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The history of Campari began in Novara, Italy in 1860, with the invention of the original recipe by Gaspare Campari that is still in use today. The recipe incorporates over sixty ingredients and is kept confidential to this day; according to the Campari Group, the president Luca Garavoglia, with the help of the technical director and eight employees, produces the base concentrate, for Garavoglia is the only person in the world who knows the entire formula for the original family recipe. However, among the ingredients are quinine and other bitter herbs, rhubarb, spices, ginseng, bergamot oil, orange peel. It is known that the colour comes from natural Carmine Cochineal E20. One of the main ingredients is bark from Cascarilla trees that grow in the Bahamas.

In 1904, Campari's first production plant was opened in Sesto San Giovanni. The company required bars that bought Campari to display the Campari Bitters sign; under the direction of Davide Campari the company began to export the brand, first to Nice, the heart of the French Riviera, then overseas. The Campari brand is now distributed in over 190 countries.

In the Italian market, Campari mixed with carbonated water is sold in individual bottles as Campari Soda (10% alcohol by volume). Campari Soda is packaged in a distinctive bottle that was designed by Fortunato Depero; it was first created in 1932.

Campari is an essential ingredient in the classic Negroni cocktail, and, wittily, in the Americano, named at a time when few Americans were aware of Campari. Campari can be used to make a sorbet.

In 1999 the Campari Group acquired a major competitor, Cinzano.