Private label bottled water is water bottled by a supplier and sold or given away under your brand, usually with a custom label. It’s popular with hotels, real estate agents, gyms, events and restaurants, and with brands that want a low-cost promotional product. Minimums are low: US custom-label companies publish starting orders of about 20 to 24 cases, roughly 480 to 576 bottles. Because bottled water is a food, the FDA’s rules on identity, quality and manufacturing apply, and words like “spring” or “mineral” have legal meanings.
I’ll compare suppliers, explain the water types and labels, and cover pricing and selling. Low minimums. Strict names.
Private label bottled water suppliers
From each company’s own site, checked in October 2026:
| Supplier | Published minimum | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| White Water Now (Phoenix, Arizona) | 20 cases (about 480 bottles) | 16.9 oz bottles |
| CustomWater.com | 24 cases (576 bottles) | 8, 12 and 16.9 oz plastic, aluminum options; 16.9 oz from $0.75 per bottle at 24 cases to $0.44 at 72 cases; first orders typically ship 3 to 4 weeks after artwork approval |
| My Label Water | 24 cases of 24 bottles (576 bottles) for plastic | Aluminum from 36 to 70 cases |
| Bottled Water Store | 24 cases (576 bottles) for standard plastic |
My take: for events and promotional use, a 24-case custom label order is a cheap way to look polished. For a retail water brand, you’re competing on price in a commodity category, so the label, the story and the channel matter far more than the water.
What the water names mean
The FDA’s standard of identity (21 CFR 165.110) defines the terms:
| Name | FDA meaning, in short |
|---|---|
| Spring water | From an underground formation from which water flows naturally to the surface |
| Artesian water | From a well tapping a confined aquifer where the water level stands above the top of the aquifer |
| Mineral water | At least 250 ppm total dissolved solids, from a geologically and physically protected underground source |
| Purified water | Produced by distillation, deionization, reverse osmosis or similar processes, meeting the USP definition |
Tap-sourced water must say so. If water comes from a community water system and isn’t treated to the purified or sterile definitions, the label must say “from a community water system” or “from a municipal source.”
Ask your supplier which category their water meets. Get it in writing. Honestly, calling purified municipal water “spring water” is the fastest way to a labeling problem.
FDA rules that apply
The FDA regulates bottled water as a food, while the EPA regulates public tap water. Three sets of FDA rules apply:
- Standard of identity: the names above.
- Standard of quality: maximum contaminant levels. Water that doesn’t meet them must say so, for example “Contains Excessive Bacteria”.
- Good manufacturing practice: 21 CFR Part 129 covers the facilities, methods and controls for processing and bottling.
Nutrition Facts: foods with insignificant amounts of all nutrients are generally exempt if they make no nutrition claims; plain water appears to fit, though the regulation doesn’t name it. Bottled water with added fluoride claims must carry nutrition labeling.
A custom label checklist
Before you approve artwork, I’d check:
- The water type name matches what the supplier actually bottles (spring, purified and so on).
- “From a municipal source” appears if the water is tap-sourced and not treated to the purified definition.
- Net quantity is shown, in fluid ounces and milliliters.
- The bottler or distributor’s name and address is on the label, as with any food.
- Your logo and message survive condensation. Ask whether labels are waterproof.
- Contact details or a QR code for the promotion, if the water is a marketing piece.
Then order a single case of samples and leave a few bottles in a cooler with ice. Labels that peel or smudge there will do the same at your event.
Pricing and positioning
With custom label water costing well under a dollar a bottle at volume, the real cost is design, shipping and storage. Water is heavy. Very heavy. Price per delivered case, not per bottle. When you use it as a promotional product, measure the result (leads at events, guest reviews), not the margin. That’s the point of it.
Selling bottled water on Amazon
Water is a tough Amazon product: heavy, low-priced and competitive, so FBA fees eat margin quickly. Grocery products may need approval, and dated products need clear expiration dates. In my view, private label water works better as a branded promotional product or a local wholesale offer than as an Amazon listing. For food sourcing more broadly, see our guide to private label food manufacturers, and for another beverage, private label energy drink manufacturers.
If you’d like help sourcing promotional or retail products, our complete sourcing management service can help.
FAQ
What is the minimum order for private label bottled water?
US custom label suppliers publish minimums of about 20 to 24 cases, roughly 480 to 576 bottles, for standard plastic bottles.
What is the difference between spring water and purified water?
Spring water comes from an underground source that flows naturally to the surface; purified water is treated by processes such as distillation or reverse osmosis to meet the USP definition.
Is bottled water regulated by the FDA?
Yes. The FDA regulates bottled water as a food, with standards of identity and quality and manufacturing rules; the EPA regulates tap water.
Can tap water be sold as bottled water?
Yes, but if it isn’t treated to the purified or sterile definitions, the label must say it’s from a community water system or municipal source.
Does bottled water need a Nutrition Facts label?
Plain water generally falls under the exemption for foods with insignificant nutrients, but water with fluoride claims must carry nutrition labeling.
How much does custom label water cost?
One supplier lists 16.9 oz bottles from $0.75 each at 24 cases to $0.44 at 72 cases. Shipping often adds significantly because water is heavy.
Last updated: October 6, 2026. General information, not legal advice. Sources: FDA, bottled water everywhere: keeping it safe; 21 CFR 165.110; 21 CFR 129.1; 21 CFR 101.9; CustomWater.com; My Label Water; Bottled Water Store; White Water Now.
