An industry-first renewable energy move is helping Bay of Plenty bottled water exporter Oravida accelerate a multi-million dollar expansion into luxury hotels across North America, Asia and Australasia.
Oravida has installed a ground-based solar farm at its Otakiri bottling plant, supplying around two-thirds of the electricity required for daily operations and strengthening its sustainability credentials with international hotel groups that increasingly demand verified environmental performance from suppliers.
General manager Robyn Farmer says the investment marks a first for the sector.
“This is about future-proofing the business. Sustainability is no longer optional if you want to work with international luxury hotel brands. It has become a baseline requirement.”
The 144-kilowatt solar installation, completed late last year, generates enough renewable electricity at peak output to power the equivalent of 40 to 50 average New Zealand homes. During daylight hours — when production demand is highest — the system supplies the majority of the plant’s bottling operations.
Oravida has potential production capacity of 30,000 bottles per day and exports approximately 85 percent of its output. After returning to pre-Covid production and export levels in 2025–26, volumes are forecast to increase by up to 40 percent in 2026–27, driven by new international hotel supply agreements.
The company’s export strategy is deliberately focused on high-end hospitality rather than mass-market retail. In China, Oravida water is stocked in leading properties including Mandarin Oriental and The Peninsula Hotels, where premium bottled water forms part of the overall dining and wellness offering.
In New Zealand, the brand is served in selected five-star properties including JW Marriott.
Farmer says sustainability reporting now plays a decisive role in procurement processes.
Robyn Farmer.
“In many cases, more than half of the application is focused on sustainability, carbon reduction and social responsibility,” she says. “If you cannot tick those boxes, the door simply does not open.”
Based on standard commercial electricity emissions factors, the solar installation is expected to reduce operational carbon emissions by around 960kg of CO2 per year, depending on production levels and grid conditions. The company is undertaking formal carbon measurement and certification as it prepares for further international expansion.
Unlike most commercial systems, Oravida’s solar array is ground-mounted on open land rather than installed on the factory roof. The design enables easier maintenance, improved panel efficiency and future scalability without affecting the existing building footprint. It also provides a potential blueprint for rural manufacturers, who may face less reliable grid supply but have access to land suitable for on-site generation.
The Otakiri site experiences multiple power outages each year. While the solar system is not designed as a full backup solution, it reduces exposure to grid disruption during peak daylight production and supports more consistent export output.
The renewable energy investment underpins a broader expansion programme, with capital deployed into new market entry, increased production capacity, new packaging formats and long-term supply contracts with luxury hotel groups.
Oravida is preparing to enter the Australian market for the first time this year, with its initial shipment scheduled for February. The company is also laying groundwork for entry into the United States while continuing to grow its Asian customer base.
Farmer says sustainability expectations in China have shifted markedly in recent years.
“Ten years ago, sustainability simply wasn’t part of the conversation with customers at home and in Asia, today, it’s central to how premium hotels select suppliers.”
She adds that New Zealand water offers a distinct point of difference in global fine-dining settings.
“Our water is naturally very soft, with high silica and low total dissolved solids which makes it quite different to Italian and French mineral waters, which are much harder. In premium dining settings, that difference matters.”
Sourced from an underground aquifer and naturally filtered for more than 1,800 years, Oravida positions its product as a refined alternative for luxury hospitality, packaged in glass bottles designed for presentation and preservation. An aluminium bottled format is also being introduced to support sustainability goals and expand into premium golf courses and outdoor hospitality venues where glass is less suitable.
As export volumes increase, the company expects to expand staffing at its Otakiri operation and introduce extended production shifts over the next 12 months.
“This is not about green marketing, rather it’s about building a business that can compete in the world’s most demanding hospitality markets, both on quality and on sustainability,” Farmer says.
