PURE INSPIRATION story design PURE WATER water norway source PURE PRODUCTS glass pet PURE INITIATIVES substanibility social responsibility product lifecycle analysis internal carbon reductions carbon offset projects COMPANY contact managing team VOSS WATER STORE
THINK PURE
STORY
PUR E INSPI RA T I O N
Ole Christian Sandberg and Christopher Harlem grew up together in Oslo Norway. As one might expect, they took different paths after high school - Ole to explore his entrepreneurial spirit, and Christopher studying, ending up at the University of San Francisco. Despite these different chosen paths, the two friends stayed in close contact, sharing their diverse experiences. While in California, Christopher would notice that his fellow students were always carrying around bottles of water, as much for show for hydration. Always ones to recognize trends, Ole and Christopher would lament the fact that there did not seem to be any water out there comparable to Norwegian water. Also, judging from the fact that every time Ole picked Christopher up at the airport in Oslo, the first thing Christopher would demand was Norwegian water - they knew something needed to be done. Though Norway is a small country, its vast pristine nature is home to some of the best spring and artesian water sources on Earth, and most Norwegians see it as a national benefit to live off this pure and amazing tasting drinking water. Ole and Christopher felt it was time to share this delicious water with the world. They spent the next 2 years traveling the world, researching their potential markets. With the persistent conviction that they should provide only the highest quality water - to the highest quality accounts - in the highest quality package, an idea was born: share this naturally delicious tasting water with the rest of the world in a bottle equally unique, reflecting classic elements of nature. Their progress was encouraging - constantly setting new milestones and achieving them. Through researching various spring and artesian sources throughout Norway, they found one with a unique quality profile that met the high standards they desired. They secured this artesian source in the middle of their beloved wilderness in the Southern Norway region. Next came the bottle. After paying a visit to several creative agencies in Norway, it became very clear that their vision was not shared by all. However, a few souls
P UR E I NS PI R ATI ON
in Oslo believed in their idea, supported their attention to quality and design differentiation, and led them in the right direction - to New York City to find their creative partner. However, after knocking on the doors of all of the best agencies in Manhattan, they saw no other solution than to again go back home and reconsider their project. Giving up was not in their cards, and each set-back only served to fuel their determination. Soon after, they received a message from Neil Kraft, a former creative director to Calvin Klein and then partner at Frierson, Mee + Kraft one of the agencies they had left a few days earlier without the response they were looking for. The enthusiasm and belief that Ole and Christopher had in their vision struck a chord with Neil, and he was headed to Oslo to meet with them again. And so the process began, Neil and his team presented Ole and Christopher with hundreds of proposed bottle sketches, and after months of brainstorming, the VOSS bottle was conceived. They utilized their depth of their experience from the cosmetic industry in understanding how to create a brand personality that differentiates itself through the entire experience, reflecting the true essence of the brand. With the visual concept now nailed down, the next 12 months were spent sourcing glass and cap manufacturers throughout Europe. Once again, their strong determination helped them overcome the difficult process of convincing manufacturers that producing such a bottle was possible. After endless hours of research and development, the first case of VOSS Artesian Water from Norway was ready for sale in April 2000. We dare to say that the success of VOSS comes from the clear vision of two young Norwegians to build a brand based on quality and design, strong distribution, word of mouth and incredible water.
DESIGN
PUR E INSPI RA T I O N
VOSS was the vision of two young Norwegian entrepeneurs and developed in collaboration with former creative director for Calvin Klein, Neil Kraft and his design team. The design was inspired both by the purity of the untouched source and by fragrance industry experts who define brands by developing brand personality through a unique bottle and overall packaging. Neil Kraft describes the process: “We utilized the depth of our experience in understanding how to create a personality that differentiaties itself thorugh the entire experience and reflects the true essence of the brand.” When asked to describe the brand today he says, “a new way to think about water. Beyond refreshing ... to beautiful.”
P UR E I NS PI R ATI ON
1. What were your first thoughts when faced with the idea of a ultra premium water? We knew that bottled water was the fastest growing beverage category in the US ($9 billion a year). We thought about the number of brands competing within the premium water category causing a natural resource to become a commodity. Not necessarily because of taste and purity, but because of the delivery. We had some insights into the category and knew that premium water was purchased to reflect one’s style, taste, and sophistication. Yet, the bottles, for the most part, were unsophisticated and lacked style. The only thing that was differentiating one water from the next was the brand image. 2. Why did you beiieve in these young guys vision? They had a product, that although living in a category quickly becoming commoditized, was one of the finest drinking waters on earth. We also saw that they understood it would be the power of building a differentiated, luxe BRAND, not an ad campaign, that would help them achieve success. Great Prodduct + Good People + Unbelievable Passion + Open Minds = Strong Brands 3. Where did you take your inspiration to the bottle from? From the fragrance industry where they are experts at differentiating brands not only through the development of personality, but also the bottle and packaging. We utilized the depth of our experience in understanding how to create a personality that differentiates itself through the entire experience and reflects the true essence of the brand. 4. How would you describe the brand VOSS Artesian water we know today? A new way to think about water. Beyond refreshing.. to beautidful. The finest water available on the market. Also, the only water that can be placed anywhere and instantly instill a premium feel to the setting; from the finest restaurants to the conference room tables of business to the intimate dinner party.
N O R W AY
W AT E R
PUR E WA T E R
ARTESIAN WATER is water collected from a confined, underground aquifer - a waterbearing, impermeable layer of rock, sand or ice. When tapped into, the aquifer is pressurized enough to allow the water to rise up naturally through the ground without the use of mechanical pumps. Because the water is protected by this impermeable layer, it doess not come into contact with the air or other pollutants. VOSS Artesian Water from Norway comes from an aquifer in the pristine nature of Southern Norway, protected from pollutants by layers of rock and ice, producing a pure water unlike any other.
WHERE IS NORWAY? Norway lies just south of the North Pole, surrounded by Sweden, Finland and Russia, the North Sea and dthe Atlantic Ocean. The country itself covers 386,958 square kilometers with a very long mainland - 1752 km from the sourthern to the northernmost tip. The coastilne itself is 2650 km long, however if you were to include the length of all the fingers of the fjords, it would be 10 times longer. The northern region of Norway is narrow, a mere 6.3 km at its narrowest. The country widens in the south and is 430 km at its very widest. WHAT’S SO SPECIAL ABOUT NORWAY? First of all, half of the country’s total area lies above the timberline, and the inland is covered by snow for most of the year (for thousands of years, Norwegianns used skis for travel over the snow-covered ground). Norway’s nature is a natioanl treasure -- from the narrowest fjords, which were carved out during a succession of ice ages, known for their pristine beauty, to magnificent waterfalls supplying endless amounts of pure water back into nature. Peering down onto the fjords from fertile mountain ledges, there are farms, some of them still in use. Of the vast ice sheets that once covered most of Northern Europe, the most famous Norwegian glacier today is “Jostedalsbreen”, the largest glacier on the European mainland. Thanks to the Gulf Stream and the Midnight Sun, it is possible for other beings than polar bears to live in this otherwise uninhabitable land of extremes.
SOURCE
PUR E WATE R
As we know by now, VOSS Artesian Water from Norway comes from an quifer in the untouched nature of Southern Norway, protected from pollutants by layers of rock and ice, producing pure water unlike any other. This pristine aquifer produces a naturally unfiltered artesian water, bottled at one of the purest water sources yet found on the planet.
GLASS
VOSS Glass : The signature glass VOSS bottle found in top hotels, restaurants and clubs around the world. Available in both Still and Lightly sparkling in 800ml and 375ml bottles.
PET
PUR E P RO DU CT S
VOSS PET : Inspired by the luxurious VOSS glass bottle, each PET bottle is specially designed to offer the functionality of durable PET while conveying the premium image of glass. Available in Still in 850ml, 500ml & 330ml sizes.
PUR E PR O DUC TS
SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY
S U S TA N I B I L I T Y
PUR E INI T I A T IV ES
MISSION STATEMENT: At Voss, we have aligned our company operations with the same values inherent in our product; pure water from pure resources. We have adopted a holistic, sustainable approach to bringing our products to market, while striving to protect the very resources from which our product flows. We are committed to reducing our carbon footprint from the moment we source our artesian water to the moment you recycle the bottle.
Voss Foundation The Voss Foundation is dedicated to providing access to pure, clean drinking water to SubSaharian African communities. We help meet these needs thrrough a unique approach, which ensures local ownership and long-term sustainabiliity through partnerships with trusted local organizations, use of appropriate technology and through systems that assess the multiple water needs of a community. The Voss Foundation’s primary targets are women and children, with a special focus on adolescent girls - an often overlooked and under-serviced demographic that is particularly at risk. We incorporate both environmental consideration and the lasting success of teh projects into villages’ requirements to create a comprehensive project that meets diverse water needs. For more information please visit their website: www.thevossfoundation.org
PRODUCT LIFECYCLE A N A LY S I S
The first step in our journey to becoming CARBON NEUTRAL was to take a comprehensive look at our carbon footprint. While many companies look at only the impact of their operations, we wanted to understand the full scope of Voss’ impact on the Earth. We took into account every single detail of our product lifecycle, from raw materials to ultimate disposal, and offset the full footprint.
INTERNAL CARBON REDUCTIONS
After completing the product lifecycle analysis, we were able to take a deep look at the ways in which we can internally reduce our carbon emissions. With this information, we have taken additional measures to ensure a sustainable, Earth-conscious product lifecycle.
CARBON OFFSET PROJECTS
PUR E I NI TI ATI V E S
In order to offset our full carbon footprint, Voss has invested in two high-quality carbon offset projects in the US and China, making us a CARBON NEUTRAL company. These projects provide authentic, permanent and third-party verified emissions reductions, and Voss has committed to purchasing 30,000 tonnes of carbon offsets from these projects to account for our full footprint.
C O N TA C T
C OMPANY
INTERNATIONAL AND CORPORATE HEADQUARTER Voss of Norway ASA Bygdoy alle 17 N-0262 Oslo Norway Tel: +47 23 13 16 16 Fax: +47 23 13 16 10 Email: post@vosswater.com
MANAGING TEAM
US HEADQUARTER VOSS USA, Inc. 900 Broadway Suite 1003 New York, NY 10003 Tel: +1 212 995 2255 Fax: +1 212 995 2425 Email: post@vosswater.com
JACK BELSITO, GROUP CEO JAN EYSTEIN SAEBOE, GROUP CFO SIRI TITLESTAD, PRESIDENT VOSS INTERNATIONAL PATRICK LARKIN, SR. VICE PRESIDENT, AMERICAS MARK ZETTLE, SR. VICE PRESIDENT, RETAIL
VO SS WATE R S TO R E
Please visit www.vosswaterstore.com for more information on how you can have VOSS Water delivered to your doorstep...