Tasteful Italian Story
Since 1899, S.Pellegrino has been exporting excellence around the globe to become an international icon of taste and elegance. This incredible story that has merged elements of design, tradition and taste, begins in the Alps to eventually arrive at your table. It has flowed through golden eras from the Belle Epoque, rich with literary and artistic giants right up to the present to enhance and add style to your fine food moments. This icon of Italian taste has been passed down to become our Tasteful Italian Story. This is a story in the making and we will nurture it for another 125 years.
1800s
Everything starts in the early 19th century, when nobles travel to San Pellegrino Terme at the foot of the Italian Alps, to "take the water" for its health benefits, then take a few bottles home.
1899
The Sanpellegrino Company is founded and later listed on the Milan Stock Exchange. In its first year, it produces 35,343 bottles of S.Pellegrino mineral water, of which 5,562 are shipped overseas.
1901
With the opening of The San Pellegrino Bath Facilities and The Refreshment Hall, the town of San Pellegrino Terme begins to thrive as a high society holiday resort, enjoyed by Europe's aristocracy.
1906
Commissioned to the Milanese architect Romolo Squadrelli during the Belle Époque, the magnificent Art Nouveau Grand Hotel and Casino of San Pellegrino is inaugurated, and rapidly becomes popular with global royalty, politicians and other VIPs.
1908
S.Pellegrino Natural Mineral Water continues to grow in popularity around the world. Its distribution network extends well beyond Europe to Cairo, Calcutta, Shanghai, the US, Brazil, Peru and even Australia.
Early 1900s-1930s
In the early decades of the 20th century, S.Pellegrino begins to advertise in local and national newspapers. These now vintage advertisements describe the water’s beneficial properties and its suitability for fine dining, with messages like “The best table water” and “The true queen of the table”.
1932
Sanpellegrino's innovative new owner, entrepreneur and industrial chemist Ezio Granelli, introduces the world to the first ever orangeade! By squeezing the fresh juice of delicious oranges from the South of Italy into sparkling water, Granelli creates a groundbreaking, refreshing and tasty new drink: Sanpellegrino Aranciata. Served in what will become the iconic Sanpellegrino glass bottle, it is a huge success, driving a decade of rapid expansion for the company.
1949
Building on the success of Sanpellegrino Aranciata, and in celebration of the Company's 50th birthday, a new range of sparkling fruit flavours is created to satisfy the evolving tastes of an enthusiastic public. Aranciata Amara - the bitter version of Aranciata - gains immediate popularity and is followed by other iconic drinks, such as Chinotto and Limonata.
1950s
The whole world is drinking S.Pellegrino, described at the time as "a classy water for every class"! By the end of the decade, sales of S.Pellegrino products exceed 100 million bottles worldwide.
1957
The Acqua Panna Company is incorporated by Sanpellegrino. Located in beautiful Tuscany, the Acqua Panna spring and its environs had been appreciated by the famous Medici family since Renaissance times.
1999
The Sanpellegrino Company celebrates its first 100 years with a series of events, culminating in Mozart’s Don Giovanni directed by Maestro Riccardo Muti at La Scala Opera House in Milan in front of 2000 guests from all over the world.
2001
Aranciata Rossa - the blood orange version of the ever-popular Aranciata - appears for the first time on shelves alongside the rest of the Sanpellegrino sparkling fruit beverages range.
2010
In a truly remarkable milestone, sales of S.Pellegrino Natural Mineral Water and Sanpellegrino Sparkling Fruit Beverages around the world reach a staggering total of 1 billion bottles in a single year!
2010s
The sparkling fruit beverages range continues to expand with original new flavours, a creative mix of fresh and juicy ingredients that satisfy different tastes and preferences and offer something for everybody to enjoy. Additions in these years include Melograno e Arancia, Clementina, Limone e Menta and Arancia e Fico D’India.
2011
S.Pellegrino launches Fine Dining Lovers, a magazine aimed at foodies and aficionados of culinary culture around the world. It rapidly becomes a leading voice in global gastronomy.
2015
S.Pellegrino launches the first edition of its global talent search to find the best Young Chef in the world. Built around the notion of nurturing talent, the competition continues to evolve. In 2019, a series of new awards are introduced to reward personal integrity, social responsibility and cross-cultural connection. From 2020, the competition is part of the S.Pellegrino Young Chef Academy project.
2018
In an exciting innovation, S.Pellegrino delights consumers with the launch of S.Pellegrino Essenza. The gentle bubbles of S.Pellegrino mineral water are combined for the first time with a twist of charming and sophisticated flavours inspired by Mediterranean fruits, for a completely new taste experience with zero calories.
2019
S.Pellegrino celebrates the 120th anniversary of its founding with two very special limited-edition bottles: an exclusive glass bottle with diamond-cut rivets and a silver-lined 120 Year Anniversary label. Here’s to the next 120 years!
2019
In 2019 our fruit beverages have evolved into Sanpellegrino Italian Sparkling Drinks. By now they include numerous flavours and lines for more tasty moments and more occasions of enjoyment. New developments include a selection of premium Mixers with refined ingredients, ready to include in cocktails for early evening enjoyment, and the Momenti range, with its intriguing mix of fruit juices to satisfy those looking for a lighter soft drink. What's more, after almost 90 years the classic glass bottle is restyled with a new, more premium and more iconic look, ideally suited to the latest innovations while paying tribute to the past.
2021
For the first time ever, S.Pellegrino and Acqua Panna come together on your dining tables with a Dual Immersive Collection to let you truly immerse yourself in the brand’s worlds like never before. Two limited-edition bottles with specially sculpted surfaces offer two unforgettable virtual augmented reality experiences that can be accessed by simply pointing a smartphone at the QR code on the labels. All to make your fine dining experiences even more unforgettable.