Smiltene municipality to host visit to berry juice maker “Very Berry”
On August 19, entrepreneurs and institution representatives are invited to meet with SIA “Very Berry” at its production facility in Gaujiena parish, as part of Smiltene municipality's business dialogue series. Attendance is free but requires prior registration.
Smiltene municipality is continuing its 2026 business dialogue event series “Visiting a Smiltene Municipality Entrepreneur.” The next meeting will take place on August 19 at 10:00 at the SIA “Very Berry” production facility “Ogas” in Dārzciems, Gaujiena parish. Entrepreneurs, along with representatives of institutions and organizations, are invited to attend. Participation is free, but interested parties must register in advance via an online form.
From cranberry fields to a Baltic-scale producer
“Very Berry” traces its origins to 1997, when the first cranberry plantations were established. At the time, growing large cranberries in Latvia seemed a risky venture to many. Through persistence, the company grew into one of the largest berry juice producers in the Baltics. Since 2005 it has produced natural juices and syrups, sold in shops both in Latvia and abroad.
In 2026, the company took a major development step, opening a new, modern carbonated beverage production facility that increases capacity and expands its product range. It has also expanded its cold storage for berries, reaching a capacity of 800 tonnes.
Meeting programme
Company board chairwoman Gundega Sauškina will introduce attendees to the production process, the company's development path and its latest investments. Participants will be able to tour the facility and learn how berries grown in Smiltene municipality become products reaching consumers in Latvia and abroad.
The company notes that despite its growth, it maintains its core principle of creating products that are as natural as possible, avoiding artificial additives, colorings and flavor enhancers, while also focusing on sustainable management and the use of renewable energy in production.
The event will give entrepreneurs a chance not only to learn about “Very Berry’s” operations, but also to network with each other and discuss current issues together with Smiltene municipal council chairman Ervins Labanovskis and the municipality’s business development specialists.
