In honor of the 120th anniversary of San Pellegrino, here are seven facts you never knew about the popular Italian water brand.
SHANGHAI, CHINA – 2019/07/27: A customer holds a bottle of SanPellegrino sparkling natural mineral … [+]
1) Brand was founded in 1899
In the foothills of the Alps, San Pellegrino was founded in Bergamo, Italy in 1899. In the first year, the company produced 35,343 bottles of mineral water. Only one hour from Milan, Bergamo is still where the water is sourced today and 2019 marks the 120th year they’ve been in business.
2) You can bathe in the famous S. Pellegrino waters
You can visit the QC Terme San Pellegrino spa to bathe in thermal baths that come from the same source from which the San Pellegrino company produces their famous sparkling water. According to the QC Terme website, “The ‘Vita’ spring gives us thermal waters rich in bicarbonate sulphate, calcium, and magnesium flowing pure and uncontaminated through layers of rock, from which the water erodes precious mineral salts.” Visitors spend time making their way through the “wellness path” of panoramic tubs, waterfalls, Kneipp therapy, Vichy showers and more.
3) On September 27th, San Pellegrino broke ground on a new modern factory
Exterior rendering of the new S.Pellegrino facility
Based in a historic setting, San Pellegrino is looking to the future. September 27th, they broke ground their new “Factory of the Future.” The new facility is being designed by the Bjarke Ingels Group, which is an architecture firm with offices in both New York and Copenhagen. The renderings released by the brand show a state-of-the-art design that compliments the surrounding hills with arching structures. The factory will not only look forwarding thinking but will be extremely forward thinking. The team has incorporated lots of energy efficient processes including both solar panels and water recovery systems.
4) The new “Factory of the Future” will have a “San Pellegrino Experience Lab”
Rendering of the Visitors’ Center at the new S.Pellegrino facility
This first-ever “S.Pellegrino Experience Lab” will be an interactive visitors’ center that will give visitors another attraction to check out in addition to the San Pellegrino QC Terme Spa. The brand wants to reinvigorate the local economy by turning it into a destination for Italian and international visitors and hopes the Experience Lab will contribute to doing just that.
5) They just launched a limited-edition 120th Anniversary Diamond Bottle
The new bottles hit shelves in October. The crystal-cut green glass bottles are meant to ring in the brand’s 120th holiday season in style. So, head to a local retailer to grab a few bottles to dress up your holiday table this season!
6) San Pellegrino is running a young chef competition
The San Pellegrino Young Chef competition is bringing together twelve under-30 chefs from all over the world to compete for the title of the San Pellegrino Young Chef 2020. The North America competition just took place last week in New York and all the regional winners will be heading to Milan in a few months for the final round!
NEW YORK, NY – Chef Rafael Covarrubias, who is 25 years old was the crowned the winner of the North … [+]
7) It takes 30 years for water to get from the Alps to the bottle
All the water used in San Pellegrino bottles come from the Alps. It all begins as snow or rain in the mountains and takes 30 years to trickle down through the foothills and in the process becomes enriched with mineral salts, calcium and magnesium, giving it that signature taste.