10 Years of Wert&Voll Our Story
In July 2025, the Wert&Voll will celebrate its 10th anniversary—and we’d love to celebrate it with you! 
Look forward to a year full of surprises: every month, you'll receive a special anniversary newsletter (sign uphere ). It will feature exciting promotions, exclusive discounts, and even competitions. But that's not all! We'll take you on a journey through our history – 10 years full of adventures, challenges, and milestones.
We summarize the content of the newsletters in this blog series.
The Founding of Wert&Voll
The story of Wert&Voll with a simple yet powerful idea. Nicole and Nik Berva founded the online store in the summer of 2015 out of a deep conviction: they wanted to incorporate sustainable alternatives to plastic into their daily lives and make them available to others.
It all began when Nicole, a teacher, led a project week on the topic of plastic waste. A documentary (Plastic Planet) opened their eyes, and they decided to radically change their use of plastic. But back then, it was difficult to find suitable alternatives. Nik discovered products like the leak-proof containers from Onyx Containers and the lunchboxes from EcoLunchbox, which weren’t available in Switzerland, though. So he boldly set out to import these products himself and make them available through a small website. The adventure began in a cleared-out corner of Nik’s carpentry workshop, and Wert&Voll born. It stemmed from a deeply personal conviction, not from a grand business plan.
This is what the Wert&Voll looked like in 2015:
What started out as just a small labor of love soon gained traction. Many products were available exclusively at Wert&Voll. As awareness of sustainability grew in Switzerland, so did their customer base. But with success came new challenges: After three years, the online shop had grown to the point where it was taking up more and more of their time. Nik often came home late from work because, after his day job as a self-employed carpenter, he still had to pack the orders. The shop became an integral part of their daily lives and, as a result, a burden. After all, Nicole is a teacher through and through, and Nik is a carpenter by passion—giving up their careers was out of the question for both of them.
They knew that with Wert&Voll they had created Wert&Voll unique and valuable. So, with mixed feelings, they decided to find a successor.
How Wert&Voll Came Wert&Voll Us
Sometimes the right people and ideas come together in unexpected ways. Nik and Nicole had built up the Wert&Voll , but at some point it became clear: they wanted to hand it over to someone else—but only to the right person. The search for successors began.
Meanwhile, Nathalie and I had the opportunity to take over a forest program. At a meeting with the then leaders, Maja and Bruno, we discovered stainless steel cans that we had never seen before. "My friend Nik sells these in his shop," Bruno told us—and jokingly added, "Maybe you'd like to take him over?"
That same evening, we immersed ourselves in the shop. We were fascinated by the unique products and the warm philosophy. But then doubts crept in: How would we finance it? Where would we store it? How do you even run an online shop?
Weeks passed during which we talked about it again and again—not knowing that Nik had already started a total sell-off. When we found out, things got serious. We got in touch, met Nik, and immediately felt that it was a good fit. He showed us everything and offered his support with the handover.
But the decision wasn't easy. Friends and family were divided, and we also felt increasingly uncertain. We contacted Nik and told him that we were very interested, but that the financial investment was difficult for us. Nik then suggested a payment plan that minimized the financial risk. After two sleepless nights, we plucked up the courage and agreed.
Today, we are the new faces behind Wert&Voll. And what started as a spontaneous idea became our big step toward self-employment.
A Fresh Start – Wert&Voll New Ground
Once all the details had been clarified with Nik, things got serious. We quickly realized that the total sell-out had done its job. We were left with a few remaining products—ready to go, but with almost nothing to sell.
So we had to restock our inventory! We combed through Nik's former suppliers, made new contacts, and reordered what we considered essential. At the same time, we cleared out our garage, searched Tutti for suitable shelves, and set up our first small warehouse. Within a week, we had created the necessary infrastructure to continue running the shop from our home. The online shop remained closed during this transition period.
On March 19, 2019, the big day finally arrived: With a freshly restocked inventory, Wert&Voll went Wert&Voll online. And then—the first order! We were sitting together when the notification came in. Someone had actually bought something from us! Full of excitement, we packed the order. The product was carefully placed in the box, the package was wrapped with the utmost precision—and then off we went to the post office in the neighboring village.
This daily routine quickly became an integral part of our lives. Our loyal Wert&Voll confirmed to us that the shop has a future—and we decided to do everything in our power not to let them down.
Our son Levi was right in the middle of it all. He stacked packages, stuck labels on them, and was always excited when we unpacked new products.
At first, we found it difficult to take anything from the shop ourselves—we wanted to keep everything available for our customers. But eventually, we treated ourselves to our first stainless steel cans and drinking bottles from our own shop. After all, we should know what we're selling!
But we didn’t just want to bring back the old product line; we wanted Wert&Voll and offer more products for a lifestyle with less plastic. Little by little, we expanded our selection: we added the entire Ecolunchbox line, stainless steel ice cube trays and ice cream makers, a larger Klean Kanteen assortment, as well as new brands such as Qwetch water bottles and beeswax wraps from Bern. Each new shipment gave us more confidence—we grew alongside our mission.
After a year, it was time to take stock. Sales had increased, our product range had expanded—and, most importantly, we had found our niche. Wert&Voll not only survived but had grown alongside us. We had learned that it pays to take risks and that time brings the necessary experience. In 2020, there were pivotal developments that transformed the shop from a retail platform into a brand in its own right.
Wert&Voll Itself
Today, we’re taking a trip down memory lane together to look back on a pivotal chapter in Wert&Voll history. You may remember: The shop was originally founded to make plastic-free products accessible in Switzerland. But five years after it was founded—and one year after we Wert&Voll —the world suddenly looked very different.
Suddenly, there were shops everywhere selling similar products. Even the big retailers now had plastic-free alternatives in their ranges. Our former market position dwindled. Then came the next blow:Onyx Containers and Lunchbotsstopped supplying us. Lunchbots switched to direct sales and Onyx withdrew from the North American market after a stroke of bad luck.
In one fell swoop, half of our product range was gone.The most popular products were no longer available, competition was tougher than ever—and we, as newly minted entrepreneurs, were under enormous pressure. The easiest way out? Give up.
But that's exactly what we didn't do.
Instead, we saw the challenge as an opportunity and developed anew vision for Wert&Voll. We decided to purchase an engraving laser and offer personalized products. At the same time, we set out to find a manufacturer who would produce directly for us. For the first time, we were able to build our own brand—independent of suppliers and stronger than ever before.
This step was not without risk. We had to immerse ourselves in the world of stainless steel lunch boxes, take out a loan, and be even more courageous than when we originally purchased the shop. But it was worth it: your feedback was overwhelming!After just one year, we were able to recoup our investment—and we knew that"nothing ventured, nothing gained."
Today, Wert&Voll is Wert&Voll than just a store—it’s a brand with a heart. And we’re thrilled that you’re part of this journey. ❤️
Small online shops are having a particularly difficult time
Last time, I told you how we Wert&Voll ourselves at Wert&Voll . Today, I’d like to share with you why, unfortunately, not all small Swiss online shops are able to do the same—and what decision we’ve made for the future.
As a small shop, we walk a fine line between joy and frustration every day. There is hardly anything better than reading your positive feedback, packing your orders, and knowing that our work makes sense.
But that's not always enough to survive. Because, to be honest, online shops have to pay for their customers.
What does that mean? For every sale, we spend an average of 30% of the revenue on advertising—plus high fees to payment providers and others. When you add up all these costs, there's not much left at the end of the day.
Anyone who then tries to compete with the big shops on price loses twice over. The truth is that many products are only profitable if you sell them in huge quantities. And small shops like ours simply can't compete on that level.
But: We don't want that anymore either.
That's why we made a conscious decision to shift our focus. Instead of offering a large assortment of many different brands that are now available everywhere, we are focusing on what makes us unique:
👉Engraved lunch boxes
👉Personalized stainless steel products
👉 A genuine understanding of your needs
👉 Customer service that truly deserves its name
Because while the big companies simply funnel packages through, we pack every product with love, and often the whole family pitches in.
That is our strength. That is our way.
Of course, we are also aware that this does not work for everyone. For example, our valued partnersLoggia16(beeswax wraps from Bern) and suederei Naturseifenhad to close their doors with a heavy heart. This makes us sad—because we know how much heart and soul goes into such projects.
And at the same time, it encourages us tocontinue making courageous decisions and to remain true to ourselves in the process.
Thank you for taking the time to read our story ❤️❤️❤️