Bionade Soft Drink

Bionade is a pioneering German organic soft drink, famous for being the first non-alcoholic beverage produced through a unique fermentation process similar to brewing beer. Invented by Dieter Leipold in 1994, it was originally developed at the Privatbrauerei Peter in Ostheim vor der Rhön, Bavaria. Unlike traditional sodas, Bionade uses a specific strain of bacteria that converts sugar into gluconic acid rather than alcohol, adhering to strict organic standards and avoiding artificial additives.

Production remains focused at its historical home in Ostheim vor der Rhön, Germany, where it draws natural minerals from the Rhön Biosphere Reserve. This location has central importance to the brand's identity as a regional specialty that grew into a national icon.

The brand's ownership has evolved from its humble family beginnings. After a period under the Radeberger Group (part of the Dr. Oetker conglomerate), Bionade was acquired in 2018 by Hassia Gruppe (Hassia Mineralquellen GmbH & Co. KG). As of 2026, it continues to operate as a flagship organic brand within the Hassia portfolio, which is one of Germany's most prominent family-owned beverage companies.