VÄRSKA VESI AS

On one spring day in 1967, under the leadership of geologist Vladimir Tassa, drilling works began at the southern protrusion of the Gulf of Värska, on the shore of Lake Õrsava, with the goal being to reach the unique underground body of water.

The drilling lasted the whole summer and reached a depth of 470 metres.

That was the precise depth at which the big natural stone bowl under the Gulf of Värska, the deepest water horizon of which had formed 500 million years ago, was discovered.

The crystal clear water hidden within has absorbed the necessary minerals from the rocks over the course of millions of years.

Doing so in a natural way and in just the right amount.

The geologists’ prediction turned out to be right. And so, a few years later, a factory was established near the borehole, where the natural mineral water, which became known as Värska Originaal, was bottled.

To keep traditions alive, we are once again bottling this same crystal clear Värska Originaal, which is just old enough – a worthy 500 million years – into the quality glass bottles it deserves.

History in years

According to an old legend, Värska water has miraculous powers. A bereaved widow named Maarja was weeping by the holy springs. The tears of pure love instilled power in the water rising to the surface from the depths of the earth. The thirsty can draw health, strength and long life from Värska water. There’s always a grain of truth in folklore. Värska mineral waters contain beneficial elements that have a favourable effect on the entire body. The area around Värska are more long-lived people than anywhere else in Estonia.

The first mineral water bore well was drilled in Värska in 1967.

Mineral water bottling started in 1973. The mineral water comes from a bore well of 470 metres in depth. In the 1970s, the water began to be marketed in Estonia. The mineral water was bottled in 0.5 l glass bottles.

In 1986, a GDR-made NAGEMA production line was installed at Värska, allowing 15,000 half-litre glass bottles to be filled per hour. The marketing of water spread to Latvia, Pskov oblast, St. Petersburg and Belarus. In 1987, 17 million bottles of mineral water rolled off the line.

On 1 June 1993, the enterprise was reorganized as AS Värska Vesi, which operates the bottling plant to this date and also produces flavoured waters, non-carbonated drinking waters from a 150 m deep well, and kvass.

In 1995, the plant began bottling in PET containers. During Estonia’s re-independence period, mineral water has been exported to Latvia.

Since 2003, AS Värska Vesi’s production facilities meet European Union standards.

As of 2005, Värska mineral water is Estonia’s only certified natural mineral water!

In 2008, a new 1300 m² modern warehouse was built, including new non-work rooms for employees.

In April 2010, installation of a new production line began. The line entered into operation on 19 May 2010. The amount of the investment is close to EEK 48 million (over EUR 3 million). Enterprise Estonia provided 40% of the cost of the purchase (nearly EEK 18 million).

In spring 2012, a new 1000 m² production warehouse was completed, and in June, a bottling line for glass bottles was launched.

2013. aasta juunikuus läks käiku joogivee kanistrite uus villimisliin.
2014. aastal tuli turule Värska Originaal 1 liitrises PET-pudelis.
2015. aastal toimus AS Värska Vesi omanike vahetus. Uus omanik on Emphora Holding OÜ.
2016. aasta jaanuaris loodi AS Värska Vesi tütarfirma- Originaal Transport OÜ.
2017. aasta algul viidi lõpule kontorihoone renoveerimine koos teise korruse väljaehitamisega.
2018. aasta kevadel valmis AS Värska Vesi uus puurkaev allikavee tootmiseks.
2019. aasta algul võtsime kasutusele uue majandustarkvara NAVISION.
2020. aasta aprillis viidi lõpule veetöötluskompleksi laiendamine.
2021. aasta lõpus toimus puhastusseadmete ehitus.

Veebruaris 2018 lõppes tootmisseadmete uuendamise esimene etapp – paigaldati uus etikettija, sangataja ning multipakendaja.

2018 aasta lõpus valmis uus tootmishoone.

2019 aasta algul paigaldati uude tootmishoonesse mahlajookide villimiseks pastöör, segamismahutid ning uus CIP-pesusüsteem.

Aprillis 2019 alustati mahlajookide -Värska Vurtsvasser(õuna ja mustika) villimist.

ESTONIA

VÄRSKA VESI AS

Pikk 41

Värska 64001

 Võru County

Website :varskavesi.ee