Marie Brizard was born in Bordeaux, France in 1714. A devoted nurse who cared for the sick and poor she was given her first ‘elixir’ recipe by a sailor who returned to port deeply ill with scurvy, whom she cared for until he regained his full health.

The elixir’s popularity allowed her to produce, market and sell it, founding her company in 1755. The company quickly grew, selling around the world, and she was joined by her nephew Jean-Baptiste Roger, whose family assumed control following her death aged 86 in 1801.