What Vilsa does

VILSA is a German family-owned mineral water and beverage producer headquartered in Bruchhausen-Vilsen, Lower Saxony, operating as VILSA-BRUNNEN Otto Rodekohr GmbH since 1912. The company sources natural mineral water from deep springs in northern Germany protected by thick clay layers, yielding low-mineralization water (sodium 16.4 mg/L) suitable for infant formula preparation. VILSA holds the position of Germany's largest bio mineral water brand and operates with 251–500 employees under private ownership.

The product portfolio spans seven core mineral water variants (Classic, Medium, Naturelle, Leichtperlig, Plus Lemon, Carat Naturelle in Tetra Pak, Babywasser) and adjacent sub-brands including PLUS Bio flavored waters, H2Obst fruit waters, Schorlen spritzers, Leichte Bio-Limo organic lemonades, and classic Limonaden. The VILSA Gourmet sub-brand serves the HoReCa channel with premium glass-bottled mineral water and apple spritzer. Packaging innovation is a stated differentiator: the Frischeschutzflasche (PET bottle with ultra-thin glass coating), NIX-PACK film-free multipack, Tetra Pak cartons, and 100% rPET single-use bottles.

VILSA generates revenue through one-time sale of bottled beverages across retail (REWE and other German chains), e-commerce (Amazon, Flaschenpost, knuspr, Flink, Picnic), proprietary Shopfinder, and direct gastronomy sales. The company is a private family business with no disclosed external funding, no subsidiaries, and operates exclusively within Germany. Sustainability positioning is central, including SBTi-validated net-zero targets along the value chain by 2050 and a long-standing partnership with Deutsche Wildtier Stiftung for wildlife conservation.

Name

Vilsa

Legal name

VILSA-BRUNNEN Otto Rodekohr GmbH

Website

https://vilsa.de

Company type

Private

Founded year

1912

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

VILSA is a family-owned German mineral water and beverage producer founded in 1912, sourcing natural bio mineral water from deep springs in Lower Saxony. It serves German retail, e-commerce, and HoReCa customers through its core water line plus flavored, fruit, and organic sub-brands.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Bottled Mineral Water and Beverages

SIC

Bottled & Canned Soft Drinks & Carbonated Waters (2086)

akta.pro primary industry

Sparkling/Carbonated Bottled Water Production (AFAFACAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Flavored/Enhanced Bottled Water Production (Essenced, Vitamin, Electrolyte) (AFAFACAF), Still Soft Drinks & Flavored Waters (Non-Carbonated) (AFAFABAB), Non-Carbonated Soft Drinks (Juice Drinks, Lemonades, Fruit Drinks) (CRADAHAB)

Keywords

• Bottled mineral water
• Organic beverages
• Flavored sparkling water
• Fruit spritzers
• Sustainable beverage packaging

Headquarters

HQ city

Bruchhausen-vilsen

HQ country

Germany

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Beverage Product Sales: VILSA generates revenue through the sale of bottled beverages including mineral water, sparkling water, flavored waters, juices, lemonades, and specialty products. Products are sold in various formats: glass bottles (returnable), PET bottles (single-use and reusable), and Tetra Pak cartons.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

VILSA produces and sells natural bio-certified mineral water sourced from deep springs in Lower Saxony, Germany, across multiple carbonation levels and package formats (glass, PET, rPET, Tetra Pak). The portfolio extends to flavored mineral waters (PLUS Bio), fruit waters (H2Obst), fruit spritzers (Schorlen), light organic lemonades (Leichte Bio-Limo), classic lemonades (Limonaden), and a premium gourmet line for the gastronomy sector. Proprietary packaging innovations include the glass-coated Frischeschutzflasche and the film-free NIX-PACK multipack system.

Product overview

Vilsa is a German mineral water and beverages company offering a diverse portfolio of natural bio mineral water products supplemented by flavored beverages and specialty gastronomy lines. The core offering centers on natural mineral water sourced from a deep spring in northern Germany, available in six varieties across the Mineralwasser line (Classic, Medium, Naturelle, Leichtperlig, Plus Lemon, Carat Naturelle in Tetra Pak, and Babywasser). Adjacent sub-brands extend the portfolio across PLUS Bio flavored mineral waters (Limette-Minze, Orange, Schwarze Johannisbeere), H2Obst fruit waters (five varieties), Schorlen (Apfelschorle, Goldschorle, Rote Schorle), Leichte Bio-Limo light organic lemonades (four varieties), and Limonaden classic sodas (Pink Grapefruit, Zitrone, Orange, Limette). A dedicated Gourmet sub-brand serves the gastronomy sector with premium mineral water and apple spritzers in elegant glass bottles. Packaging innovation is a key differentiator, featuring the Frischeschutzflasche (PET bottle with ultra-thin glass coating), NIX-PACK (film-free multipack), Tetra Pak cartons, and rPET recycled plastic bottles.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• VILSA Gourmet: Exclusive product line designed specifically for the gastronomy sector with premium packaging and stylish design for hotels, bars, and restaurants
• PLUS Bio
• H2Obst
• Schorlen
• Leichte Bio-Limo
• Limonaden
• NIX-PACK
• Frischeschutzflasche

Products and services

• VILSA Mineralwasser Classic Classic VILSA sparkling mineral water with full carbonation and light mineralization, positioned for daily hydration refreshment.
• VILSA Mineralwasser Medium Lightly mineralized and moderately sparkling mineral water for consumers preferring balanced carbonation.
• VILSA Mineralwasser Naturelle Still (non-carbonated) mineral water characterized by exceptional purity and mild taste from VILSA's deep spring source.
• VILSA Mineralwasser Leichtperlig Refreshingly mild mineral water with a hint of carbonation, offering lightness with subtle sparkle.
• VILSA Plus Lemon Sparkling light natural mineral water combined with herb-fresh natural lemon extracts, zero calories.
• VILSA Carat Naturelle (Tetra Pak) Natural mineral water packaged in an innovative, lightweight, resealable, deposit-free Tetra Pak carton for on-the-go and infant-formula use.
• VILSA Babywasser Mineral water specifically suited for infant formula preparation, featuring low sodium content of 16.4 mg/L in a lightweight resealable Tetra Pak carton.
• VILSA PLUS Bio Limette-Minze Natural mineral water with herb-fresh lime and mint, zero calories, certified organic under EU bio regulation.
• VILSA PLUS Bio Orange Sparkling natural mineral water with fruity-fresh orange, zero calories, certified organic under EU bio regulation.
• VILSA PLUS Bio Schwarze Johannisbeere Sparkling natural mineral water with blackcurrant, zero calories, certified organic under EU bio regulation.
• VILSA H2Obst Schwarzer Tee Pfirsich Passionsfrucht Fruit water combining black tea with peach and passion fruit, described as fruity and light.
• VILSA H2Obst Apfel-Quitte-Zitrone Fruit water with apple, quince, and lemon, low-calorie and designed for outdoor occasions.
• VILSA H2Obst Apfel-Waldbeere Naturally fresh fruit mix with apple and forest berry, low in calories.
• VILSA H2Obst Apfel-Orange Sunny-light apple and orange fruit water with 20% fruit content in natural VILSA mineral water, refreshing and low-calorie.
• VILSA H2Obst Apfel-Kirsche Prickling fruit water with apple and cherry, low-calorie fruit refreshment.
• VILSA Apfelschorle Classic apple spritzer made with pure VILSA mineral water and apple juice, no added sugar or sweeteners.
• VILSA Goldschorle Apple and pear spritzer with a particularly mild, fruity taste and an enticing golden color.
• VILSA Rote Schorle Fruity-herb mix of apple, blackcurrant, and grape combined with sparkling mineral water.
• VILSA Leichte Bio-Limo Granatapfel-Limette Light organic lemonade combining pomegranate with lime, naturally flavored, low-calorie.
• VILSA Leichte Bio-Limo Blaubeere Light organic lemonade with blueberry, low-calorie refreshing beverage.
• VILSA Leichte Bio-Limo Trübe Zitrone Cloudy lemon light organic lemonade, refreshing and energizing for on-the-go consumption.
• VILSA Leichte Bio-Limo Orange-Maracuja Light organic lemonade with orange and passion fruit, low-calorie refreshment.
• VILSA Limonade Pink Grapefruit Classic lemonade with pink grapefruit, light, fruity with a sweet note and sparkling enjoyment in delicate pink.
• VILSA Limonade Zitrone Classic lemon lemonade made with sun-ripened lemons.
• VILSA Limonade Orange Orange lemonade with a strong orangy taste, positioned as a family refreshment for hot summer days.
• VILSA Limonade Limette Herb-fruity and refreshing lemonade with lime, suitable across spring, summer, autumn, and winter.
• VILSA Gourmet Exclusive gastronomy-only product line of premium mineral water (medium and naturelle) and apple spritzer (Apfelschorle) presented in elegant glass bottles with stylish labeling, distributed exclusively through hotels, restaurants, bars, and catering companies.

Quantifiable outcome

• SBTi-validated net-zero emissions along entire value chain by 2050

Segments2 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Two partnerships are on record, tiered core.

• Deutsche Wildtier StiftungcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership with Deutsche Wildtier Stiftung (German Wildlife Foundation) for nature and species conservation projects. VILSA supports conservation of endangered species including hamsters and wild bees. Key project: conversion of 2 million m² of conventional farmland to organic farming in Klepelshagen (Uckermark) to create habitat for typical agricultural wildlife including hares, skylarks, wild bees, and butterflies.
• Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi)coreOthersSBTi has validated VILSA's short and long-term emission reduction targets aligned with 1.5°C Paris Agreement goal. Confirmed net-zero along entire value chain by 2050 at latest, achieved through genuine emission avoidance rather than short-term compensation.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Gerolsteiner Brunnen: Germany's largest mineral water brand by volume, also based on natural mineral springs in the Eifel region; competes head-to-head with VILSA in retail and gastronomy channels with a similar still-to-sparkling portfolio.
• Rhönsprudel: Regional German mineral water brand from the Rhön mountains; competes with VILSA as a mid-sized spring-sourced mineral water and beverage company targeting similar retail and gastronomy segments in Germany.
• Bad Pyrmonter: Lower Saxony-based mineral water producer (now operated by Refresco), historically a direct regional competitor to VILSA in Northern Germany's retail and food-service channels.
• Adelholzener Alpenquellen: Bavaria-based mineral water and beverage producer (part of the Adelholzener Group) with a comparable spring-sourced mineral water portfolio and flavoured/functional lines competing with VILSA in German retail.
• Franken Brunnen: Mid-sized German mineral water and beverage producer with spring-sourced waters and flavored lines, comparable to VILSA in scale, regional German footprint, and mass-retail/Gastronomy channel strategy.
• Hassia Mineralquellen: German mineral water and soft drink producer (Bad Vilbel) with multi-format offerings (still, sparkling, flavored) and a private-label business that directly competes with VILSA in retail and gastronomy.

Broad incumbents

• Refresco: Largest independent bottler of soft drinks and waters in Europe, including private-label; competes with VILSA through retailer-brand mineral water and beverage production across German retail channels.
• Danone Waters (Evian, Volvic): Multinational bottled water and beverage operator with premium positioning and global scale; overlaps VILSA's natural mineral water and flavored water categories and competes for HoReCa and retail listings in Germany.
• Coca-Cola Europacific Partners: Major bottler and distributor of sparkling soft drinks and waters in Germany, competing with VILSA's Limonaden and Schorlen lines for retail shelf space and on-premise placement.
• Nestlé Waters (S.Pellegrino, Perrier): Global mineral water and bottled beverage giant with broad portfolio across still, sparkling, flavored, and functional waters; competes with VILSA via premium imported brands and through retail-buyer negotiating power in the German market.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookde-de.facebook.com/VILSABRUNNEN
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/vilsa-brunnen/?viewAsMember=true
• Instagraminstagram.com/vilsa.brunnen
• TikToktiktok.com/@vilsa.brunnen

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Vilsa