Building a brand with guts – How Agua de Madre uses identity to cut through the crowd
In an industry overflowing with brightly designed sodas and health drinks vying for attention, finding a way to cut through is vital. For Agua de Madre, it has always started with intent.
“From the very beginning, we knew we had to be different,” says Leon. “Everything we do – the design, the language, the product itself – comes back to authenticity, nostalgia, and a good gut feeling.”
A label with guts
The brand’s packaging captures that instinctive, energetic personality. Agua de Madre cans and bottles don’t sit neatly in rows; they fizz with overlapping layers, nostalgic typography, and a sticker-bomb aesthetic. Inspired by childhood sticker books, guitar cases plastered with travel stamps, and the walls of London covered in gig posters, the look feels lived-in, immediate, and human.
Designer Chris Chapman calls it design that “fizzes with joy and memory” – an approach that’s just as much about feeling as it is about function. “We wanted the label to stop people in their tracks, to make them lean in, maybe even want to peel it off,” Leon explains. “It’s about freedom and individuality in a world of uniformity.”
That refusal to conform wasn’t easy. Early on, manufacturers said the layered, mixed-finish look couldn’t be done. But persistence paid off: every texture and type was refined until it worked technically, without losing the feeling of chaos and character.
Fermentation, foundations, and the spirit of the Madre
Beneath the surface, the brand’s identity is more than decoration. It reflects the foundations of Agua de Madre, which was founded in 2017 by Nicola Hart to bring the centuries-old tradition of water kefir to a modern audience. Today, it is one of the few companies globally producing unpasteurised, ambient, probiotic sodas – making live cultures accessible on the go, without compromise.
The name itself is rooted in meaning. “Madre” refers to the mother culture that kickstarts fermentation, but it also symbolises the maternal energy that has sustained cultures – microbial and social – for generations.
“That maternal spirit runs through everything,” Leon says. “From the care we take in fermentation, to the warmth and familiarity of our design, to the communities we support. It’s why we donate a percentage of profits to female-focused charities, why we became B Corp certified, and why we’re proud to stand with By Women Built. Values aren’t marketing, they’re the foundation.”
Function and clarity
Identity also shapes how the brand communicates what’s inside the can. In the functional drinks category, where regulation is tight and consumer trust is everything, clarity wins.
“Our drinks are packed with minerals, probiotics, postbiotics, vitamins – but we don’t bombard people with jargon. Shoppers care about gut health, live cultures, and taste. Our strapline, ‘Like soda, but good for you’, says it all. It’s confident, honest, and doesn’t drift into grey areas,” Leon explains.
From Hackney arches to national shelves
The brand’s path has been one of patience and purpose. Starting small, Agua de Madre built trust in local independents and premium retailers before scaling. That foundation gave it the credibility to move into larger channels.
Today, the drinks are on menus in Michelin-star restaurants, five-star hotels, leading cultural venues, and festivals. In 2025, the brand launches nationally in Waitrose – a milestone moment that feels like a natural step forward rather than a leap.
A brand with guts
At the heart of Agua de Madre is a simple belief: identity isn’t just skin-deep. When design, values and product align, consumers instantly understand what the brand stands for.
“Packaging isn’t a bolt-on for us – it’s the start of the story,” Leon says. “If we can show our personality and our purpose in that split second on shelf – and back it up with great taste and real values – then we’ve done our job. That’s how you cut through.”
Leon will be taking part in ‘Raising the Bar: The power of packaging in NoLo drinks’ at London Packaging Week 2025, where speakers from across the no- and low-alcohol beverage industry will share perspective on the challenge of differentiation as the category grows.
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