Who Makes La Croix?
La Croix is made by National Beverage Corporation of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, run by CEO Nick Caporella. The brand launched in Wisconsin in 1981.
Quick Answer
La Croix is made by National Beverage Corporation (NASDAQ: FIZZ), a Fort Lauderdale, Florida company controlled by founder and CEO Nick A. Caporella. National Beverage bought La Croix from G. Heileman Brewing in 1996.
La Croix is manufactured at National Beverage plants in La Crosse, Wisconsin (the original home of the brand); Sacramento, California; and other regional facilities. Water is sourced from municipal supplies at each plant location.
The Company
National Beverage Corporation reported fiscal 2024 net sales of about $1.19 billion. Nick Caporella owns roughly 74 percent of the company and has been CEO since founding it in 1985.
The company also owns Shasta and Faygo (regional sodas), Everfresh and Rip It energy drinks. La Croix is by far the largest brand and accounts for the majority of revenue.
How La Croix Started
La Croix was launched in 1981 by G. Heileman Brewing Company in La Crosse, Wisconsin (which is where the name comes from). Heileman wanted a competitor to Perrier in the sparkling water category.
Heileman went bankrupt in 1991 and its beverage assets were passed around. National Beverage acquired La Croix in 1996 and grew it slowly through the late 1990s and 2000s. The brand exploded in the mid 2010s when it caught on with millennials as a healthier alternative to soda.
Where La Croix Is Made
National Beverage owns 12 US bottling plants. The original La Crosse, Wisconsin plant still produces La Croix. Sacramento, California; Cottondale, Alabama; Fort Wayne, Indiana; and Miami, Florida are among the other major sites.
Water is drawn from municipal supplies and processed onsite. Carbonation, natural flavor essences and canning are all done at the same facility. Ball Corporation supplies most cans.
The Natural Flavor Question
La Croix labels list "natural flavor" as the flavoring source. A 2018 class action lawsuit alleged La Croix contained synthetic ingredients. National Beverage denied the claim and the plaintiff eventually voluntarily dismissed the case.
The FDA definition of "natural flavor" allows extracts and essential oils from fruit, spices, herbs and other plant materials. La Croix maintains that its flavors are derived from natural essence oils.
How La Croix Compares To Rivals
La Croix pioneered the modern flavored sparkling water category in the US, but PepsiCo's Bubly (launched 2018), Coca-Cola's AHA (launched 2020) and privately owned Spindrift (real fruit sparkling water) have all taken share.
La Croix still leads on flavor variety and brand recognition, but growth has slowed as competitors have caught up on distribution and marketing budget. The Florida company that makes La Croix has responded with more flavor launches (Beach Plum, Guava Sao Paulo) and a limited push into a hard seltzer sibling brand.
How To Trace Any Product Back To Its Manufacturer
- Read the fine print on the label. US and EU packaging law requires either the manufacturer name or a "distributed by" address. That is your starting point.
- Search the company's SEC filings. Public parent companies list subsidiaries and manufacturing sites in their 10-K annual reports.
- Check the FDA or USDA establishment number. For food, drugs and cosmetics, the plant of origin can often be looked up in public regulatory databases.
- Follow the money. Press releases about acquisitions and joint ventures are the fastest way to spot who really controls a brand today.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where is La Croix made? At National Beverage plants across the US, including the original La Crosse, Wisconsin site.
Who owns La Croix? National Beverage Corporation (NASDAQ: FIZZ), controlled by CEO Nick Caporella.
Is La Croix water from a spring? No. La Croix is made from filtered municipal water at each of National Beverage's regional bottling plants.
Is La Croix artificially flavored? National Beverage says all flavors come from natural essence oils. The FDA definition of "natural flavor" is what appears on the label.
What This Means For The Shopper
When you understand who actually makes La Croix, a few practical shopping habits fall into place. Corporate ownership tells you which regional bottling plant actually filled the can in your fridge, and it explains why flavor consistency can vary by market. It also tells you why store brand alternatives like Waterloo, Bubly and AHA can undercut La Croix on price so aggressively.
National Beverage is a smaller and more owner-driven company than PepsiCo or Coca-Cola. That is both a strength (faster new flavor launches, quirky branding) and a risk (limited marketing muscle against Bubly and AHA in Coca-Cola and PepsiCo distribution networks).
If you buy La Croix regularly and care about who profits from your purchase, it is worth checking the label every year or two. Bottling plant locations can shift and new flavor lines can be introduced without much fanfare, so most shoppers only notice changes when the packaging design is refreshed.
Bottom Line
La Croix is a National Beverage Corporation brand made at several US bottling plants including its original home in La Crosse, Wisconsin. It pioneered the modern flavored sparkling water category and remains one of the top sellers even as competition has intensified.