'The sparkling water category is still in its infancy,' says Nixie Sparkling Water founder The sparkling water category may seem crowded with products made by CPG giants and offerings from smaller, independently-owned brands, but the reality is that sparkling water is still just a small piece of the overall carbonated beverage category, says Nicole Bernard Dawes, founder of Nixie Sparkling Water. "It’s only crowded because it’s not getting a proportionate share of the aisle yet," Dawes told FoodNavigator-USA. "If you look at the $30bn carbonated beverage set, sparkling water is still just a tiny fraction of that, but it’s the fastest growing."