Before it was boozy: The sparkling history behind hard seltzer | How fizzy water became a global craze

For hundreds of years, humans have been drinking sparkling water, and its origins are largely the result of accidental inventions.

In the 1740s, in the United Kingdom, William Brownrigg, a physician and scientist, is credited with inventing bubble water. Nevertheless, two decades later, Joseph Priestley made the same discovery when he left some water on top of a beer vat, allowing carbon dioxide to settle into the water. It would be another twenty years before any companies began producing carbonated water on a large scale, but when it finally entered the market, it quickly gained a following.

A look at the US market today

Today, the market for sparkling water is a multibillion-dollar industry in the US alone. Major food and beverage brands have created their carbonated water lines: Nestlé owns Perrier and San Peligrino, two brands many might be familiar with.

According to Beverage Industry, an online trade publication, Sparkingly Ice, owned by Talking Rain, controls around 23 percent of the market. Next are the private labels, like those offered by Costco’s Kirkland Signature, which control around 17.5 percent. Following these white labels are La Croix, with a share of around 15.1 percent, and Bubly, which controls around 10.4 percent.

The rise of seltzer

When looking at the rise in popularity of sparkling water in the US, it’s impossible to ignore the decline in alcohol and sugary soda consumption over the last thirty years. As far as alcohol is concerned, Gallup reports that around 65 percent of the population said they had to drink wine, beer, or liquor in 1994. By 2024, that figure had dropped to 58 percent. Also notable is the decrease in the number of respondents who say they “sometimes drink more than they should”: 29 percent in 1994 versus 16 percent in 2024. Lastly, the poll found that in 2001, about a quarter of those surveyed believed that one or two drinks a day was good for one’s health, whereas in 2024, only 8 percent held the same view.

Trends in the soda market are similar, with sales reaching an all-time low in 2016 and remaining relatively flat since then. However, market analysts expect soda consumption to increase in the coming years, as new offerings like craft soda and probiotic soda enter the market, offering a fresh twist on a classic.

Meanwhile, the rise of spiked seltzer has accelerated rapidly in the US, offering a lower-calorie alternative with an alcohol content comparable to that of light beer. According to Grand View Research, in 2023, North America accounted for 56 percent of global hard seltzer sales. In contrast, the region represents only about half that share in the sparkling water market. When it comes to companies leading the US hard seltzer market, White Claw and Truly dominate, together controlling around 70% of sales. White Claw alone is estimated to account for roughly half of all sales.

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