In 1846 Francesco Peroni opened a small brewery in Vigevano. He split production almost immediately, opening a facility in Rome. Then his offspring expanded the company with two new production sites, in Bari and in Naples. In 1953 Franco Peroni continued expansion policies, adding three more plants. From the 1970s to the 1980s the company opened abroad and extended its product portfolio and international partnerships. In 1990 it consolidated leadership in the premium sector. In 2003 the Birra Peroni group entered the SABMiller PLC group, one of the largest beer producers in the world. In Italy there are three production sites (Rome, Padua and Bari) as well as the Saplo malthouse. The product range today is very extensive and in addition to classic Peroni and Peroncino, includes double malt, red, pure malt Gran Riserva, and the Lemon Chill. Its other brands include Nastro Azzurro, Miller Genuine Draft, Raffo, Pilsner Urquell, and Wührer.
