A FRENCH STORY OF TASTE, SINCE 1855.
For over 170 years, Bornibus has cultivated a distinctive vision of indulgence: characterful recipes, generous products, and a passion for beautiful things made to be shared.
Bornibus since 1855
Since 1855, Bornibus has held one enduring belief: taste deserves character. Born at a time when condiments and delicatessen products were already finding their place both on fine dining tables and at everyday meals, Bornibus built its identity around a generous, curious and discerning approach to gastronomy. Today, the brand continues this story with the same passion for products with character, while looking firmly towards the future.
Our philosophy
Giving taste character. Accessible, generous and distinctive products that invite everyone to cook, combine and share freely.
OUR GASTRONOMIC UNIVERSE
Bornibus explores fine grocery with curiosity. A world where great classics meet new inspirations, blending everyday recipes, pleasure and discovery.
OUR VALUES
Taste – Heritage – Curiosity – Generosity – Freedom Five values that have shaped the Maison since its origins and continue to guide its development today.
OUR POSITIONING
Our history is our starting point, not our destination. Bornibus brings its heritage to life while imagining new recipes, new ways to use its products and new ways to discover taste. Since 1855, the story continues to unfold.
Tradition and modernity
Our history is our starting point, not a destination. Bornibus keeps its heritage alive whilst imagining new recipes, new uses and new ways of discovering taste.
Since 1855, the story continues to be written.
A FRENCH STORY OF TASTE, SINCE 1855.
For over 170 years, Bornibus has cultivated a distinctive vision of indulgence: characterful recipes, generous products, and a passion for beautiful things made to be shared.
Bornibus since 1855
Since 1855, Bornibus has held one enduring belief: taste deserves character. Born at a time when condiments and delicatessen products were already finding their place both on fine dining tables and at everyday meals, Bornibus built its identity around a generous, curious and discerning approach to gastronomy. Today, the brand continues this story with the same passion for products with character, while looking firmly towards the future.
Our philosophy
Giving taste character. Accessible, generous and distinctive products that invite everyone to cook, combine and share freely.
OUR GASTRONOMIC UNIVERSE
Bornibus explores fine grocery with curiosity. A world where great classics meet new inspirations, blending everyday recipes, pleasure and discovery.
OUR VALUES
Taste – Heritage – Curiosity – Generosity – Freedom Five values that have shaped the Maison since its origins and continue to guide its development today.
OUR POSITIONING
Our history is our starting point, not our destination. Bornibus brings its heritage to life while imagining new recipes, new ways to use its products and new ways to discover taste. Since 1855, the story continues to unfold.
Tradition and modernity
Our history is our starting point, not a destination. Bornibus keeps its heritage alive whilst imagining new recipes, new uses and new ways of discovering taste.
Since 1855, the story continues to be written.
Our story
Alexandre Bornibus was born in 1821 in Verpillières-sur-Ource in the Aube department. He was first a schoolteacher, then manager of a dairy. In 1855, as he approached his fortieth year, he took over a mustard factory located in the Les Halles district of Paris.
Alexandre Bornibus was born in 1821 in Verpillières-sur-Ource, in the Aube region of France. He first worked as a schoolteacher before becoming the manager of a dairy.
In 1855, approaching the age of forty, he took over a mustard factory in the Halles district of Paris.
Originally named Touaillon et Fils, he soon renamed it after himself, giving rise to the Bornibus brand we know today.
Within just a few years, Alexandre Bornibus became one of France’s leading mustard makers, notably thanks to his commitment to innovation. In 1864, he filed a patent for a “method for sifting mustard and various other substances.” This industrial innovation helped establish him as a major name in the mustard industry, and numerous newspapers soon published articles about his work.
THE RISE...
In 1869, Le Petit Journal wrote: “Through his own methods, this manufacturer succeeded in making mustard popular; he brought this condiment into every household.” In his dictionary, Pierre Larousse also mentions one of Bornibus’ inventions: “For long sea voyages and excursions to distant climates, this manufacturer invented mustard in dry tablets. To use it, one simply scrapes the desired amount onto a plate with a knife, moistens it with a few drops of water, and the desired condiment is obtained immediately.”
- A few years later, the Dictionnaire encyclopédique et biographique de l’industrie et des arts industriels wrote that Alexandre Bornibus “became the leading and most important mustard manufacturer. From then on, the name Bornibus became famous throughout Europe and soon became known worldwide.”
- Beyond his industrial achievements, Alexandre Bornibus was also recognised for his innovative approach to employee welfare. Once a year, he gave his employees a day off, allowing them all to travel together in the company’s vehicles for a meal in the countryside. One employee recalled: “We go out to the countryside to celebrate the medals he has received that year for his products and manufacturing equipment.”
DID YOU KNOW?
In 1870, Alexandre Dumas praised Bornibus.
In his Grand Dictionnaire de Cuisine, Alexandre Dumas praises the mustard of Monsieur Alexandre Bornibus and predicts a bright future for it. After having long preferred the mustards of Maille and Bordin, the writer suggests that Bornibus mustard could one day “surpass them all.”
A fine recognition for the Bornibus House, then in the midst of its rise, and a historic testament to the reputation of its craftsmanship.
A NEW ERA
Even today, this beautiful façade is impossible to miss, adorned with a pediment bearing the name “Alexandre Bornibus” and several plaques celebrating Bornibus mustard and the company’s founder. Large lettering in faded plastic also shows that the business continued operating until the 1980s. In 1882, Alexandre Bornibus passed away, and the company was taken over by his three sons, who continued to develop the business. Two of the three brothers, Georges and then Lucien, also died shortly afterwards, leaving Paul at the helm of the Maison. He would be the last Bornibus to lead the company. In 1931, the reins were taken over by Charles Boubli, a former executive at Félix Potin. In the early 1970s, the company still employed around 70 people. In 1992, Charles Boubli’s two daughters transferred control of the company to new shareholders, who subsequently left the Boulevard de la Villette premises. In 2012, Agrodor, the company operating the brand, filed for bankruptcy, leaving Bornibus without a future after more than a century and a half of history. That same year, Casimex Fine Foods acquired the brand with the ambition of restoring its former image. With its vintage-inspired packaging and refined recipes, Bornibus returned stronger than ever.
Discover the full history of Bornibus, from its creation in 1855, along with the biography of its founder, Alexandre Bornibus, in our Bornibook by clicking the button below.
