Pure Spring Company
Pure Spring Company was an Ottawa-based Canadian bottler whose soft drinks became widely distributed across the country.
Last updated August 31, 2026
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Overview
Pure Spring Company Ltd. was a Canadian soft-drink bottler based in Ottawa, Ontario. The business developed from David Mirsky's early bottled-water operation into one of Canada's largest independent soft-drink companies. Mirsky began selling bottled water around 1920, drawing water from a spring at the base of Nanny Goat Hill, and incorporated the business in 1925. The company subsequently expanded into carbonated beverages and built a portfolio that included Pure Spring Ginger Ale, Minted Grape, Swiss Cream Soda, Honee Orange, Grand Slam, root beer, and Gini, a mixed soft drink. It also served as a local bottler for RC Cola. Pure Spring grew from a local Ottawa operation into a distribution business reaching from Alberta to the Maritime provinces. Its strongest regional reputation was attached to Pure Spring Ginger Ale, which Ottawa historian Shirley Woods Jr. described as having the highest per-capita sales of any ginger ale in North America. Recollections cited in the company's historical account also suggest that, during parts of the 1960s and 1970s, Pure Spring sold more soft drinks in Eastern Ontario than Coca-Cola. At its peak, the company reportedly generated annual sales in the range of $50 million and operated approximately 50 delivery trucks. The company's history was closely associated with the Mirsky family. David Mirsky, the son of Ottawa rabbi Jacob Mirsky, entered commercial life as a teenager selling newspapers, magazines, and snacks on the Canadian Pacific Railway's Gatineau line. His collection and return of bottles to Bradings Brewery led to a business arrangement that helped him enter beverage distribution. After David's death in 1962, his son Mervin assumed leadership. Mervin had served in the Canadian Forces in Europe during the Second World War and briefly practiced law with his twin brother, Jack, before returning to the family enterprise. Pure Spring was credited with introducing canned soft drinks and the twist-cap to Canada. Its manufacturing footprint expanded from a plant on Aberdeen Street, near Preston Street in Ottawa's Italian community, to a larger Belfast Road facility opened in 1968. The Belfast plant had separate bottling equipment for pint and non-returnable bar-mixer glass, 30-ounce glass, and 750-millilitre glass bottles. These investments reflected the company's transition from a local bottler into a sizeable regional producer. The Mirsky family sold Pure Spring to Crush in the mid-1960s, although Mervin continued to manage the business until approximately 1987. Crush later sold the company in the mid-1980s to Eastcan Beverages Limited. Eastcan added a prototype 100-spout can filler, but technical difficulties placed substantial financial pressure on the local investors. PepsiCo Canada subsequently acquired the facility, expanded it in 1987 and 1989, and eventually consolidated production for southeastern Ontario at its Mississauga operation. Production at the Belfast Road site ended in 1997; the location thereafter functioned as a warehouse supplying the Ottawa area. The available historical material does not establish whether the Pure Spring brand continued independently after that consolidation.
History
Pure Spring Company's origins lay in David Mirsky's early commercial activities in Ottawa. As a teenager, Mirsky sold newspapers, magazines, and snack products on the Canadian Pacific Railway's Gatineau line. He also collected discarded bottles and returned them to Bradings Brewery, an activity that led to a commercial arrangement and helped introduce him to the beverage trade. Around 1920, he began selling bottled water drawn from a spring at the base of Nanny Goat Hill. Carbonated soft drinks were added later, and the company was incorporated in 1925. The business expanded from bottled water into a broad soft-drink portfolio. Its products included Pure Spring Ginger Ale, Minted Grape, Swiss Cream Soda, Honee Orange, Grand Slam, root beer, and Gini, as well as local bottling of RC Cola. Distribution eventually extended from Alberta to the Maritime provinces, making Pure Spring one of Canada's largest independent soft-drink firms. Its ginger ale became particularly prominent in Ottawa and Eastern Ontario. Historical accounts describe the product as achieving exceptionally high per-capita sales, while family recollections indicate that the company at times moved more soft-drink volume in Eastern Ontario than Coca-Cola. David Mirsky's son Mervin became the next major family figure. Mervin had served with the Canadian Forces in Europe during the Second World War and briefly worked as a lawyer with his twin brother, Jack. He later returned to Pure Spring and took over after David's death in 1962. Although the Mirsky family sold the business to Crush during the mid-1960s, Mervin reportedly remained involved in its management until about 1987. Pure Spring's development also reflected changes in beverage packaging and distribution. The company is credited with introducing canned soft drinks and the twist-cap to Canada. It operated an Aberdeen Street plant near Preston Street, in the centre of Ottawa's Italian community, before moving to a substantially larger Belfast Road facility in 1968. The new plant had two principal bottling lines: one with a 40-spout filler for pint and non-returnable bar-mixer glass, and another with a 60-spout filler for 30-ounce glass and newer 750-millilitre glass bottles. In the mid-1980s, Crush sold the company to Eastcan Beverages Limited. Eastcan invested in a prototype 100-spout can filler, but technical problems with the equipment placed the local investors under severe financial strain. PepsiCo Canada then acquired the facility. It expanded the operation in 1987 and again in 1989, integrating the site into its southeastern Canadian production and distribution network. PepsiCo ultimately consolidated production at a Mississauga facility. Manufacturing at Belfast Road ended in 1997, after which the property served as a warehouse supplying products to the Ottawa area. The available reference material does not clearly document the later legal or commercial status of the Pure Spring brand, so its post-1997 status remains uncertain.
- 1997
Belfast production ends
[1]Production ceased at Belfast Road after PepsiCo consolidated southeastern Ontario manufacturing in Mississauga.
- 1987
PepsiCo Canada takes over the facility
[1]PepsiCo Canada acquired the Belfast operation after Eastcan's investment in a prototype can filler caused serious technical and financial problems.
- 1968
Belfast Road plant opens
[1]Pure Spring moved into a larger Ottawa facility equipped for several glass-bottle formats and higher production capacity.
- 1962
Mervin Mirsky succeeds David Mirsky
[1]Following David Mirsky's death, leadership passed to his son Mervin.
- 1925
Company incorporated
[1]Pure Spring Company was formally incorporated as the business expanded beyond bottled water.
- 1920
Bottled-water business begins
[1]David Mirsky began selling bottled water drawn from a spring at the base of Nanny Goat Hill in Ottawa.
Products and positioning
A Canadian regional soft-drink bottler built around Ottawa roots, broad distribution, family ownership, and a prominent ginger-ale franchise.
Ginger ale
Pure Spring Ginger Ale
The company's best-known beverage was a ginger ale associated especially strongly with Ottawa and Eastern Ontario. Historical accounts describe it as achieving unusually high per-capita sales and making a major contribution to Pure Spring's regional identity. It was produced and distributed as part of the company's broader carbonated-drink portfolio.
Carbonated soft drink
Minted Grape
Minted Grape was one of Pure Spring's named soft-drink flavors. It formed part of the company's differentiated regional range, which extended beyond standard cola and ginger-ale categories into distinctive fruit and specialty flavor offerings.
Cream soda
Swiss Cream Soda
Swiss Cream Soda was a Pure Spring carbonated beverage included in the company's Ottawa-centered product lineup. The available historical material identifies the product by name but does not provide a detailed formulation, launch date, or later ownership history.
Orange soft drink
Honee Orange
Honee Orange was one of Pure Spring's branded orange-flavored soft drinks. It illustrates the breadth of the company's flavor portfolio during its period as an independent Canadian bottler and regional beverage producer.
Carbonated soft drink
Grand Slam
Grand Slam was a named Pure Spring soft-drink product. The reference material confirms its place in the company's portfolio but does not specify its flavor profile, packaging history, or exact period of availability.
Root beer
Root beer
Pure Spring produced root beer as part of its carbonated beverage range. It was one of several familiar soft-drink categories offered alongside the company's more distinctive branded flavors and ginger ale.
Mixed soft drink
Gini
Gini was identified as a mixed soft drink in Pure Spring's portfolio. The available source names the product but does not provide further details about its ingredients, market positioning, launch, or discontinuation.
Cola
RC Cola
Pure Spring acted as a local bottler for RC Cola. This relationship complemented the company's own branded products and connected its Ottawa-area manufacturing and distribution infrastructure to an established international cola trademark.
Brand decisions
1997
Production consolidation in MississaugaStrategyBackground
PepsiCo reviewed its southeastern Canadian production footprint after acquiring and expanding the former Pure Spring facility.
Action taken
PepsiCo ended production at Belfast Road and consolidated southeastern Ontario manufacturing at its Mississauga facility.
Aftermath
The Belfast location continued as a warehouse supplying products to the Ottawa area, but local manufacturing ceased.
1987
PepsiCo Canada acquires the Belfast operationM&ABackground
Eastcan's prototype can-filling equipment was plagued by technical difficulties and placed the local investment group under severe financial pressure.
Action taken
PepsiCo Canada acquired the facility and expanded it in 1987 and 1989.
Aftermath
The Belfast operation became part of PepsiCo's southeastern Canadian network before production was later consolidated in Mississauga.
1985
Sale to Eastcan BeveragesM&ABackground
Crush sold the business in the mid-1980s after Pure Spring had developed a large Ottawa-area and interprovincial distribution operation.
Action taken
Eastcan Beverages Limited acquired the company and invested in a new 100-spout can filler at the Belfast Road facility.
Aftermath
The prototype filler experienced technical problems that severely affected Eastcan's local investors and led to PepsiCo Canada's subsequent intervention and acquisition of the facility.
1965
Sale of Pure Spring to CrushM&ABackground
The Mirsky family sold Pure Spring to Crush during the mid-1960s as the company continued operating as a sizeable Canadian soft-drink bottler.
Action taken
Ownership transferred to Crush, while Mervin Mirsky continued to run the company for many years afterward.
Aftermath
The transaction ended direct family ownership but did not immediately end Mervin Mirsky's management involvement.
Sources1 sources
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