Badoit
French natural sparkling mineral water brand sourced from Saint-Galmier in the Loire region.
Last updated August 21, 2026
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Overview
Badoit is a French natural sparkling mineral water brand associated with the springs of Saint-Galmier in the Loire region. Its water is naturally carbonated: the source material describes the carbon dioxide as originating through the spring's natural geological process rather than being added solely through compression. The brand is known for a distinctive tangy, fresh taste and for positioning sparkling mineral water as a refined accompaniment to meals, particularly in restaurants and other out-of-home settings. The Saint-Galmier springs have a long history. Roman thermal remains and historical references indicate that mineral water was known in the area in antiquity, while local physicians prescribed it during the eighteenth century. In 1778, Marin Richard de Laprade, a physician and adviser to Louis XVI, described the water as invigorating and suitable as an aperitif. The commercial history of the modern brand began when Auguste Saturnin Badoit obtained a lease on the Fontfort spring in 1837 and began bottling Saint-Galmier water in 1838. After the spa lease was not renewed in 1848, the business concentrated on bottled water rather than spa operations. The enterprise continued under Badoit's family and later under local industrial owners, expanding its access to springs and its bottling infrastructure. Badoit developed many of the practices that helped establish packaged mineral water as a recognizable branded product. It introduced labeled bottles in 1874, partly to distinguish the product and deter counterfeiting, and acquired the central springs of Saint-Galmier in 1876. A glassworks established at Veauche in 1883 helped control bottle supply and transportation costs. The company also acquired or incorporated several additional springs during the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Its mineral-water credentials were reinforced by awards at international exhibitions and by recognition as being of public interest by the French Academy of Medicine in 1897. After the Second World War, Badoit expanded beyond pharmacies and specialist outlets into supermarkets. It formed a relationship with the Société des eaux minérales d'Évian in 1960, merged with that business in 1965, and became fully owned by Boussois Souchon Neuvesel in 1970. Boussois Souchon Neuvesel later became part of Danone. Packaging and distribution evolved with the mass market: PVC bottles were introduced in 1973, PET bottles replaced them in the principal modern packaging system in 1999, glass returned to restaurant service in 2007, and cans were introduced in 2015. The portfolio has centered on several formats of sparkling water. Green Badoit is the core expression, while Red Badoit, introduced in 2004, is more strongly carbonated. The brand has also offered flavored variants using fruit and aromatic-plant profiles. Badoit has historically supported gastronomy and hospitality, including through the Bourse de la création Badoit, established in 1982 to recognize young talent in the catering sector. This activity reflects its premium positioning and its role as a restaurant water as well as a retail product. Badoit remains active within Danone's water business. Reference material reports annual sales of approximately 300 million bottles worldwide and production of around one million bottles per day, although these figures are not assigned a current reporting year in the available source. The brand's supply is tied to the capacity of the Saint-Galmier aquifer. In 2019, Danone stopped selling Badoit in the United Kingdom, explaining that drought and slower groundwater replenishment in the Saint-Galmier area required lower extraction and distribution levels to protect the source over the long term. This episode illustrates the tension between international distribution and the resource constraints of a natural-mineral-water brand.
History
The springs at Saint-Galmier have been associated with mineral water since antiquity. Archaeological evidence of Roman thermal facilities and historical references indicate that naturally sparkling water was known in the region long before the Badoit brand was created. During the eighteenth century, physicians prescribed the water locally. In 1778, Marin Richard de Laprade, a physician and adviser to Louis XVI, examined and praised its perceived invigorating qualities. The commercial history of Badoit began in 1837, when Auguste Saturnin Badoit obtained a lease on the Fontfort spring above the Forez plain. He began bottling the water in 1838. In 1845, he acquired other springs carrying the Badoit name, and when the Fontfort lease ended in 1848, the enterprise moved away from spa operations and focused on bottled distribution. Badoit died in 1858; his wife and daughter continued the business, which was reportedly selling about 1.5 million bottles annually. In 1859, the company was sold to the local André business, while Badoit's son-in-law, Benoit Cherbouquet, remained involved in management. Packaging and source consolidation were important to the company's development. Stoneware bottles were sealed with wax in 1870, and a branded label was introduced in 1874 to differentiate the product and discourage counterfeiting. In 1876, the company acquired Saint-Galmier's central springs, which became its main source. A glassworks at Veauche was established in 1883, allowing greater control over bottle production and reducing the cost of transporting empty containers. Additional springs, including Courbière and Nouvelle in 1886, Rémy and Noël in 1894, and Romaines in 1910, were acquired or brought into the company's operating network. Badoit became a société anonyme in 1893. It received recognition as being of public interest from the French Academy of Medicine in 1897 and won medals at international exhibitions, including gold in Rome and silver in Barcelona in 1888. Following the Second World War, Badoit broadened its distribution from pharmacies into supermarkets in 1954. It joined forces with the Société des eaux minérales d'Évian in 1960, and the two businesses merged in 1965. In 1970, Badoit became a wholly owned subsidiary of Boussois Souchon Neuvesel, the business that later developed into part of Danone. The brand adopted PVC bottles for mass distribution in 1973. In 1982, it created the Bourse de la création Badoit, a grant or award initiative intended to support emerging talent in the catering industry. Packaging modernization continued in the late twentieth century. PET bottles were introduced in 1999, while Danone withdrew from its glass business at that time. Badoit later restored glass bottles for restaurant service in 2007 and added cans in 2015. Product development included the launch of Red Badoit in 2004, a more strongly sparkling variant, alongside the established green range and flavored products. Badoit's contemporary identity combines natural-source credentials, premium presentation, and food-service relevance. The brand is sold through retail and hospitality channels and is associated particularly with French dining. Available reference material states that approximately 300 million bottles are sold worldwide each year and that production is about one million bottles per day, but it does not provide a current year or a company financial filing for those figures. Source protection became a visible strategic issue in 2019, when Danone discontinued Badoit sales in the United Kingdom. The stated reason was that drought in the Saint-Galmier region had reduced groundwater replenishment, making it necessary to limit bottling so the spring could be preserved for future generations.
- 2019
United Kingdom sales discontinued
[1]Danone stopped selling Badoit in the United Kingdom to reduce pressure on the Saint-Galmier source during drought and slower aquifer replenishment.
- 2015
Cans added to the range
[1]The brand launched sparkling mineral water in cans.
- 2007
Glass restaurant bottles return
[1]Badoit reintroduced glass bottles for restaurant and hospitality use.
- 2004
Red Badoit launched
[1]Badoit introduced a red variant with stronger carbonation than its standard green water.
- 1999
PET bottles introduced
[1]PET became part of the brand's packaging system as Danone withdrew from its glass business.
- 1982
Bourse de la création Badoit established
[1]Badoit created an award or grant program intended to support young talent in the catering sector.
- 1973
PVC packaging introduced
[1]The brand adopted PVC bottles for mass distribution.
- 1970
Becomes a fully owned Boussois Souchon Neuvesel subsidiary
[1]Badoit became fully owned by Boussois Souchon Neuvesel, a corporate predecessor within Danone's later structure.
- 1965
Badoit and Évian merge
[1]The Badoit and Évian businesses merged.
- 1960
Alliance with Évian
[1]Badoit joined forces with the Société des eaux minérales d'Évian.
Products and positioning
Premium French natural sparkling mineral water with strong associations with gastronomy, restaurants, distinctive carbonation, and source protection.
Natural sparkling mineral water
Badoit Verte
The standard green Badoit expression and the core product associated with the Saint-Galmier source. It is positioned as a naturally sparkling mineral water for everyday premium consumption, meals, restaurants, and retail. The green identity distinguishes it from the more strongly carbonated Red Badoit variant.
More highly carbonated natural sparkling mineral water · 2004
Badoit Rouge
Introduced in 2004, Red Badoit is presented as a more strongly sparkling version of the brand's standard water. Its red visual identity and higher carbonation give it a distinct place within the range while retaining the brand's natural-mineral-water and gastronomy positioning.
Flavored sparkling water
Flavored Badoit
A flavored extension of the Badoit portfolio using fruit and aromatic-plant profiles. It broadens the brand beyond unflavored mineral water while retaining a sparkling, premium refreshment proposition. Specific flavors and current market availability are not established in the supplied reference material.
Restaurant packaging · 2007
Badoit glass bottles
Glass packaging used primarily in restaurant and hospitality settings. After the brand's late-twentieth-century move toward plastic packaging, glass bottles returned in 2007 to support Badoit's premium food-service identity and table presentation.
Canned sparkling mineral water · 2015
Badoit cans
A can format added in 2015 to make Badoit's sparkling mineral water available in a portable single-serve package. The launch extended the brand's packaging architecture beyond bottles without changing its core sparkling-water proposition.
Marketing campaigns
- 1982Bourse de la création Badoit
France
Badoit established an award and grant initiative to recognize emerging talent in the catering industry. The program connected the brand with gastronomy and reinforced its restaurant-oriented positioning.
Outcome. The initiative became a long-running association between Badoit, culinary creativity, and the French catering sector.
Brand decisions
2019
Withdraw from the United KingdomStrategyBackground
Drought and reduced groundwater replenishment affected the Saint-Galmier region, creating a source-preservation concern.
Action taken
Danone discontinued Badoit sales in the United Kingdom and said it would reduce bottling and distribution pressure on the source.
Aftermath
The decision reduced the brand's geographic availability while presenting source stewardship as a priority.
2015
Launch canned BadoitProduct launchBackground
Consumers and retailers were increasingly offered single-serve and portable beverage formats.
Action taken
Badoit introduced sparkling mineral water in cans.
Aftermath
The product range expanded beyond PET and glass bottles.
2007
Restore glass packaging for restaurantsStrategyBackground
Badoit's premium restaurant identity created demand for a presentation-oriented package.
Action taken
Glass Badoit bottles returned to restaurant distribution.
Aftermath
The brand maintained separate packaging roles for mass retail and food-service channels.
2004
Launch Red BadoitProduct launchBackground
Badoit sought to broaden its sparkling-water offer with a visibly differentiated product.
Action taken
The company launched a red-packaged water with stronger carbonation.
Aftermath
The product became a principal variant alongside the green Badoit range.
1999
Move to PET packagingStrategyBackground
Badoit was modernizing its packaging while Danone withdrew from its glass business.
Action taken
The brand introduced PET bottles.
Aftermath
Plastic became central to retail distribution, while glass later returned for restaurant service.
1973
Adopt PVC bottles for mass distributionStrategyBackground
The brand needed packaging suitable for supermarket-scale distribution.
Action taken
Badoit introduced PVC bottles.
Aftermath
The packaging change supported the brand's expansion into mass retail.
1954
Expand into supermarketsStrategyBackground
Postwar retail distribution offered an opportunity to move beyond pharmacy and specialist channels.
Action taken
Badoit entered supermarkets and expanded mass-market distribution.
Aftermath
The move increased sales and broadened the brand's consumer reach.
1848
Concentrate on bottled-water salesStrategyBackground
The lease on the Fontfort spring was not renewed, ending the company's spa-business path.
Action taken
The business abandoned spa operations and focused on bottling and marketing Saint-Galmier water.
Aftermath
Badoit developed as a packaged-water brand rather than primarily as a therapeutic spa operation.
Recent events
- 2019
Badoit withdrawn from the United Kingdom[1]
Regulation · Other
Danone ended Badoit sales in the United Kingdom, citing drought conditions and reduced groundwater replenishment around Saint-Galmier. The company said that limiting extraction and distribution was intended to protect the natural source for the future.
- 2015
Badoit launches canned sparkling mineral water[1]
Product launch
Badoit extended its packaging range with canned sparkling mineral water.
- 2007
Badoit returns to glass packaging for restaurants[1]
Product launch
Glass packaging returned to the Badoit range for restaurant and hospitality use after the brand's earlier shift toward mass-market plastic packaging.
- 2004
Badoit introduces more highly sparkling Red Badoit[1]
Product launch · Product generation
The brand added a red-packaged variant characterized by stronger carbonation than its standard green expression.
Sources2 sources
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