An exclusive interview with a Greek Entrepreneur Manolis Tsaldaris, Founder and CEO Waterfresh

CEOWORLD magazine has engaged in an exclusive and in-depth interview with Manolis Tsaldaris, Founder & CEO Waterfresh. The interview questions were answered by Manolis Tsaldaris.

WaterFresh, although it counts only several years since it was founded, has managed to expand a lot not only in Greece but also abroad. The exports apply for 18% of the total turnover. Countries like Cyprus, the United Kingdom, France, Italy, Germany, and Switzerland are some of the markets where the company has created co-operations and delivers its Minoa water in paper packaging. Minoa remains the first water released in Tetra Pak packaging in Greece. In times like the one we are going through with global challenges and difficulties, it is useful to see how a Greek company not only did not back down but managed to win the international market. 

When was the company founded?

Manolis Tsaldaris: The company started its operation in 2018 with water filters and coolers. It should be noted that WaterFresh is moving upwards by more than 30% in 2022 compared to 2021. 

When did you start exporting?

Manolis Tsaldaris: Exports started from the very first month of our operation after aftermarket research we did. The company had an export orientation from the beginning. Following the successful exports to the above countries, the company is ready to enter the USA market where water in paper packaging will be promoted in the food sector. 

Do you have any other plans? 

Manolis Tsaldaris: We will try to reach the Asian market in 2022. Due to global circumstances, we haven’t reached this market yet. However, for China, we have a partnership with Midea on water coolers.

Is your partnership with Walt Disney still in progress?

Manolis Tsaldaris: Yes, our partnership with Walt Disney is still in progress. We are representatives in Greece for the kid’s juices Frozen and Marvel.

Your new product is Minoa Vitamin Water. Tell us a few words about it.

Manolis Tsaldaris: Our first code in the category of vitamin waters is with cucumber, mint, and lime. We are preparing to extract 4 more codes from this one. It is rich in vitamins B3, B5, B6, B8, E and trace elements such as magnesium, selenium, and zinc. It helps to boost the body and the demand is going very well so far. It is light in taste and next month a new package with cranberries and blueberries will be released.

How did you see the market in the last two years?

Manolis Tsaldaris: We had a rise in the two years of the pandemic. We are a new company and we are now gaining our share of the market. However, we have found that customer psychology has been affected in some of the countries we export to. One of them is Germany, while others like Cyprus had no variation. Our main customers in Europe are hotels. We have booked several hotels in Greece and abroad. In the USA we have an important competitor. It’s Just Water. But in general, we do not have much competition. Our special packaging that keeps the water in ideal conditions without being influenced by external factors helps a lot. Also, the water we have chosen is not plain water. It has been awarded many times. It is very high-quality water with low salts.

What else do we need to know about the company?

Manolis Tsaldaris: We work with BMW for 330 ml water packages. We have done a PL for a very large coffee company. This is the Coffee Brand, with stores in Greece and abroad. We are also preparing a new investment, which will involve water in a 20-liter paper package. The new production line is expected to start in the summer of 2022.

Have you read?

# Best CEOs In the World Of 2022.
# TOP Citizenship by Investment Programs, 2022.
# Top Residence by Investment Programs, 2022.
# Global Passport Ranking, 2022.
# The World’s Richest People (Top 100 Billionaires, 2022).
# Satya Nadella: The most successful CEO of the Tech industry.