The idea for Vivil was born shortly after the turn of the century on a parade ground. When the substitute recruit August Müller, who was originally a businessman, was serving in the tenth company of the 126th regiment of the infantry named after the grand duke of Baden, he often longed for something refreshing during his hard duty in the dust and heat. He imagined a drop for refreshment packaged in such a way that it would fit into every pocket. The basic substance he thought of was peppermint, whose ethereal oils produce cooling refreshment.

In 1902 A. Müller & Co. in Straßburg introduced its first peppermint drop onto the market. August Müller decided to call it Vivil, a term that is easy to remember and, at the same time, reflects the special qualities of the product. Vivil comes from the Latin verb vivere, to live, and the English word oil, therefore Vivil means "life’s oil".

From the very beginning August Müller was thinking in global terms. He soon marketed this novel type of refreshment in pocket form throughout Europe and England with his new-found partner Theo Ehemann. By 1908 Vivil was starting its first attempts on the American continent. The brother of the Austrian conductor and composer Gustav Mahler organised the marketing in the US; his popularity contributed much to the success of the Vivil rolls. Soon all over the world the name Vivil was considered to be a synonym for fresh breath.

In 1920, when Strasbourg had become French, the company relocated to Offenburg at the edge of the Black Forest. August Müller’s son, Dr. Bruno Müller, was now in charge of making sure that everyone is being refreshed by Vivil through well-planned, extensive advertising. No train station, no major event, no sports event was without the name of the popular refreshment.

After the Second World War rebuilding the ruined factory began with major difficulties and defeats. Dr. Bruno Müller had been lost somewhere in Berlin, and in 1947 the big boss and founder of the company, August Müller, passed away. But by the beginning of the 1950s production was back in full swing, and the workers were given the opportunity to live in the Dr. Bruno Müller settlement, since housing was in such short supply at the time. During the time of the "Wirtschaftswunder" Vivil had become a household name. Wherever there was the need for quick refreshment there was a Vivil vending machine, and from the 1970s the friendly Vivil crocodile was advertising the product saying "be fresh to each other!".

Although the peppermint drops were still considered the speciality of the house, the family company still succeeded in extending their range of products significantly throughout the years due to the constant changes in consumer behaviour. The continually growing range of products was made complete by "antjes", the mild peppermint drop, the chewable peppermints "VIVA soft" and "VIVIL POP", as well as a number of other refreshing and fruity drops. Vivil’s activities in the area of creating sugarless drops were particularly important for this fast-growing market segment.

For over 90 years the outstanding print on the bright green rolls and sticks has been a symbol for refreshment for everyday life. From the beginning Vivil stuck to natural products in the production of Vivil and did without artificial colouring – a principle to which the company remains true up to today. Today the brand name Vivil is known to ninety percent of German citizens and favoured as the number one cooling refreshment.