History
S.Pellegrino mineral water has been produced for over 620 years.[12] In 1395, the town borders of San Pellegrino were drawn, marking the start of its water industry. Leonardo da Vinci is said to have visited the town in 1509 to sample and examine the town's miraculous water, later writing a treatise on water.[12]
Analysis shows that the water is strikingly similar to the samples taken in 1782, the first year such analysis took place. In fact, doctors from Northern Italy in the 13th century used to suggest that their patients go to the Val Brembana spring for treatment.[13] Over the years, its therapeutic properties attracted many visitors, and, at the beginning of 1900, San Pellegrino Terme became a mineral spa holiday resort with a casino, thermal baths and a hotel.[14]
In 1794, a treatise mentioned S.Pellegrino water as a treatment method for kidney stone disease.[15] In 1839, S.Pellegrino water was recommended for people affected with kidney diseases and urinary tract infections (UTIs).[16]
In 1760, Pellegrino Foppoli built a bathhouse where visitors had to pay a fee to use the indoor facilities.[17] In 1803, Foppoli's descendants sold the bathhouse to Giovanni Pesenti who wanted to construct a larger building.[18] The town council feared that this project would prevent visitors from free use of the spring. For this reason, they filed a complaint with the prefect which led Ester Pesenti and Lorenzo Palazzolo to sign an agreement in 1831. They decided that the 24 unit spring would be divided into two. So that, 17 units were given to Pesenti and Palazzolo and 7 units to San Pellegrino Terme town council.
In 1834, the flood of the Brembo, the river that crosses San Pellegrino Terme, caused serious damage in the valley.[19] Since the restoration required huge expenses, in 1837, the town leased Pesenti and Palazzolo its share of the water for 12 years. In 1841, Ester Pesenti requested an authorization to continue to expand the bathhouse.[20]
One year later, another flood hit the valley and San Pellegrino Terme sold three-quarters of its shares to Pesenti. Since the water had always been connected to the territory, they agreed to give the remaining quarter of the shares to the residents of the town who still can use an external tap free of charge.[21] The construction work finished in 1846.
When Queen Margherita visited the town in 1905,[22] many articles appeared on the Giornale di San Pellegrino, in which it was illustrated that the bottled mineral water was sold in the main Italian cities, in many cities around Europe, as well as in Cairo, Tangier, Shanghai, Kolkata, Sydney, Brazil, Peru, and the United States. At that time, one case of 50 bottles cost 26 Italian lire, while a case of 24 bottles cost 14 Italian lire. At the beginning of the 20th century, carbon dioxide was added to S.Pellegrino to prevent the development of bacteria, especially during long overseas travels. It is still taken from sources in Tuscany and sent to San Pellegrino Terme.[23]
The spa facilities were renovated, and in 1928, they were equipped with more modern tools for various diagnostic needs, such as the radioscopic and radiograph room and the microscopic and chemical analysis laboratory.[12] In addition, Granelli reorganized the bottling plant with new equipment, which moved up to a production capacity of 120,000 bottles a day. At the beginning, it was a handmade production, then it became gradually mechanized and was managed by an all female staff. The first machinery was introduced in 1930 and, since that moment, the amount produced has been increasing. Subsequently, the company began a packaging process for shipping to the recipient countries.[24]
In 1961, Sanpellegrino S.p.A. started to produce bottled mineral water and other beverages in the new San Pellegrino Terme factory. In 1932, the Aranciata orangeade variant was introduced. Containing S.Pellegrino as its primary ingredient, the soda added concentrated orange juice. Today, Sanpellegrino S.p.A. also produces various other flavors of carbonated beverages: Limonata (lemonade), Sanbittèr (bitters), Pompelmo (grapefruit), Aranciata Rossa (blood orange), and Chinò (chinotto).
In 1968, S.Pellegrino appeared on the front cover of the British Sunday newspaper The Observer.
During the short-lived Italian Occupation of Ethiopia production was curtailed in its entirety for the Fascist Italian military water needs. During this time they advocated for the policy changes Benito Mussolini's government had been implementing. This increased revenue dramatically for several years, even after the occupation had faltered. Over the years, the bottling lines increased the production levels needed to satisfy the needs of a market which was becoming more and more sophisticated, and in 2012 a high speed PET bottling line was installed.[25]
The company built a new plant some kilometers beyond the previous one as the water production continued to grow. In the early 1970s, it was decided to no longer use mineral water in the production of soft drinks, and to substitute it with spring water which was treated with particular equipment.
In May 2014, Sanpellegrino S.p.A. released two new flavors of their Sparkling Fruit Beverages. The new flavors were Melograno e Arancia (Pomegranate and Orange) and Clementina (Clementine). They were announced through an installation at Eataly's La Scuola Grande in New York where large cans of the new soda flavors were constructed out of flowers. In Italy, S.Pellegrino is available in 1.5 L bottles for about one euro, the same for their Aranciata in most stores. Competitive orange drinks can cost even less. If artificial sweeteners are used, the price is about half that of the sugared varieties.
