom, but with geological maps spread across a table, tracing ancient water tables and dreaming of a more authentic way to hydrate. The catalyst was a shared dinner at a renowned restaurant where the exquisite food was let down by a generic, plastic-bottled water. It was a moment of clarity: the final detail, the most fundamental element, had been overlooked. This experience ignited their shared purpose.
2020-2022: The Great Search
The next three years were dedicated to a global search. Our team traveled to remote corners of the world, from the volcanic fields of Italy to the glacial valleys of the Alps. They conducted non-invasive seismic surveys, tested countless water samples, and studied the hydrogeology of dozens of potential sites. The criteria were unforgiving: the source had to be geologically ancient, naturally filtered, completely isolated from modern pollutants, and demonstrably sustainable. Many promising sites were rejected because they couldn't meet every single one of our stringent ethical and quality standards. It was a patient, scientific pilgrimage, filled with false leads and near misses. Dozens of sources that were pure were not sustainable; others that were sustainable lacked a compelling mineral character. This rigorous process of elimination was crucial, as the founders refused to compromise on their founding vision.
2023: The First Discovery
In the foothills of a dormant Italian volcano, they found it. A deep, protected aquifer yielding water of extraordinary smoothness and a unique silica-rich profile. It was the "Aha!" moment. This became the source for our 'Vesuvius Still'. Shortly after, a pristine artesian well high in the Alps was confirmed, giving birth to our 'Alpine Soul Sparkling'. We had found our foundational terroirs, each with a unique story and taste profile, validating our core hypothesis that water has a distinct, place-based identity worth preserving. The first taste, drawn directly from the wellhead, was a profound confirmation—a moment of pure sensory validation that years of data had predicted.
2024: The Promise Forged
With our sources secured, we made a solemn promise. We would build our bottling facilities at the source to preserve freshness. We would commit to 100% recycled glass. We would pursue carbon neutrality with obsessive dedication. AquaVitae was officially founded not just as a business, but as a stewardship. The first bottles were produced, marking the culmination of a five-year journey and the beginning of our mission to share this liquid treasure with the world, always holding true to our founding principles of purity, sustainability, and transparency. This phase also involved the meticulous design of our signature bottle, crafted to reflect the water's elegance and protect its integrity, and forging initial partnerships with chefs who immediately understood and shared our vision.
Our Philosophy
Water is not a commodity. It is life's primary medium, the original solvent, the silent witness to geological time. We believe that to "purify" water by stripping it of its mineral soul is to fundamentally misunderstand it. Our philosophy is one of profound respect and minimal intervention. We see ourselves as editors, not authors. Nature has already written the masterpiece; our role is to present it, unadulterated and uncensored. Every decision we make—from the selection of an aquifer to the weight of our glass bottles—is guided by a single question: "Does this honor the water?" This principle informs our approach to sustainability, our commitment to transparency, and our passion for the subtle art of taste. We are in the business of bottling authenticity. To us, water is a living element, its structure and energy shaped by its journey. Industrial processing deadens this vitality. Our philosophy ensures that the water you experience is as alive and vibrant as it was in its subterranean sanctuary. It is a philosophy you can not only read, but taste.
Our Guiding Values
Uncompromising Purity
This is our cornerstone. Purity of product means our water is untouched, unaltered, and unadulterated from source to seal. Purity of intent means our motivations are clear: to provide the best, not just the most profitable. We will never compromise on quality for the sake of scale. This extends to purity of action, meaning our business practices are as clean and ethical as our water.
Radical Sustainability
We are guests on this planet and aim to be gracious ones. Sustainability is not a department; it's our operating system. It means stewarding our water sources, pursuing a circular economy with our packaging, and aggressively working to minimize our carbon and water footprint at every step, with the ultimate ambition of becoming a net-positive enterprise that gives back more to the environment than it takes.
Absolute Transparency
You have the right to know exactly what you are drinking and the story behind it. We openly publish our annual water quality reports, our sustainability metrics, and detailed information about our sources. Trust is built on truth, and we are committed to being an open book. We strive to make our data not just available, but accessible and understandable, empowering you to make a truly informed choice.
Scientific Rigor
Passion must be paired with precision. Our team of hydrogeologists and quality control experts employ the latest science to monitor and protect our sources. We make decisions based on data, from long-term aquifer health assessments to real-time purity monitoring. Our brand is built on verifiable facts, not marketing fluff, providing a solid foundation for the trust our clients place in us.
Culinary Reverence
We understand the role of water in the world of fine taste. We approach our water with the same reverence a sommelier has for wine or a barista has for a coffee bean. We are dedicated to understanding and educating on how water's terroir can elevate any culinary experience, whether it's the perfect brew of a delicate first-flush tea or the clarity of a hand-carved ice sphere in a fine spirit.
Lasting Community
Our success is intertwined with the well-being of the communities where we operate. We are committed to providing local employment, investing in local conservation efforts, and being a positive, contributing partner to the people who share the land that gives us our water. This includes supporting local culture and educational initiatives to ensure our presence is a generative and welcome one.
The AquaVitae Standard
Meeting regulatory requirements is just our starting point. The AquaVitae Standard is our internal, non-negotiable set of quality and safety protocols that far exceed industry norms. It is our promise of perfection. This standard includes Hourly In-House Testing, where every hour, a sample from our bottling line is analyzed for microbiological safety and mineral consistency. It involves a Certified Sensory Panel of trained tasters who ensure each batch meets the exact taste profile for its source terroir. Furthermore, we engage in Third-Party Audits twice a year, where independent labs verify our own findings, ensuring complete objectivity. This obsessive attention to detail guarantees that the water in your bottle is identical in quality and purity to the water in its subterranean source. It's a costly, time-consuming process, and it's the only way we know how to operate. Our labs test for a full spectrum of potential contaminants, including microplastics, VOCs, and heavy metals, down to parts-per-trillion. The AquaVitae Standard is not a static document; it is a living commitment to continuous improvement, evolving as science and technology allow us to achieve even greater levels of assurance.
A Tale of Two Terroirs
The Volcanic Heart
In the ancient plains of Italy lies a source born of fire and pressure. Here, water completes a centuries-long journey through layers of volcanic basalt. This dense, dark rock acts as a natural filter of incredible efficacy, and it imbues the water with a high concentration of silica. This gives our 'Vesuvius Still' its signature velvety mouthfeel and a clean, almost flinty taste. It is a soft, low-TDS water that speaks of the deep, quiet, powerful forces of the Earth's mantle. It is a taste of history, of calmness after chaos. Its unique structure gives it a roundness on the palate that is both refreshing and profoundly satisfying, a whisper of the Earth's deep past.
The Alpine Soul
High in the pristine Alps, our second source tells a different story—one of ice, stone, and elevation. Born from glacial melt and snow, this water filters slowly through immense formations of limestone and dolomite. This process naturally enriches it with a balanced profile of calcium and bicarbonates, creating the crisp, invigorating character of our 'Alpine Soul Sparkling'. Its higher mineral content and natural effervescence make it a vibrant, lively water that echoes the sharp, clean air and breathtaking energy of its mountain home. The fine, champagne-like bubbles cleanse the palate with an invigorating zest, making it a celebration in a bottle.
The Guardians of Purity
Dr. Aris Thorne
Chief Hydrogeologist
With a PhD from ETH Zurich, Aris led our global search. He views aquifers as living ecosystems and is the architect of our sustainable extraction models. His life's work is to find and protect the world's finest water sources. His peer-reviewed research on sustainable aquifer management is a cornerstone of our operational practices.
Isabella Rossi
Guardian of Taste
A certified Master Water Sommelier, Isabella's palate is our final quality check. She leads our sensory panel and developed the official tasting notes for each terroir, ensuring every bottle delivers the intended experience. She is also instrumental in training the staff of our hospitality partners, turning their teams into knowledgeable ambassadors of fine water.
Liam Chen
Head of Sustainability
An environmental engineer, Liam is the driving force behind our carbon-neutral status and circular economy initiatives. He relentlessly seeks innovative ways to reduce our footprint, from geothermal energy to closed-loop logistics. His work ensures our sustainability claims are backed by rigorous data and aligned with the UN's Sustainable Development Goals.
Sofia Dubois
Director of Partnerships
Sofia builds relationships with the world's top chefs, baristas, and hoteliers. With a background in fine dining, she understands the unique needs of the hospitality industry and helps our partners integrate AquaVitae seamlessly. Sofia is more than a sales director; she is an ambassador for our philosophy, building relationships based on shared values of quality and integrity.
A Look to the Future
Our journey is ongoing. We are committed to continuous improvement and innovation in service of our mission.
Zero-Waste by 2030
Our most ambitious goal. We are actively researching and investing in pioneering bottle return programs and closed-loop logistics to completely eliminate packaging waste from our operations. We envision a future where every bottle is returned, sterilized, and refilled. This involves tackling immense logistical challenges, including developing smart, returnable crates and pioneering reverse logistics networks in urban centers.
The Aquifer Fund
We are establishing a dedicated fund, allocating a percentage of our profits to the protection of vital watersheds around the globe—not just the ones we source from. This fund will support reforestation, anti-pollution initiatives, and water access projects in vulnerable communities. The fund will also support academic scholarships for the next generation of hydrogeologists and environmental scientists.
Exploring New Terroirs
The Earth holds more stories. Our hydrogeologists are patiently and sustainably exploring new potential sources, from the remote fjords of Norway to the ancient sandstone aquifers of the Americas. Our collection will grow, but only at the speed of responsible science. We are currently researching unique geological formations that may yield waters with different mineral dominant profiles, such as one with high magnesium content, to further expand the sensory palette of our collection.