Wüteria Mineralquellen

Wüteria Mineralquellen GmbH & Co. KG is a regional German producer of natural mineral water and soft drinks headquartered in Gemmingen, a municipality in the Landkreis Heilbronn in Baden-Württemberg. The company was founded in 1928 by Adolf and Paula Wütherich as a cooperage (Küferei) making wooden barrels and high-quality wine brandies, and it later expanded into bottling lemonades and table water. It has remained in family ownership ever since and is now run by the fourth generation, with Anke Völkel (née Wütherich) as managing director and Karl Wütherich as authorised signatory (Prokurist). The modern mineral water business began in the mid-1950s, when Roland Wütherich, working with a dowsing practitioner and a geologist, discovered a mineral water spring outside the built-up area of Gemmingen. Growth was long constrained by years of objections from neighbours, but the company's boom period began in the early 1980s; in 1983, together with the development of the Gemminger Mineralquelle, Wüteria was finally able to expand. After Roland Wütherich's early death in 1991, his widow Irmgard continued to run the business until she handed it over to her daughter Anke Völkel, in line with the parents' wish to keep the company in the family. Wüteria operates three springs at its home site in Gemmingen and markets its water under the brands Wüteria Schlossbrunnen, Wüteria Heiligenquelle and Gemminger Mineralquelle. The Schlossbrunnen, at a depth of 125 metres, is defined as a calcium- and magnesium-rich source with additional trace elements and low sodium and nitrite content; the Heiligenquelle, drilled to 55 metres, has an even lower sodium content and is recommended for preparing infant formula; the Gemminger Mineralquelle, the deepest well at 135 metres, is classified as calcium- and magnesium-bearing and low in sodium. Water analysis is carried out by the Synlab group. Beyond mineral water, the company produces around 38 different beverage varieties, including lemonades, vitamin drinks, fruit juice spritzers and other soft drinks. In the past it also bottled branded soft drinks such as Libella, Afri-Cola and Bluna. In 2003, alongside standard returnable glass bottles, Wüteria introduced PET returnable bottles; today roughly 80% of its packaging is returnable glass and about 20% PET. Its filling lines run at 35,000 glass bottles per hour and 15,000 PET bottles per hour, filling roughly 40 million bottles a year — about 200,000 bottles a day. Around 33 people work at the Gemmingen site. Wüteria positions itself as a family business rooted in the Kraichgau region, emphasising natural local water sources, sustainability and responsibility for the region. It sponsors several sports clubs in the area, including the volleyball department of SV Sinsheim and VfB Eppingen.

Wüteria Mineralquellen was founded in 1928 by Adolf and Paula Wütherich in Gemmingen, in the Kraichgau region of Baden-Württemberg. The original business was a cooperage (Küferei) producing wooden barrels and high-quality wine brandies; it was later extended to include the production of soft drinks (Brausen) and the bottling of lemonades and table water. The company has remained in family ownership since its founding. The decisive turning point came in the mid-1950s, when Roland Wütherich, assisted by a dowsing practitioner and a geologist, discovered a mineral water spring — at that time still outside the built-up area of Gemmingen. Four springs were developed in the 1950s. Two of those spring brands are still sold today: Wüteria Schlossbrunnen and Wüteria Heiligenquelle. A further spring, marketed as Gemminger Mineralquelle, was added in the 1980s. For years, objections from neighbours blocked the company's expansion. The boom period only began in the early 1980s, and in 1983, in connection with the development of the Gemminger Mineralquelle, Wüteria was finally able to grow. After Roland Wütherich's early death in 1991, his widow Irmgard took over the running of the business. She later handed it to her daughter Anke Völkel (née Wütherich), in accordance with her parents' wish to keep the company in the family. Anke Völkel is now managing director, with Karl Wütherich as Prokurist; the company is thus in its fourth generation of family management. Over the decades Wüteria also bottled branded soft drinks such as Libella, Afri-Cola and Bluna alongside its own products. In 2003 the company introduced PET returnable bottles in addition to standard returnable glass bottles. Today the packaging mix is roughly 80% returnable glass and about 20% PET. The filling lines achieve 35,000 glass bottles per hour and 15,000 PET bottles per hour, and the company fills around 40 million bottles a year — about 200,000 bottles a day. Around 33 employees work at the Gemmingen site. The company operates three springs at its home site in Gemmingen. The Wüteria Schlossbrunnen is 125 metres deep and is defined as a calcium- and magnesium-rich source with additional trace elements, low in sodium and nitrite. The Wüteria Heiligenquelle was drilled to a depth of 55 metres and, because of its even lower sodium content, is recommended for preparing infant formula. The Gemminger Mineralquelle is the deepest well at 135 metres and is classified as calcium- and magnesium-bearing and low in sodium. Water analysis is performed by the Synlab group. Wüteria produces around 38 different beverage varieties in total, including mineral waters, lemonades, vitamin drinks, fruit juice spritzers and other soft drinks. The company is a sponsor of several sports clubs in the region, for example the volleyball department of SV Sinsheim and VfB Eppingen. It presents itself as a family business committed to the sustainable development of nature and the region.

• 2003

  Wüteria introduces PET returnable bottles alongside standard returnable glass bottles.

• 1991

  Roland Wütherich dies early; his widow Irmgard Wütherich takes over the running of the business.

• 1983

  With the development of the Gemminger Mineralquelle, Wüteria is finally able to expand after years of neighbour objections; the company's boom period begins.

• 1950

  In the mid-1950s Roland Wütherich discovers a mineral water spring with the help of a dowsing practitioner and a geologist; four springs are developed during the 1950s.

• 1928

  Adolf and Paula Wütherich found the company in Gemmingen as a cooperage producing wooden barrels and wine brandies.

Regional family-owned mineral water and soft drink producer rooted in the Kraichgau, emphasising natural local springs, sustainability and regional responsibility.

• Wüteria Schlossbrunnen

• Wüteria Heiligenquelle

• Gemminger Mineralquelle

• Lemonades

• Fitness drinks

• Fruit juice spritzers (Fruchtschorlen)

• Vitamin drinks

• Libella, Afri-Cola, Bluna (bottled under licence in the past)

1. 1Wüteria – Mineralwasser aus dem Kraichgau (official website)wueteria.de
2. 2Wüteria Mineralquellen – Wikipedia (German)de.wikipedia.org
3. 3Wüteria Mineralquellen – Wikidatawikidata.org