M. Tsaldaris Named Self-Made Entrepreneur of the Year 2024 by the Piraeus Business Club

From Recycling to the Global Water Market – The Journey of Waterfresh S.A.’s Founder and Creator of the Minoa Water Brand

Manolis Tsaldaris, founder and CEO of Waterfresh S.A., was honored with the title of Self-Made Entrepreneur of the Year 2024 during a special event hosted by the Piraeus Business Club. The award was presented by the Mayor of Nikaia–Agios Ioannis Rentis, Mr. Konstantinos Maragkakis, in recognition of a business journey that successfully connects the circular economy with innovation and international entrepreneurship.

From Returnable Bottles to Tetra Pak Innovation

Manolis Tsaldaris began his entrepreneurial journey at the age of 21, following the loss of his father. He initially entered the recycling sector, where he developed a deep understanding of the need for sustainable and eco-conscious solutions. In 2013, he founded Waterfresh S.A., initially focused on returnable water bottles for water dispensers.

Four years ago, after an extended period of research and development, the company launched Minoa Water — the first Greek bottled water brand in Tetra Pak paper packaging — disrupting the market status quo.

Minoa Water: The Greek Brand Reaching 20 Countries

Minoa Water is available in 330ml, 750ml, and 1-liter packages and is currently exported to 20 countries, including the USA, Cyprus, Romania, and Hong Kong. The product has already been integrated into the portfolios of leading hotel chains and multinational companies, such as Four Seasons, Marriott, Grand Bretagne, and Hard Rock, among others.

Waterfresh has also invested in developing fruit-flavored vitamin waters, as well as a children’s line, Minoa Heroes, which is set to launch with innovative packaging and beloved characters through licensing agreements with Warner Bros, Sanrio, and Sega. The line will feature characters like Superman, Batman, Hello Kitty, Kuromi, and more — offering a unique combination of branding and quality hydration for kids.

From Technical Infrastructure to Industry Leadership

Beyond Minoa Water, Waterfresh S.A. is today the market leader in Greece in the distribution of water filters.

The company is the exclusive distributor of top international brands including Philips, Aquaphor, Sage, Eiger, SodaStream, and Vontron, offering complete clean water solutions for both home and professional use. Its technical team consists of specialized engineers covering every region of Greece and Cyprus, providing installation, support, and monitoring services.

A Global Vision

Manolis Tsaldaris openly embraces competition: “The more players enter the sector, the bigger the market becomes — a market that we were the first to open.” For him, the true challenge was shifting public perception — getting consumers to accept the paper, non-transparent bottle as a reliable and high-quality alternative to conventional plastic.

His ultimate goal? To see Minoa’s Greek water reach every corner of the planet — carrying with it a message: Greece can produce world-class products that stand out for their quality, sustainability, and design.

Source: Fortunegreece.com