Genuine sensory experts: Five water sommeliers at Krones

Water Design from Krones

So, since passing their exam to qualify as water sommeliers, the five colleagues have no longer only been working in sales or the technical departments but have also been playing their part in a new product: Krones has of late been offering water companies a full-service package entitled Water Design. It starts with developing the water formulation, then suitable system configurations, and also includes accurately matched minerals and consumables from KIC Krones required for ongoing production.

It’s in the first phase – developing the water formulation – when the five water sommeliers come into play. Over the past few months, they have been able to put their freshly acquired knowledge to good use: “There was one customer, for example, who wanted to produce his water to the same high quality at a different facility. So we first analysed the product in question, tasted it and then tried to create an exact twin in our pilot plant. For this, we used water that was first fully demineralised in a reverse-osmosis process and then remineralised,” says Florian Köglmeier, looking back.

The best example of the Krones water sommeliers’ work is, of course, the development of a completely new formula where selectively targeted remineralisation is used to create a water with quite specific taste nuances or ingredients. This is the ideal solution for new entrants in the water business and also for those who want to surprise the market with fresh types of mineral water. But beverage producers who already have a formula for their water can likewise get in touch with Krones because detailed tastings will familiarise the Krones team with the customer’s product and enable them to select the new system technology for an optimum match.

*Selectively targeted remineralisation is used to create water with quite specific taste nuances or ingredients.*

In-house pilot plant for water trials

A dedicated water pilot plant has been running at Krones headquarters in Neutraubling since early 2022, allowing the water experts to perform the requisite tests and trials. It includes a Hydronomic module for reverse osmosis, plus two other systems: an EDI module where a water’s mineral content is reduced to a minimum by means of electrodeionisation. The result is ultra-pure, deionised water: the ideal basis for adding back the desired minerals. In a second module, electrodialysis is used to create water with a silicate content, without simultaneously increasing its sodium content.

All the requisite minerals and other additives needed to selectively reproduce the composition of waters with different formulas and taste nuances are, of course, available in the water pilot plant.

“So in our pilot plant we’ve got all that’s needed to conduct even extensive tests and develop water formulas. For more detailed, independent water analyses, we also cooperate with third-party laboratories,” explains Florian Köglmeier.

Although he and his four colleagues are dealing with the subject of water on a permanent basis, they do not spend every day in the pilot plant tasting various waters. In order not to lose their touch though, they meet up regularly to train their taste buds, since “Practice makes perfect” certainly also applies to water sommeliers.