ROME -- It may seem impossible to draw a parallel between two iconic beverages like Coca-Cola and Campari, but a comparison is surprisingly apt. Like Coca-Cola, Campari, the iconic ruby-red Italian aperitif, has carved its place in history not just through its distinctive taste, but also thanks to the mystery shrouding its recipe.

 Developed by Gaspare Campari in Lombardy in 1860, this bitter liqueur owes its allure to an undisclosed concoction of herbs, spices, and fruit peels, meticulously blended with alcohol and water. While exact ingredients remain a closely guarded secret, speculation abounds. Taste analysts have identified hints of bitter orange, rhubarb, ginseng, and quinine amongst the components that create the iconic red beverage’s tantalising taste.

 Only a handful of people across the Campari universe have knowledge of the precise blend of unidentified herbs. The intricate nature of this exclusive knowledge is the stuff of cloak and dagger. Herbs are delivered directly to a protected section of the bottling plant in large brown anonymised sacks, with no one beyond the Campari Group recipie inner circle privy to their contents. Not even high-ranking company officials.

 “It’s a closely-guarded secret and we don’t know where the herbs come from. They come in a bag and the contents are anonymised and kept secret,” Andrea Risti, director of Campari Group’s Novi Ligure production plant, told the Italian Insider. “It’s a secret universe.”

 Another intriguing suggestion also links Campari to Coca-Cola. While both beverages have their separate secret recipes, some experts have in the past suggested Campari might have at some point been a part of Coca-Cola’s original formula, adding yet another layer to its mystique.

 Today, Campari remains a symbol of sophistication and taste, enjoyed in various forms. Whether sipped neat over ice or mixed into classic cocktails like the Negroni or the sprightly Campari Spritz, its versatility ensures there’s a Campari drink for every palate and occasion.

 Campari’s popularity has surged over the past years, with revenue and profit soaring in double digit figures over the past three years as its captivating flavour and cocktail recipes captivate enthusiasts globally. Walk around any of the world’s capitals and you're likely to encounter a sea of Campari Spritzes, Negronis and Americanos, their vibrant red hues dotting the urban landscape.

 “It represents the summer in a cocktail glass, across London, Sidney and Singapore,” Campari CEO Matteo Fantacchiotti said.

 “But that’s not all. The Spritz tradition is on a growth trajectory and has a phenomenal following in Italy at the moment. In addition, people have started to consume it not only in the summer, and last but not least it’s moved out of the aperitif segment as people drink it at meals as well.”

 The original Campari Group has also grown over the decades through acquisitions to take on a portfolio of top-end brands including Aperol, Crodino, SKYY Vodka, Wild Turkey and Grand Marnier to name a few. So much so that this week Campari Group unveiled its new, enlarged plant in Novi Ligure in Northern Italy to better service soaring demand for its beverages around the world.

 “Campari brings jobs but it also makes us proud as it’s a historic brand that’s had the great ability to travel to the four corners of the world with its Italian quality,” Italian agriculture, food and forestry minister Francesco Lollobrigida told to the Italian Insider. “It represents the export of the Italian aperitif and of our way of spending quality time together, of dining together.”