Bottler taps Mexican water market

Bottler taps Mexican water market Valencia-based bottler and distributor Fire Mountain Beverage Co. has signed a deal to produce up to 80 truckloads of packaged water per month for export into Mexico. The products will be produced at the firm's newly acquired facility in Redlands with production slated to begin in a few days.
   The contracting firm was not identified and financial details of the deal were not released.
   It is the largest production order ever placed with FMBC, which earned revenues of more than $2 million in 2006.
   Last month, the 4-year-old firm began operations at the 120,000-square-foot facility in Redlands. The facility has two existing production lines and FMBC's goal is to add two additional lines. The facility is outfitted to produce purified water, spring water and an array of flavored water-based beverages.
   In January, FMBC announced a similar production deal with Colton-based grocery chain Stater Bros. That deal called for FMBC to produce 40 truckloads, or 75,000 cases of water, under the grocery chain's house label. FMBC also produces water for three small grocery chains in Southern California.