The History of San Pellegrino (S.Pellegrino Sparkling Mineral Water)

In the early 19th century, nobles would travel to San Pellegrino Terme, located at the foot of the Italian Alps, to “take the water” for its health benefits. Most would also take a few bottles home with them. In 1899, the San Pellegrino (Sanpellegrino) Company was founded and began bottling the water for sale. In that first year, the company produced 35,343 bottles of S.Pellegrino (more often referred to by the public as "San Pellegrino") mineral water; 5,562 of the bottles were shipped overseas. With the opening of the Art Nouveau Grand Hotel and Casino of San Pellegrino as well as the San Pellegrino Bath Facilities and The Refreshment Hall, which opened in San Pellegrino Terme in 1901, the town became a high society holiday resort frequented by European aristocracy. This created a strong association between San Pellegrino water and a sense of sophistication. In fact, when the company began advertising the mineral water in the local and national newspapers, the ads focused on its beneficial properties and its suitability for fine dining with taglines like, “The true queen of the table.” By 1908, distribution had expanded beyond Europe to include the United States, China, Australia, Egypt, India, Brazil, and Peru. In the 1930s, flavored San Pellegrino water was introduced by chemist and new owner Ezio Granelli. By the 1950s, San Pellegrino (or S.Pellegrino) had become extremely popular and was being enjoyed on a global scale. Today, San Pellegrino remains a popular beverage choice all over the world and is especially popular at high-end restaurants.