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Alphonse Granier, official recognition
The Granier family became the official owners of the Les Bouillens estate in 1769. Alphonse Granier was the first person to show a real interest in the spring. He began to transform the site into a commercial venture when Napoleon III signed a decree in 1863 recognizing the spring's water as natural mineral water. After the therapeutic properties of the naturally carbonated water were signed off on by numerous scientists, visitors flocked to the waters at the spa. However, in 1869, the facilitie -
finally, PERRIER became PERRIER
In 1898, Louis-Eugène PERRIER became the owner of Les Bouillens. A doctor, politician and fervent champion of the virtues of thermal springs, PERRIER bought both the spring and the Etablissement Thermal de Vergèze, which he renamed the Société des EauxMinérales, Boissons et ProduitsHygiéniques de Vergèze... The good doctor then devoted himself to developing a hygenically sealed glass bottle to hold and transport water that contained three times its volume in gas. -
Love at first sight for an English Lord
It was a huge challenge selling water to the French, who drank mainly wine. Suffering from a lack of funds, PERRIER met St John Harmsworth. In 1903, Harmsworth bought the doctor’s shares and re-named the spring after the man who had done so much for the spring. Harmsworth then designed the iconic shape of the PERRIER bottle, drawing his inspiration from the Indian exercise clubs that he used to keep in shape. -
Purveyor by Appointment to his Majesty the King of England
Harmsworth opened the door to the British Empire. His idea was to convince the British army in the Indies of the unique qualities contained within his bottle. After becoming widely known in the colonies, PERRIER water was enjoyed at Buckingham Palace and, in 1905, Harmsworth gained the title of “Purveyor by Appointment to his Majesty the King of England”. Then, in 1908, at the Franco-British exhibition in London, PERRIER water was awarded the Grand Prize for Mineral Water Sale of the Year. -
Declared of Public Interest
By 1933, only half of PERRIER’s production was being exported, with the rest remaining in France, resulting in PERRIER being declared "d'Intérêt Public" (of Public Interest). France had finally been won over. St John Harmsworth had considerably expanded the “Compagnie de la Source PERRIER” and was responsible for its strong brand identity and image. The same year, in 1933, Harmsworth died. -
Loved again... by a stockbroker
After the war, just as the mineral water market was booming, the PERRIER spring found itself in need of considerable modernization. Due to the lack of funds, the shareholders sold the company in 1947. No one seemed particularly interested. Until a young stockbroker, Gustave Leven, came across the abandoned spring and concluded that if the people of Vergèze could sell a natural mineral water for three times the price of a bottle of wine, then the company must have remarkable potential. He bought -
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Gustave Leven brings sparkle back to the brand
Gustave Leven launched an extensive plan to modernize the facilities. From 1948 to 1952, production soared from 30 to 150 million bottles! The factory, now known as “the cathedral” saw its surface area increase from 6,000 to over 26,000 square meters. In 1954, the Vergèze plant became a fully integrated site. Everything from the bottle tops to the packing crates were manufactured on site, and since 1973, the Verrerie du Langedoc (glassworks) has made all the bottles. -
America is conquered by the little bottle
In early 1976, the little bottle left to conquer America and an office was opened in New York. By 1988, PERRIER was selling nearly 300 million bottles in the States, equating to 80% of all imported mineral water. The flavored PERRIER varieties were launched in the United States before being introduced in France. -
A stronger brand image
In 1990, when Gustave Leven stepped down as Chairman of the group, PERRIER was the leading mineral water brand in the world. 1990 was also the year when PERRIER’s expansion was hit hard by the benzene crisis. In France, the affair caused people to rally around PERRIER, and the company’s honorable action in recalling all bottles worldwide only served to strengthen its brand image. -
The nestlé take over
1992 In 1992, PERRIER was taken over by Nestlé, forming the Nestlé Waters SA group, now the world leader in bottled water with nearly 70 brands, including not only PERRIER, Vittel, Contrex, S. Pellegrino but also Nestlé Pure Life, Nestlé Aquarel, etc. -
Today
With a presence in 150 countries, PERRIER is one of the most widely exported French beverages. Always cutting edge, the brand aims to project a bold, offbeat image, while keeping its elegance as its hallmark. From advertising campaigns to limited editions, PERRIER has always been linked to the big names in art... Unique taste, fizzing with bubbles and providing the ultimate refreshment... PERRIER is the fashionable choice!
