We are very excited to share that we will be entering the 11th Guangzhou International Water Tasting Competition, held from 4–6 June 2026 as part of the prestigious International High-end Drinking Water Industry Expo (IWE) in Guangzhou, China.
Why Guangzhou Matters To Us
The Guangzhou International High-end Drinking Water Industry Expo has grown into one of the most influential gatherings for premium water brands from around the world. It runs alongside a major international health industry exhibition, bringing together thousands of trade visitors, buyers, and industry leaders who are passionate about water, wellness, and sustainability. For a proudly Australian brand like ours, it is a unique chance to stand shoulder to shoulder with renowned waters from Europe, North America, Asia, and beyond.
Over the years, IWE has become known as the place where premium bottled waters, including natural mineral water, sparkling water, glacier water, and specialised functional waters, are showcased to a truly global audience. We see this as an ideal platform to tell our story from the Snowy Mountains and demonstrate what makes Australian mineral water so special.
What The Water Tasting Competition Is All About
The Guangzhou International Water Tasting Competition is a central highlight of the expo, and the 11th edition continues a tradition that has helped shape the global conversation around high-end drinking water. The competition is committed to customising fine water for high-end consumers, promoting innovation in the premium water sector, and leading trends in how people think about taste, provenance, and quality.
Each year, carefully selected water brands from many countries gather in Guangzhou to compete in several tightly defined categories. These categories typically include non-carbonated mineral water, carbonated mineral water, and flavoured mineral water, allowing very different styles of water to be judged fairly side by side. Waters range from natural mineral water and glacier water to natural mountain spring water, natural soda water, deep ocean water, snowmelt water, and more specialised types such as water designed for mothers and babies.
The judging panel is made up of water tasting experts from China and around the world. They conduct blind tastings, evaluating each water on elements such as aroma, mouthfeel, minerality, balance, and aftertaste, with no knowledge of brand or origin during scoring. This level of rigour makes any recognition at Guangzhou especially meaningful, because it is entirely based on what is in the glass.
Key Features Of The Guangzhou Competition
| Feature | Detail |
| Location | Guangzhou, China, within the China Import and Export Fair Complex |
| Scale | A large field of premium water brands from many countries |
| Main categories | Non-carbonated, carbonated, and flavoured mineral waters |
| Judging style | Blind tasting by experienced international experts |
| Event focus | High-end, premium and innovative drinking water brands and concepts |
Our Journey To Guangzhou
Beloka Water comes from the eastern border of Kosciuszko National Park in the Snowy Mountains, where it is naturally filtered through ancient geological strata before emerging as pristine, mineral rich spring water. Our still and sparkling waters both have a medium minerality that gives them body, character, and a distinctive taste profile that discerning drinkers around the world have learned to recognise.
Independent experts have rated our water highly for its purity, balance, and flavour. Over the years, we have been fortunate to receive awards in international competitions across both still and sparkling medium minerality classes, including success at previous events in Guangzhou. More recently, our naturally still mineral water was honoured with a Silver Award at a past International Water Tasting Competition in Guangzhou, a result that confirmed we can stand proudly on the global stage.
For us, entering the 11th Guangzhou International Water Tasting Competition feels like the next natural step in this journey. It allows us to test our water once again against the very best, under the eyes and palates of an expert jury that has helped define quality in our industry. It is also an opportunity to build on the momentum of past awards, and to show that our commitment to consistency and excellence is ongoing rather than a one-off achievement.
What We Hope To Achieve
There are three big reasons why we are so enthusiastic about this competition: recognition, learning, and connection.
- Recognition: We would be honoured if our still and sparkling waters are once again acknowledged for their taste, balance, and character, especially within such a competitive international field.
- Learning: The feedback that flows from a blind judging panel of international water experts is invaluable, helping us refine our understanding of how our water is perceived against other premium sources.
- Connection: The expo brings together producers, distributors, restaurateurs, hoteliers, and health and wellness professionals from across the globe, and we look forward to forming new partnerships and strengthening existing ones.
We also see Guangzhou as a chance to demonstrate the values that underpin everything we do. Our water is 100 per cent Australian: from the source itself in New South Wales to the caps, labels, boxes and the recycled glass bottles we use. By choosing local suppliers and glass packaging with a high recycled content, we aim to pair exceptional taste with a responsible environmental footprint. At an event where many global brands are showcased, this story of provenance and sustainability is one we are keen to share.
Why This Matters For Our Customers
For our customers in Australia and overseas, our participation in the Guangzhou International Water Tasting Competition is more than a headline or a trophy opportunity. It is part of our promise to keep holding ourselves to the highest possible standard, measured not just by what we say about our water, but by how it performs in respected international arenas.
When you choose Beloka Water at a restaurant, café, hotel, or at home, you are choosing a mineral rich, beautifully balanced water that has been rigorously assessed and consistently recognised by expert juries. You are also supporting an Australian owned brand that sources, bottles, and packages locally, with a focus on quality and sustainability from spring to table. We believe that is something worth celebrating, and the 11th Guangzhou International Water Tasting Competition is the perfect place to do it.