‘… … I visited a bar on the Arno in Florence. Every year I would sit down and order a Fernet-Branca. . .’ This quote from the ending of “Batman: The Dark Knight” (2012) is enough to show how Fernet-Branca is the most popular bitter liqueur in the world!
An outstanding Made in Italy product, almost two centuries old (175 years), that in Argentina, when mixed with Coca-Cola in a cocktail called Fernandino, is the third most consumed alcoholic beverage after beer and wine.
A secret recipe, a medication, an international success story
This success story began with Bernardino Branca, a self-taught pharmacist born in 1802 in Pallanza (VB), Piedmont. After moving to Milan, he opened a grocery store in Porta Nuova and, in 1845, created a unique blend of 27 herbs, roots, and spices from four continents. These included chamomile (from Italy and Argentina), saffron from Iran, galanga (from India and Sri Lanka), turmeric (from the Himalayas) and rhubarb from China. Bernardino called his bitter Fernet (keeping the recipe and origin of the name a secret) and chose ‘Novare serbando’ as his motto.
Initially, Fernet-Branca was marketed as a medicinal product and, in particular, used as a remedy for cholera. But the bitter was also a great success among healthy people. Following the unification of Italy, Bernardino Branca started the industrial production of Fernet at the modern Milan plant to meet the growing demand. In partnership with his brother Stefano, he founded Fratelli Branca Distillerie (1862). The well-known image of the Fernet-Branca label was designed in 1905; it depicts an eagle with spread wings flying over the world, holding a bottle of Fernet-Branca in its talons, accompanied by the legendary slogan ‘Above all Fernet-Branca’. In 1908, the current plant was built.
International… with a hint of mint
Thanks to its extensive sales network, Italian emigration, and prestigious awards at international expos, Fernet-Branca quickly spread to Europe, the U.S., and Argentina. From the beginning, the company demonstrated an international calling and grew through a series of acquisitions, including the Punt e Mes, Grappa Candolini, and Caffé Borghetti brands. Before singing, the famous soprano Maria Callas used to drink a small glass of Fernet-Branca to which she added a few mint leaves. In 1965, this inspired the creation of Brancamenta.
Branca Museum
Today, a museum located in the company’s headquarters, on Via Resegone in Milan, is dedicated to the history of this iconic Made in Italy product. It is undoubtedly a company museum, but above all, it is also a testament to the history of innovative communication, in form and technique, the expression of an era spanning from the mid-19th century to the end of the 20th century.
A success that continues over time
Today, Fernet-Branca is one of the 12 prestigious brands of the Branca International Spa Group, headquartered in Milan. The CEO and President is Niccolò Branca – the only one who knows the Fernet recipe – who was appointed Cavaliere del Lavoro in 2011 by Giorgio Napolitano. The holding has hundreds of employees, companies in Italy and Argentina, a turnover of hundreds of millions of euros, and sells over 60 million bottles in more than 100 countries.
Congratulations to those who bring Italian excellence, history and amaro to the world.
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