The organisation representing Caribbean rum producers has launched a new initiative designed at increasing its members’ competitiveness against the major North American distillers.
Rum is vital to the social and economic infrastructure of the region’s economies, the West Indies Rum and Spirits Producers’ Association (Wirspa) said. 18 Caribbean forum (Cariforum) rum producers, mostly niche brands, will take on the large global producers as part of its Authentic Caribbean Rum (ACR) campaign in the US and Canada, Wirspa said.
“The ACR marque is a symbol of authenticity, provenance and quality for rums produced in 13 Cariforum countries that have agreed to adhere to its quality control and production standards,” the association added.
Wirspa chairman Dr Frank Ward said: “The ACR campaign is far more than a marketing exercise. Rum is vital for the long-term economic well-being of the Caribbean – over 100,000 people, many in rural local communities, depend on the rum industry for their livelihoods.
“Wirspa members include many smaller brands who would otherwise struggle to get their voice heard in the face of competition from huge global producers. The sales figures of some of these companies are higher than the entire GDP of several Cariforum countries combined.”
60% of rum produced in the region is exported, with Wirspa members generating foreign exchange revenues and taxes in excess of $250m per year. The ACR campaign has already trained almost 4,000 bartenders throughout Europe and aims for 1,000 more in its new North American phase during 2015 alone.
Frank Ward added: “We can’t overstate the importance of extending the campaign into North America. Rum producers in outlying US territories receive massive subsidies that exceed their cost of production and make our own brands uncompetitive. Selling into the US from the Caribbean remains incredibly difficult and so it’s crucial both socially and economically that Wirspa tackles some of these challenges with its awareness campaign.”
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