AQUA’s Brand Lead Narrows as Indonesia’s Bottled-Water Competition Intensifies

AQUA remains first, but its advantage is shrinking

Indonesia’s packaged drinking-water market is becoming more competitive after five consecutive years of erosion in the brand strength of longtime leader AQUA. Liputan6, citing official Top Brand Index data from Frontier Research, reported that AQUA’s score in the bottled-water category declined from 57.2% in 2022 to 42.82% in 2026, a reduction of about 14.4 percentage points.

AQUA still holds a substantial lead. The 2026 ranking places it first at 42.82%, followed by Le Minerale at 21.49%, Ades at 7.03%, Cleo at 5.57% and Club at 2.80%. However, the gap between AQUA and Le Minerale has narrowed from more than 44 points in 2022 to about 21 points in 2026.

The figures should not be treated as direct sales-market shares. The Top Brand Index combines mind share, based on top-of-mind awareness; market share, based on the brand most recently used; and commitment share, measuring intended future use. It is therefore an indicator of consumer brand strength, although Liputan6 noted that its historical direction tends to correlate with actual sales performance.

Challengers invest in distribution and capacity

AQUA, operated by Danone-Aqua and present in Indonesia since 1973, retains the widest distribution network and the most established consumer base. Its decline nevertheless points to sustained pressure from newer and regional competitors rather than a single-year fluctuation.

Le Minerale, produced by Mayora Group subsidiary PT Tirta Fresindo Jaya, has recorded the strongest increase among the leading challengers since entering the market in 2015. Liputan6 linked its advance to broad distribution and packaging innovation, including disposable water gallons. Its index score rose sharply through 2025 before easing slightly in 2026.

Cleo is also expanding. PT Sariguna Primatirta Tbk reported net sales of Rp2.82 trillion in 2025, up 4.77% from the previous year, although net profit fell 17.9% under pressure from cost of goods sold. In the first half of 2026, sales increased 23.77% to Rp1.69 trillion as the company expanded through three new plants in Palu, Pekanbaru and Pontianak.

Competition below the top two remains fluid. Ades weakened in 2025 but rebounded to a 7.03% index score in 2026, while Club’s score has been comparatively stable but has gradually declined. These movements suggest that brands in the middle of the ranking face pressure from companies pursuing faster distribution and production expansion.

A growing market faces higher standards

The changing brand hierarchy is occurring while the wider industry continues to expand. Rachmat Hidayat, chairman of the Indonesian Bottled Drinking Water Companies Association, said total industry sales grew by more than 5% in the first half of 2025 from the same period a year earlier. He attributed the increase to stronger consumer demand and new investment.

That growth means competitors may gain sales without taking an equivalent volume directly from AQUA. For producers and distributors, the contest increasingly concerns access to incremental demand, retail availability and packaging formats, as well as the redistribution of an existing market.

Regulation will add another competitive test. Mandatory Indonesian National Standards for the packaged-water industry are scheduled to take effect in October 2026. The rules could raise quality standards across the sector while increasing the compliance burden for smaller producers. Rising consumer interest in BPA-free gallon packaging is creating another area of differentiation beyond price and distribution. AQUA remains the benchmark brand, but the index data, capacity investments and impending standards show that Indonesia’s packaged-water market is entering a more contested phase.