Invented in Tuscany and engineered in America, Natura is the only water purification system that provides chilled sparkling and still water from a regular water supply. A patented filtration system ensures the water tastes great.

When Natura came to Laitmon to consult on marketing and distribution we embarked on a fact-finding process that included:

• Interviewing distributors who sell directly to the restaurant trade
• Locating appropriate manufacturer's reps and distributors dealing with water in different forms, including ice machines
• Identifying the most influential trade media
• Selecting a PR firm which could relate to product's potential
• Developing a website both for presence and to answer FAQs
• Placing machines in several 4 star restaurants to generate endorsements

The results, supported Natura developing a 2 phase strategy of building credibility and endorsements among prestigious hotels and restaurants, prior to finalizing the marketing plan for launching the product to consumers.

Hoteliers and restaurateurs were quick to appreciate Natura's significant bottom line advantages. The product offered considerable savings in terms of costs related to storage, refrigeration and waste disposal, when compared with bottled water.

Natura brought additional benefits by tapping into the growing consumer awareness of the carbon footprint associated with the manufacture and transportation of plastic water bottles, together with related health concerns with regard to Bis-phenol A levels in the water.

Impressively, and less than two years after the phase one launch, Natura is the water of choice for over 600 (and still growing) hotels and restaurants in the U.S., including Hyatt and Le Cirque in NYC, establishing a very solid base for a future consumer launch.