Hawaiian deep-sea water exports double last year
Thursday, February 22, 2007 11:40 PM PST
By Associated Press
Printable version
E-mail this articleHONOLULU -- Hawaiian deep-sea water exports more than doubled last year.
Deep-sea water is popular in parts of Japan, helped by promotions that the water from 3,000 feet below the ocean surface is thousands of years old and thus free of modern impurities.
Exports of the Hawaiian variety to the Asian country have jumped since companies began shipping the product several years ago.
The total monetary value of the shipments hit $37.4 million last year, making deep-sea water Hawaii's leading locally produced export for the second year in a row.
"Everyone needs water and these days people don't mind paying something more for something good," said Yutaka Ishiyama, sales and marketing manager for Koyo USA Corp. "This is the purest water on Earth. It's very natural and it's something very pure."
Koyo is the biggest of three bottling companies that use deep-sea water provided by the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority, a state facility in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island. Koyo alone produces 1 million bottles a day.
Officials say Hawaii's deep-sea water is popular because of the islands' reputation as a special place.
D.O. Hawaii, another deep-sea water producer, plans to market its water for use in other drinks, so it can be promoted as an ingredient. It is also hoping makers of tuna and even cosmetics will use its product.
"Even if it is a phase, we're excited because we're promoting our water for things beyond the water market," said Rich Treadway, a spokesman for DSH International Inc., which operates as D.O. Hawaii.
Industry officials say the business is likely to grow further.
"I think it's going to continue to grow for the foreseeable future as people continue to ramp up production," said Ron Baird, chief executive officer for the Natural Energy Laboratory.
Companies such as Koyo USA Corp. and Deep Seawater International are hoping bottled deep-sea water catches on in Mainland markets. Last summer, Koyo USA opened a third plant at the Kailua facility in anticipation of new U.S. and Asian sales.
The industry employs about 100 people, diversifying the state's tourism dependent economy.
The state also benefits by receiving hundreds of thousands of dollars each year in royalties from companies who use the Natural Energy Laboratory of Hawaii Authority's "100% Hawaii Deep Seawater" service mark on their bottled water.
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Information from: The Honolulu Advertiser, http://www.thehonoluluadvertiser.com
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