Chlorophyll Water Wins Best New Water Concept at the 2026 Global Water Drinks Awards

US brand earns global recognition from six judges across three continents at a Barcelona gathering of water industry leaders from 29 countries

New York, NY - Chlorophyll Water has won Best New Water Concept at the 2026 Global Water Drinks Awards, earning international recognition for its approach to functional hydration. The award was presented on November 4 during the 23rd Global Water Drinks Congress, held November 3-5 in Barcelona, Spain. Chlorophyll Water was also named a finalist for Best Functional Water, earning global recognition in two categories at this year’s awards.

Organized by FoodBev Media, the awards recognize excellence and innovation across the international water drinks industry. The Congress brought together bottled water experts and industry leaders from 29 countries. Brands recognized across the awards program included Danone's Volvic (France), Icelandic Glacial (Iceland), Clearly Canadian (Canada), AQUA Carpatica (Romania) and Niagara Bottling (United States).

"What started with me adding chlorophyll to my morning water has grown into a brand recognized on the global stage," said Matt Levine, founder of Chlorophyll Water. "Receiving this award from a panel that includes water sommeliers and bottled water experts from around the world is a proud moment for our entire team."

Six judges Across Three Continents

The international judging panel comprised six judges based in Japan, Germany, Romania, the United Kingdom and the United States, including water sommeliers, bottled water experts and a beverage industry journalist. Their combined expertise spanned water’s sensory qualities, mineral character, food pairing, gastronomy and beverage industry reporting.

Judged on:

• Taste & Sensory

• Appearance & Branding

• Concept & Innovation

• Category Relevance

• Arthur von Wiesenberger, United States: Water sommelier, founder of BottledWaterWeb and Watermaster of the Berkeley Springs International Water Tasting

• Michael Cervin, United States: Water author, former longtime senior editor of Bottled Water Web, and international water tasting judge and watermaster.

• Ruriko Suzuki, Japan: Water sommelier and board member of the Japan Aqua Sommelier Association, specializing in water tasting and food pairing.

• Pat Eckert, Germany: Water sommelier, founder of Fine Liquids and creator of the Colors of Water Academy.

• Silvia Ștefanuca-Șerban, Romania: Certified water, wine and sake sommelier with expertise in gastronomy and hospitality.

• Rafaela Sousa, United Kingdom: FoodBev Media journalist covering the food and beverage industry.

Recognition Among Global Water Industry Leaders

Bottled water executives and industry leaders from 29 countries across six continents gathered in Barcelona for the Congress. Delegates represented Albania, Australia, Austria, Belgium, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Colombia, the Czech Republic, the Faroe Islands, France, Germany, India, Italy, Lithuania, Malaysia, Mexico, Morocco, North Macedonia, Norway, Romania, Saudi Arabia, Serbia, Spain, Switzerland, Ukraine, the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom and the United States.

Levine was also a featured speaker representing North America, presenting "Green Hydration Beyond the Bottle" as part of the Congress's United States program, sharing Chlorophyll Water's story with an international audience of water industry leaders.

Participating companies included Niagara Bottling (Mexico delegation), VOSS (Norway), Electrolit (United States delegation), Gerolsteiner (Germany), Mattoni 1873 (Czech Republic), IDS Borjomi (United Arab Emirates) and Mahou San Miguel (Spain), alongside businesses specializing in packaging, sustainability and market research.

The speaker lineup included Miguel Flores, vice president of international and global expansion at Niagara Bottling (Mexico delegation); Sabine Kloos, chief marketing officer of Gerolsteiner (Germany); Alessandro Pasquale, executive president of Mattoni 1873 (Czech Republic); and Afnan Ahsan, group chief executive officer of IDS Borjomi (United Arab Emirates). Other featured leaders included Neil Kimberley, chief commercial officer of Electrolit USA (United States); Matt Herrick, president and chief executive officer of the International Bottled Water Association (United States); and Patricia Fosselard, secretary general of Natural Mineral Waters Europe (Belgium).

Further Industry and Retail Recognition

The global award builds on Chlorophyll Water’s recognition across retail, digital commerce and the beverage industry:

• “Top Trending Brand of the Year,” - Spate Market Research, an AI consumer forecasting platform.

• “Golden Ticket Winner” - Walmart, selected from a field of more than 12,000 applicants.

• Ranked No. 9 on the Top 50 Food & Beverage Brands list - RangeMe, among 90,000+ brands on the platform.

• Ranked No. 6 on the Top 10 Small Emerging Brands list - Ahold Delhaize

• Top 3 Finalist “Beverage with Benefits” - Startup CPG 2026 Shelfie Awards, which attracted more than 2,000 product entries.

• 2026 Emerging Brands Competition Invitee - Nourishing Change Conference, founded by Kroger: Selected

• Emerging Brand of the Year Finalist - California Grocers Association

• Ones to Watch Finalist - The Beverage Forum

• TikTok Shop: Top 1% on the platform, with a No. 203 ranking by total gross merchandise value (GMV) in the Food & Beverage category.

• Amazon: Amazon’s Choice recognition.

• Beverage Industry: Featured on the cover in “Nature’s Green Magic.”

About Chlorophyll Water

Chlorophyll Water combines purified water with plant-derived chlorophyll from alfalfa and vegan vitamins A, B12, C and D. It became the first bottled water in the United States to pass Clean Label Project Certification, which includes independent testing for more than 90 contaminants, including heavy metals, pesticide residues and plasticizers. Available in 16.9-ounce and 1-liter bottles made from 100% recycled plastic, as well as newly introduced 16-ounce aluminum cans, Chlorophyll Water is sold through retailers nationwide and online.