Watercoolers Europe (WE) 2025 Conference & Trade Fair made its Milan debut with a clear message: the watercooler sector isn’t just recovering from the pandemic years – it’s thriving, driven by renewed focus and innovation. Refreshment editor Rafaela Sousa takes us through her favourite moments from this year’s dynamic event.

Held on 6-7 November at the Meliá Milano hotel, this year’s WE event brought together bottlers, dispenser manufacturers, filtration specialists, packaging suppliers and operators from across Europe for two days of talks, networking and product showcases.  

Richard Hall’s market update

FoodBev Media’s chairman Richard Hall opened the conference on the first day with a market overview, which provided a clear snapshot of where the European water dispenser sector stands today. 

"We can feel confident about how we care for our bodies and lifestyles through the hydration that watercoolers provide – whether for employees, customers or ourselves," He told Refreshment. 

Hall delivered a detailed market overview, outlining the latest trends and performance across Europe’s water dispenser sector. According to the most recent Zenith Global figures, the region reached 6.5 million dispensers in 2024, an increase of 2.2% compared with 2023. Revenue rose to €2.3 billion, representing an 11.1% year-on-year increase, and the average revenue per unit reached €360. 

Hall broke down the performance of the main dispenser categories, confirming growth across all three.

Bottled watercoolers reached 4.4 million units, up 1.2%, while point-of-use systems grew to 1.8 million units, up 4.3%. Integrated tap systems increased to 300,000 units, up 5.6%. These figures outlined how each segment performed in 2024 across the European market. 

Although Hall’s figures shaped the morning session, the programme continued with a series of additional presentations and workshops throughout the day, covering communication, marketing and wider industry developments.

Understanding tomorrow’s consumer 

Consumer behaviour emerged as a central theme throughout the conference, highlighted in the headline keynote delivered by international communications consultant Bert Helbig. 

His session explored the behaviours, values and expectations of Gen Z – the emerging consumer base set to drive future growth. He highlighted how the “Netflix generation” wants to be engaged differently in terms of professionalism, individuality and emotional appeal, and shared practical tools for attendees to future-proof their marketing, sales and brand strategies. 

Elsewhere, WE board member Derek Callaghan hosted a panel with conference speakers – including Richard Hall, Kamen Dimov, Lorenzo Sarvello, Paolo Vaona, Federico Lotta, Gianni Cuozzo and Bert Helbig – to discuss marketing, cybersecurity, consumer behaviour and the watercooler and HoReCa markets.  

The panel explored the key trends shaping the industry’s future, sharing practical strategies for sustainable growth and offering actionable insights for business leaders aiming to stay ahead.

Aqua Awards 

The Aqua Awards gala dinner took place at Galleria Meravigli in central Milan, bringing the community together for an evening of recognition and networking.  

Each award recognised the standout achievements of the past year. Rheavendors Servomat took home the top prize for Most Innovative Product/Technology, with H2O and Kärcher named as runners-up. 

In the Water for All category, Culligan Italy secured the win, followed by Blupura and H2On. The Sustainability Leadership prize was awarded to KTLC Europe, with Blupura and Culligan Austria recognised in second and third place. For Best Marketing Campaign, Culligan Austria received the top honour, with H2On and Oasis as the runners-up.  

After the ceremony, we interviewed the winners to hear their immediate reactions and the stories behind their entries.  

Trade fair 

Lively discussions continued on day two as the WE Trade Fair opened, bringing together 34 exhibitors showcasing the technologies and solutions driving the next phase of the watercooler sector. 

Among the exhibitors, several companies stood out for the range of equipment and technology they brought to Milan. Blupura drew attention with its Rebel countertop water dispenser, designed for domestic, office and hospitality environments. The Rebel unit is compact, highly functional and capable of dispensing cold, still, sparkling and hot water, with the ‘Super Hot’ version delivering temperatures up to 98°C. 

Blupura also highlighted its Blutron filtration range, which the Rebel integrates: the system uses either the Blutron Micro 7K or Blutron Shield 7K for cold water, paired with Blutron Ionic 0.4K for hot water in the 'Super Hot’ model, or with a CO₂ cylinder in the Fizz version. The company also showcased its Ecochic countertop watercooler, developed for office and hospitality settings. 

H2O Direct presented its IEN range of filtration systems, which can be used in a wide range of applications, including hot water boilers, hot liquid equipment, vending machines and espresso machines. 

The filters offer a high level of scale reduction and come with variable bypass options from 0–70% (VH-IEN) or a fixed 30% (IEN), using specially blended resin to stabilise pH levels. They are designed to reduce chlorine, improve taste and remove odour issues, while delivering greater performance and efficiency compared with other leading brands, based on in-house testing. The IEN range also features an auto water shut-off and an optional support base. 

Other exhibitors, such as YoungOne Corporation, showcased their carbonated water dispenser, while Petainer and Greif highlighted their solutions for navigating shifts in the packaging industry, where you will be able to watch our interview with them on our YouTube channel next week. 

We also had the pleasure of visiting Sigma Home Products, Oasis, Cypet Technologies, Plastipak, Silgan Closures, Instagroup, RheaVendors, Blackhawk Molding, among others. 

A new chapter begins

This year’s Watercoolers Europe Conference & Trade Fair in Milan was also marked by an important moment: the retirement of long-standing director general Gustav Felix, whose contribution to the association has shaped much of its development over the years.

His farewell was warmly received by the membership, and we had the opportunity to speak with him about his time at WE and his hopes for the future. “I never once regretted spending 20 years with Watercoolers Europe and over 25 years in the industry,” Felix enthused. “It has been a true pleasure to work here, and I’m very proud of everything we achieved together."

As the event drew to a close, attention turned to what would come next. Watercoolers Europe confirmed that the 2026 Conference & Trade Fair will take place in Málaga, Spain, setting the stage for another gathering in a city known for its hospitality, accessibility and growing international appeal.  

All interviews from Watercoolers Europe 2025 will be available to watch on our YouTube channel next week.