Margarinemerk Brio werd in 2001 door Unilever van de markt gehaald toen het concern flink in haar merkportfolio ging snijden. Bertolli werd als vervangende merknaam gezien van Brio. De margarine was in 1964 ook al eens van naam veranderd. Dit kwam toen door de roemruchtige Planta-affaire.
Today, the small family-run business has grown into the global company BRIO AB, with subsidiaries in Germany, France and Japan and distributors around the world. BRIO´s product portfolio currently consists of numerous toys but also games for the whole family under the brand Alga. BRIO’s head office has been located in Malmö since 2006.
What is the origin of the brand Brio?
Brio was created by three Italian immigrants in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, in 1959—Elio Madonia, who immigrated to Canada in 1950 from Corleone, Sicily, and his partners Giuseppe Panacci and Angelo Pirrello that he had met during his time as an insurance salesman. The chinotto extract is imported from Italy, but bottled in Canada.
What is Brio drink in Canada?
It has become a popular beverage in Ontario, particularly among Italian immigrants, serving as a marker of identity for the Italian emigrant population in Canada. In April 2018, the Liquor Control Board of Ontario launched an alcoholic version of Brio mixed with vodka.