Bad Driburger Naturparkquellen GmbH & Co. KG

Bad Driburger Naturparkquellen GmbH & Co. KG is a German mid-sized mineral water and beverage company headquartered in Bad Driburg, in the Kreis Höxter district of North Rhine-Westphalia. It belongs to the Unternehmensgruppe Graf von Oeynhausen-Sierstorpff, a family-owned group whose history in Bad Driburg reaches back to the late 18th century. The company markets its waters under the Bad Driburger brand and describes its mineral waters as classics that have been drawn from springs in the middle of a nature park for more than 200 years. The springs themselves have a much longer documented history. Archaeological finds suggest that the Romans, who were especially interested in healing springs, may have used the Driburg sources. From 1593 there are repeated references to the health-promoting use of the "Gesundbrunnen zu Bad Driburg"; in 1620 the springs were first recorded cartographically, and in 1647 Matthäus Merian's Topographia Westfaliae mentioned "two healing and good wells." Long before regular spa operations began, the mineral-rich waters were used as a drinking cure and shipped under the name "Sauerbronnen" across half of Europe. Commercial marketing expanded after the Thirty Years' War, and around 1665 the Paderborn prince-bishop Ferdinand had the springs captured. By around 1720 bottled mineral water was being transported to London, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Danzig, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Hanover, Kassel and other cities, a scene depicted on a leather wallpaper in nearby Vinsebeck Castle. In 1781 Baron Caspar Heinrich von Sierstorpff acquired the spring area and developed the spa facilities; his descendants still own the estate. Driburg was recognized as a "Bad" (spa town) in 1919, and an independent well/bottling operation was founded in 1932. Today the company produces and sells mineral waters and other beverages. Its mineral water range includes Bad Driburger in Classic, Medium, Naturell and Still variants, along with Gräfin Annabelle and Tiefenherster Bergwaldquelle in Classic, Medium and Naturell. The broader beverage assortment includes Bad Driburger Sport Aktiv, Bad Driburger Cola, Cola-Mix and Cola Zero, Bad Driburger Apfelschorle (apple spritzer), and orange and lemon lemonades. The company emphasizes vegan refreshment drinks based on its finely sparkling mineral water and states that since the 1990s it has consistently sold all beverages exclusively in reusable (Mehrweg) containers, rejecting single-use packaging on sustainability grounds. It has also obtained FSSC 22000 food safety certification, supported by modern technology, daily laboratory monitoring and a certified safety concept. Historically, the water from the Caspar-Heinrich-Quelle was an officially approved healing water (Heilwasser) — an earthy acidulous water — but in 2022 the company discontinued sales of Caspar-Heinrich Heilwasser, citing a significant change in the geological condition of the spring. The company communicates with employees and applicants through its corporate journal COSMOS and continues to operate as a regional, family-group-affiliated mineral water producer.

The history of the Bad Driburger springs reaches back centuries before the modern company. Archaeological finds in the Bad Driburg area suggest that the Romans, who took a special interest in healing springs, may have used the Driburg sources when they advanced into the Teutoburg Forest region and the spa at Driburg. From 1593 there are repeated references to the health-promoting use of the "Gesundbrunnen zu Bad Driburg." In 1620 the Driburg springs were recorded cartographically for the first time. A further indication of their use appears in Matthäus Merian's Topographia Westfaliae of 1647, which speaks of "two healing and good wells." Long before regular spa operations began in Bad Driburg, the mineral-rich waters were used as a drinking cure and shipped under the name "Sauerbronnen" to half of Europe. Targeted interest began after the end of the Thirty Years' War in 1648, when Ferdinand von Fürstenberg held the bishop's seat of Paderborn. Under him, Driburg mineral water was regularly delivered to the Paderborn court. The "Schmechtener Sauerbronnen," today known as the Rabe-Quelle, was highly esteemed there and was gladly drunk by bishops and court society. Prince-Bishop Ferdinand even dedicated an elaborate Latin poem to the healing power of this spring. Around 1665 he had the springs captured. In 1737 chroniclers reported extensive shipping of mineral water from Bad Driburg. A leather wallpaper in nearby Vinsebeck Castle depicts the transport of bottled mineral water around 1720, by which time the water was already being sent to London, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Danzig, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Hanover, Kassel and other cities. In 1757 Bernardus Wilhelmus Rödder, personal physician to Prince-Bishop Clemens August, Duke of Bavaria, published a "Gründliche Beschreibung des zu Driburg im Hochstift Paderborn gelegenen Gesund- und Stahlbrunnens." In 1781 the Brunswick Oberjägermeister Baron Caspar Heinrich von Sierstorpff became acquainted with the springs on a journey. In 1781 he purchased the spring area and began to expand the spa facilities, gradually buying up the entire area around the springs, draining it and laying paths. The Logierhaus, today the Sierstorpff-Haus, and the Armenhaus, which now houses the administration, were built between 1783 and 1786. A second bath and lodging house followed from 1793/94, the later Hölderlin-Haus. In 1803 Sierstorpff had a residence built that is still inhabited by his descendants. After the end of the Napoleonic Wars, Sierstorpff was able to draw on financial support from Prussia and further expand the spa facilities. In 1820 he informed Chancellor Count Hardenberg that the spa was so frequented that guests had to be turned away, and he built another lodging house, the later Vincke-Haus. A new Wandelhalle designed by Peter Joseph Krahe followed. The historical substance of the 18th- and 19th-century facilities was preserved. The water of the Caspar-Heinrich-Quelle was especially popular because it was as wholesome as it was versatile. Its users included Friedrich Hölderlin, Wilhelm Heinse, Susette Gontard, Annette von Droste-Hülshoff and Sophie von La Roche. In 1919 Driburg was recognized as a Bad (spa town); in 1932 an independent well/bottling operation was founded. In 1979/80 a second bottling facility was established at the Caspar-Heinrich-Quelle, filling an average of 100,000 bottles per day. In 1980 a borehole for Bad Driburger mineral water was sunk at the Josefmühle, and in 1990 a pipeline was put into operation at this spring. In 2004/05, after numerous other expansions, a new filling hall was added and the entire bottling facility for PET and glass was converted. The company belongs to the Unternehmensgruppe Graf von Oeynhausen-Sierstorpff. In 2022 the company discontinued sales of Caspar-Heinrich Heilwasser, stating that the "geological condition" of the spring had changed too much.

• 2022

  Sales of Caspar-Heinrich Heilwasser were discontinued due to changed geological conditions at the spring.

• 2004

  A new filling hall was added and the entire bottling facility for PET and glass was converted.

• 1990

  A pipeline was put into operation at the Josefmühle spring.

• 1980

  A borehole for Bad Driburger mineral water was sunk at the Josefmühle.

• 1979

  A second bottling facility was established at the Caspar-Heinrich-Quelle, filling an average of 100,000 bottles per day.

• 1932

  An independent well/bottling operation was founded.

• 1919

  Driburg was recognized as a Bad (spa town).

• 1781

  Baron Caspar Heinrich von Sierstorpff acquired the spring area and began expanding the spa facilities.

• 1757

  Bernardus Wilhelmus Rödder published a thorough description of the Driburg health and steel spring.

• 1720

  Bottled mineral water was being transported to London, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Danzig, Amsterdam, Hamburg, Hanover, Kassel and other cities.

• 1665

  The springs were captured on the orders of Paderborn Prince-Bishop Ferdinand.

• 1647

  Matthäus Merian's Topographia Westfaliae mentioned "two healing and good wells" at Driburg.

• 1620

  The Driburg springs were recorded cartographically for the first time.

• 1593

  Repeated references to the health-promoting use of the "Gesundbrunnen zu Bad Driburg".

Regional German mineral water and beverage producer emphasizing long tradition, spring quality, food safety certification and reusable packaging sustainability.

• Bad Driburger mineral water (Classic, Medium, Naturell, Still)

• Gräfin Annabelle mineral water (Classic, Medium, Naturell)

• Tiefenherster Bergwaldquelle mineral water (Classic, Medium, Naturell)

• Bad Driburger Sport Aktiv

• Bad Driburger Cola, Cola-Mix, Cola Zero

• Bad Driburger Apfelschorle

• Bad Driburger orange lemonade

• Bad Driburger lemon lemonade

1. 1Bad Driburger Naturparkquellen | Herzlich willkommen!bad-driburger.de
2. 2Geschichte | Bad Driburger Naturparkquellenbad-driburger.de
3. 3Bad Driburger – Wikipediade.wikipedia.org
4. 4Bad Driburger Naturparkquellen GmbH & Co. KG – Wikidatawikidata.org