This is a tale of how a business started, flourished, and eventually succumbed to competition. Ottawa Name delves into the origins of non-alcoholic beverages in Canada’s capital and the legacy of a family-run enterprise.
The Beginnings of a Soft Drink Empire
In 1905, a 19-year-old from Ottawa began bottling spring water from a rock formation at “Nanny Goat Hill” near LeBreton Flats. This humble initiative would eventually grow into a thriving non-alcoholic beverage empire.
This is the story of David Mirsky, son of Jacob Mirsky, Ottawa’s first rabbi and spiritual leader of its Jewish community, who had emigrated from New York. At just 14, David started selling magazines, snacks, and soft drinks on trains. By 19, he had recognized the lack of locally-produced soft drinks in Ottawa and saw an opportunity to establish a business in his hometown.
“The Ottawa Bottle and Trading Co.”
According to family lore, David began by collecting scarce glass bottles, which he returned to a local brewery. He then struck a deal with Bradings Brewery in LeBreton Flats to access pure spring water from the hill.
David named his company “The Ottawa Bottle and Trading Co.”, offering a five-gallon jar of spring water as his first product. Deliveries were initially made using horse-drawn wagons in summer and sleighs in winter.
By the 1920s, deliveries transitioned to trucks, and the demand for imported ginger ale and beer from England increased. David responded by adding flavors and carbonating the water, rebranding the company as “Pure Spring”.
A Family-Run Business
In its early days, the business was modestly operated with manual equipment, and the factory doubled as the family home. Over time, David’s sons, Norman (product development) and Mervin (sales and marketing), joined the company.
Mervin temporarily left the family business to serve in World War II. Upon his return, he brought innovative ideas to expand operations.
Key Achievements of the Mirsky Family:
- Developing a formula to retain carbonation for more than 24 hours, a breakthrough in the industry.
- Introducing twist-off bottle caps and canned carbonated beverages to Ottawa.
“Pure Spring” and Its Success
By 1969, the company’s sales of non-alcoholic beverages had surged by 3,000%. This marked the peak of their empire, with annual revenues reaching $50 million. The company operated a state-of-the-art production plant on Belfast Road, having previously been based on Aberdeen Street near Preston Street.
At its height, “Pure Spring” was Canada’s largest independent soft drink manufacturer.
In the mid-1960s, the Mirsky family sold the business to beverage giant “Crush International”, but Mervin continued managing the company until 1987. Despite technical setbacks that nearly drove local investors to bankruptcy, “PepsiCo” stepped in, acquiring and expanding the business between 1987 and 1989.
However, the legacy of “Pure Spring” ended with the closure of its Belfast Road production facility in 1997.
The rise and fall of “Pure Spring” serve as a poignant reminder of the impact of local entrepreneurship on Ottawa’s history. Though the company is no longer in operation, its contributions to the soft drink industry and its innovative spirit remain a cherished chapter in Ottawa’s story.
