Bacardi Limited, the world’s largest privately held international spirits company, recently announced the appointment of Alicia Enciso to the Company’s Board of Directors.
Alicia brings more than 30 years of experience with multinational Fortune 100 Companies in the Food and Beverages sectors with roles as General Manager, President, Chief Marketing Officer, and E-Business Officer. Since 2017, she has served as Chief Marketing Officer of Nestlé USA and previously served as President of the Beverages Division. She recently announced her retirement from Nestlé. Prior roles include Principal Consultant and Managing Director of Zyman Group, a subsidiary of MDC Partners and various marketing leadership roles at Procter & Gamble and Estée Lauder.
“Alicia is a well-rounded business leader and global marketer who has presided over some of the world’s best-known brands. Her enthusiasm for modern marketing and building sustainable brands are a great complement to our long-term business ambitions and to continuing the family legacy for generations to come,” saids Facundo L. Bacardi, Chairman of Bacardi Limited and fifth-generation family member.
Originally from Mexico, Alicia has been recognised as one of “Most Influential 100 Latinas” by Latino Leaders Magazine and named “Latino Marketer of the Year” by the Hispanic Marketing Council. Alicia also serves on the Executive Board for the Association of National Advertisers and the Board of the Alliance for Multicultural & Inclusive Marketing. She previously sat on the Advisory Board of Google 21st Century Marketing. The Bacardi Limited Board of Directors is comprised of 13 members.
Bacardi is promoting Stephanie Macleod, Master Blender for its portfolio of Scotch whiskies, to a newly created role as Director of Blending, Scotch Whisky – a promotion that recognises her talent and 25 years’ experience in crafting Scotch whisky.
A multi-award winning and highly respected figure in the whisky industry, in her new role Stephanie will continue to lead the famed blending legacy of Dewar’s Blended Scotch whisky, William Lawson’s Scotch whisky, and the five Single Malts – Aberfeldy, Aultmore, Craigellachie, The Deveron and Royal Brackla – as Malt Master.
Her expanded remit will also see her develop the people and processes needed to continue to the premiumisation of the range and help deliver on the family-owned spirits company’s ambition to be industry leaders in innovation and quality.
“It’s an exciting time for Scotch whisky right now as demand grows around the world for top quality, beautifully crafted blends and malts. In my new role, I’ll be ensuring we are able to meet this increasing demand – both now and for many decades to come – while continuing to deliver new, exciting and curated Scotch whiskies, spanning our Blended and Single Malt portfolios,” says Stephanie Macleod, Director of Blending, Scotch Whisky, Bacardi.
At the 2022 International Whisky Competition, Stephanie was crowned ‘Master Blender of the Year’ for an unprecedented fourth year in a row, a feat which recognises her world-leading expertise in the art of blending. She is only the seventh Master Blender in Dewar’s 176-year history.
Stephanie became the first female Master Blender for Dewar’s in 2006, following her official three-year training with the then Master Blender. She joined Bacardi, based in Glasgow in 1998, and began her career in whisky as a Sensory Analyst at the University of Strathclyde, Scotland, working on a project which attempted to unlock the maturation secrets of Scotch whisky.
“The consistent quality and flavour of every drop of our Scotch whiskies is thanks to Stephanie and her team. As Director of Blending, she will bring her mastery of the entire whisky-making process – from barley to bottle – to play a pivotal role in delivering our bold growth ambitions for Scotch whisky,” says Dave Ingram, Chief Supply Chain Officer, Bacardi.
Stephanie is passionate about nurturing the next generation of talent within Bacardi and the whisky industry. She leads a team of Blenders and Assistant Blenders who learn from her wealth of knowledge and expertise every day.
As well as heading-up this talented team, Stephanie will continue to share her story and her love of whisky to inspire others around the world to nose, taste and enjoy a sensory experience which is unlike any other.
The world’s most awarded rum welcomes back Roberto Ramirez Laverde as Global SVP, Bacardĺ rum, effective immediately. Roberto takes on an open role following the promotion of Ned Duggan to Global Chief Marketing Officer of Bacardi and President of Bacardi Global Brands Limited. Roberto reports to Ned and joins the Marketing Leadership Team. He will be based in Bermuda.
During his previous tenure at Bacardi from 2013-2019, Roberto contributed to building the premiumisation strategy for the company’s aged Bacardĺ rums and Facundo rum collection. He contributed to launching the iconic rum brand’s portfolio of premium, aged rums and building the architecture that continues to define the premium rum category. Earlier in his Bacardi career he led the Rums Category for Latin America and Caribbean Region, originally joining Bacardi in 2013 as Marketing Director for Mexico. There he supported brands across the portfolio including Bacardĺ rum, Grey Goose Vodka, Bombay Sapphire, Dewar’s Scotch Whiskey and Patrón Tequila.
“In addition to being a brilliant marketer, Roberto understands the value of consumer mindsets, and equally important, he gets Bacardi. He knows our people, our culture and brings a strong track record of collaborating that is key to continue unlocking even greater growth for the brand across the globe,” says Ned Duggan.
Roberto rejoins the brand from Mastercard in Latin America and the Caribbean where he served as Senior Vice President Marketing and Communications for the last four years.
“I am thrilled to be back at Bacardi and to work with the incredibly talented team who has been building and leading the brand. Together, I know we will build Bacardi’s next great story,” says Roberto Ramirez Laverde.
Originally from Mexico, Roberto is fluent in Spanish, a father of four girls and a multi-awarded marketer, including “1 of the 10 most Effective Marketers in Latin America” and most recently, “Best Regional Marketer in Latin America” by Adlatina, an AdAge partner.
The Art of Botanicals experience aims to open dialogue and provoke thought around finding creative and inspiring ways to move towards a more sustainable way of living. For this, they have collaborated with Herbivore Farms – an urban farm for flavourful, nutritious & pesticide-free produce. In their endeavour to #StirCreativity through sustainability, Bombay Sapphire Creative Lab presents “The Art of Botanicals” in association with Herbivore Farms. Zeenah Vilcassim, Marketing Director, Bacardi India, elaborates on her role in growing the Bacardi Indian Business and the focus on premium spirits.
Zeenah Vilcassim, Marketing Director, Bacardi India Pvt. Ltd.
What has been your experience after taking over in your new position?
I am an economist and data analyst by training. Immediately after my training, I moved into a management consultancy role at Ernst & Young in investment banking. Things kept getting interesting as I gained experience across different industries, moving to more creative spaces such as media, content, digital marketing, partnerships, and consumer insights – before becoming the Dewar’s Global Brand Director at Bacardi. This varied set of experiences coupled with my whisky knowledge – and we all know India is a whisky market – has really helped me navigate the complex environment that is India. Whilst it’s not without challenges, I believe India is one of the most exciting consumer markets in the world. Economic indicators are on the rise, and India is one of the fastest growing spirits markets with a diverse set of consumers that are becoming more and more educated about premium spirits. The next ten years of Bacardi and the whole industry will be hugely shaped and influenced by India and I’m thrilled to be a part of that journey.
Which of the brands in the Bacardi portfolio excite you and will these be the focus of your marketing initiatives?
We are firmly focussed on premium spirits, and you will know that both brown and white spirits play a big part on our Best 10 strategy – a strategy we put in place in 2018 for the growth of the Indian business 5x by 2030. We will drive our core brands like Bacardi, but will also continue to push the new premium aged range Bacardi Reserva. We will continue our market leadership with Grey Goose and launch new innovations for Bombay Sapphire. We will drive a strong whisky portfolio with our newly launched Premium Indian Whisky: Legacy, in addition to William Lawsons, Dewar’s Premium, and our beloved single Malts Aberfeldy and Royal Brackla. But we will also work towards being at the forefront of growing categories like premium tequila with Patron and new innovations coming into the market that are relevant to the Indian consumer. The future is looking very bright for all our brands, and we will always keep our consumer at the heart and innovate and grow based on their preferences and needs.
How well placed is Bombay Sapphire in the Global and Indian gin market?
Bombay Sapphire is no.1 in the premium and above gin category in India and globally, we are the market leaders in international spirits with Bombay Sapphire. In addition to our iconic blue bottle and our unique cold vapour infusion process, our mission is to be the world’s most sustainable gin. Now while it might seem like everyone is talking about sustainability at the moment, this is a mission we have been working on for over the last eight years. We launched our distillery in 2014 that runs on 100% renewable energy and has been awarded the carbon trust standard. All of our bottles are made from 100% recycled materials including the metal cap as well as the product labels which are made from paper approved by the Forestry Stewardship Council and we’ve worked on making every one of our botanicals 100% sustainably sourced throughout its supply chain. We are the only gin in the world that can claim that all its botanicals are 100% sustainably sourced. It’s our responsibility to take as much care about the farmers and their communities as we do about the botanicals they grow and harvest for Bombay Sapphire. Therefore, we have invested in sustainable farming practices across every single element of the supply chain for all our botanicals.
We will only work with suppliers who act responsibly and ensure a sustainable future for farmers, their communities, and the environment. Last year was when the last out of our 10 key botanicals was given the ‘For Life’ certification of sustainability. We have accomplished something in the space we only thought was a pipe dream 10 years ago.
We believe we are incredibly well placed to not just retain our market leadership position, but also to grow it further and India is a big part of that strategy. We know the craft gin revolution in India is well and truly here so in addition to our strong credible message around sustainability we will also continue to innovate with products that are relevant to the Indian consumer – the first of which is the Bombay Sapphire Sunset that we launched recently in Goa. Inspired by the warm glow of the setting sun in addition to our 10 key botanicals, Bombay Sunset consists of three new Botanicals – Indian White Cardamom, Indian Golden Turmeric, and Spanish Mandarin peel. It is a unique take on a premium gin and highly limited edition – once it’s done it’s done. But rest assure there will more innovations from Bombay Sapphire coming your way soon to the Indian market.
What was the Art of Botanicals event message for consumers besides being a fun event?
Bombay Sapphire’s brand positioning is all about fostering creative self-expression and this is critical to our core. We believe that we’re all actually born creative beings, but life beats it out of us and stop us from believing we are truly creative. As a brand Bombay Sapphire aims to inspire creativity in every aspect of life to every and any person around the world. This is emphasised and brought to life through our “Stir Creativity” platform, reminding the audience that creativity can be found anywhere and is an inherent part of every human being. This ties back into the versatility of Bombay Sapphire’s premium gin and how one can get creative with it anytime, anywhere.
The ‘Art of Botanicals’ experiential platform by Bombay Sapphire aims to showcase the many ways in which one can express themselves creatively while living consciously. Given Bombay Sapphire’s ten sustainably sourced botanicals, we simultaneously showcased this through innovative cocktails inspired by collaborators in the sustainability space across Mumbai and Bangalore. The “Art of Botanicals” platform is an immersive event that ties various experiences back into the key message of “creativity” and “sustainability” with collaborating brands such as Herbivore Farms (Mumbai) and Anand Malligavad (Bangalore).
What according to you is a sustainable marketing strategy?
Sustainability in business is the ability of an organisation to thrive over time in a way that protects and replenishes resources. We have always believed in communicating with our audience with empathy and listening closely to what our consumers have to say. Therefore, to be transparent with them across aspects such as the brand’s efforts towards sustainability, its ecosystem, and the way it functions, is imperative.
We have also committed to reviewing our global supply chain, with the aim of removing non-essential, non-recyclable single-use plastic and are currently reducing the use of PET bottles for select smaller SKU’s in India and moving to glass instead. As part of our overall efforts during F19, we also reduced our glass bottle weight and increased use of “Returnable Glass Bottles” which resulted in 1500 Metric tonnes of lesser Carbon emission and are working towards a plan to reduce it further by 20% resulting in a reduction in carbon emissions by 1800 Metric Tonnes.
What is the overall strategy for the promotion of your brands in the marketplace?
Our strategy has always been to invest in creating sustainable platforms and experiences across brands; creating greater impact and increased emphasis on cultural relevance year on year. Our brand campaigns have been at the forefront of popular culture, resonating with consumers across demographics. Being a brand that has been synonymous with identifying and popularising new cultural trends for over 157 years, we’ve been the first-movers in the creation of campaigns and experiences, inspired by alternative cultural trends, resulting in platforms like Bacardi NH7 Weekender, BREEZER Vivid Shuffle, Dewar’s You’ve Got Chef’d, and our latest Art of Botanicals platform.
Bacardi has generated immense love through platforms such as Bacardi NH7 Weekender, one of the most iconic, immersive music experiences that was one of the first platforms for alternative music and has seen over half a million consumers walk through the festival.
BREEZER Vivid Shuffle is India’s biggest Hip-Hop festival, which celebrates grassroots Indian hip-hop culture – built on Breezer’s commitment to champion and support youth sub-culture.
With a varied target group, each of our brands connect with consumers in their own unique way – Bacardi leverages its legacy in music, Bombay Sapphire speaks of a consumer’s creative expression, Breezer encourages the genre of hip-hop and dance subcultures, while Grey Goose elevates lifestyle.
We have worked with some of the most engaging and popular content creators and platforms to stay ahead of the curve. Overall, our innovative way of reaching out to audiences has resulted in content that has received over 100% increase in organic engagement as opposed to solely leveraging traditional models. All of this was followed by Bacardi India winning the award for the ‘Best Brand Extension Campaign of the Year’ at the Kalelido awards hosted by Brand Equity in March 2019 for the brand’s work on the ’Bacardi House Party Sessions’ campaign. Bacardi House Party Sessions had garnered an overall unique reach of 5M and drove 1.3M conversations on social media.
Are you looking at inorganic growth to become the market leader (Inorganic growth is through mergers and acquisitions/buying and selling companies)?
Because we also aim to keep our consumers at the heart by understanding their needs and preferences, we wouldn’t rule out any possibility. If the right opportunity presents itself, we will always look to deliver to our consumers, what makes sense to them and our firm commitment to being the number one premium spirits company.
Any new BII whisky launch in the pipeline?
With India being the largest whisky drinking nation that reflected an annual consumption reaching 220 million cases in 2019, the opportunity to expand in the Indian market has been tremendous. While we continue to premiumise our portfolio across categories like Dewar’s Premium and Double Double ranges as well as our single malts (Aberfeldy and Royal Brackla), we also recently announced our first-ever Premium India Whisky, Legacy.
India is one of the fastest growing markets for Bacardí globally, and the organisation is rapidly investing behind its strategic and ambitious vision for the market. The Indian whisky category is primed for the next stage of its evolution, and we saw this as the perfect opportunity to drive that shift forward. We have found our own way to take the category codes we know work and put a modern contemporary spin on them. Legacy Premium Indian whisky is proudly Indian and truly embodies the culture and passion of India. Legacy has now been introduced across shelves in Maharashtra, Telangana, and Uttar Pradesh with plans to expand into further markets in the coming months and years.
Legacy has been crafted with a one-of-a-kind blend that combines Indian and Scottish malts with Indian grains. A rich blend layered with subtle peaty notes, fruity notes, and undertones of toasted oaks with a whiff of spice and a delicate vanillic smoky finish, Bacardí has created an impeccably smooth yet perfectly balanced whisky for the Indian consumer.
This momentous launch in our companies’ history also demonstrates the true commitment Bacardi Global has been putting in, especially for India.
To kick off National Rum Day, Bacardí Rum recently announced it is expanding its premium portfolio range with the launch of a limited-edition Bacardí Reserva Ocho Sherry Cask Finish. This new rare rum offering marks the start of a five-year collection, which will see Bacardí unveil a new cask finish offering annually through 2025, with the cask finish changing each year based on the type of barrel used for the additional aging.
Each of the premium rums from the Bacardí Reserva Cask Finish series will begin with a base of Bacardí Reserva Ocho, aged under the Caribbean sun, and then finished for several additional months in a unique barrel that will change year to year. The finishing process differs from the aging process by increasing the complexity of the spirit – in this case, adding subtle notes of chocolate and almond, which are not typically found in Bacardí Reserva Ocho.
This year’s inaugural release has been aged in American oak barrels for eight to 12 years and finished in an Oloroso sherry cask for just over two months. These additional few months in the sherry cask allow the blend to take on a sweet, smooth velvety texture with notes of caramel, vanilla, and orange, along with hints of walnuts and almonds. The result is a deep mahogany flavour that gives off the aroma of dried fruits, raisins, walnuts, and almonds. This luxurious libation is best enjoyed neat in a room temperature tasting glass to bring out the full flavours of the finish.
A family-owned brand, Bacardí has been creating premium rums for dozens of years in collaboration with its deeply knowledgeable Maestros de Ron (Master Blenders), all carefully chosen and trained in seven generations of rum-making expertise who then shape and carefully craft all of the products. The rum blends from the new Reserva Cask Finish series are similarly crafted by Bacardí Master Blenders who selected the esteemed Bacardí Reserva Ocho as the base because it is based off of the original recipe from the family reserve created in 1862 and is a symbol of the brand’s heritage. The Oloroso sherry cask was chosen as the first finish in the series due to its origins from Spain, much like Bacardí founder, Facundo Bacardí Massó,
“We could not be more thrilled for the launch of Bacardí Reserva Ocho Sherry Cask Finish to add to our Premium portfolio for a limited time. This is our first innovation for the premium range since the portfolio first launched in 2018, and we are excited to introduce four more innovations over the course of the next four years,” said Lisa Pfenning, Vice President, Bacardí for North America. “We have seen an increased popularity in premium rums throughout the years, namely sipping rums, and we hope our rum enthusiasts will appreciate the care and craftsmanship that has gone into blending the Reserva Cask Finish series – which will add new layers of beautiful and bold flavours to our smooth aged rums. Not only will the taste appeal to rum drinkers, but we believe that whiskey drinkers will find themselves reaching for a bottle of Bacardí Reserva Ocho Sherry Cask Finish as well.”
According to the Distilled Spirits Council of the U.S., the rum category revenue increased by 5.9% in 2020, with most of the growth attributed to High-End Premium (8.7%), Premium (7.5%) and Super-Premium (3.7%) categories. Premium rums are an increasingly growing segment and there is no better time to announce the launch of the new programme than this very moment. According to Nielsen, Rum Cask Finishes revenue is growing by over 190%. As Cask Finishes are most commonly found within the whiskey segment, Bacardí is seeking to entice whiskey drinkers to explore outside of the category through the launch of its new five-year Reserva Cask Finish Series. Be sure to keep an eye out to see when the next four finishes will be announced through 2025.
To accompany the launch of this new product, Bacardí is teaming up with famed celebrity photographer, Cam Kirk, to create an original NFT (non-fungible token) inspired by the Bacardí Reserva Ocho Sherry Cask Finish. The partnership between Bacardí and Kirk is the embodiment of the rum brand’s ethos, Do What Moves You, which is a guiding principle rooted in self-expression and connectivity, celebrating creativity and individuality – something that Kirk puts forward in each of his many endeavours. The synergies between Kirk and Bacardí, formed by their shared passion for music and desire to move people both physically and emotionally, laid the groundwork for a natural partnership.
“Every time I take on a new project, I approach it with the highest level of precision and passion. I saw that exact precision and passion from the Master Blenders when they introduced me to the new Sherry Cask Finish and it was my honour to capture it for a fellow rum fan,” said Kirk. “This is my first-ever NFT, so I knew it had to be a truly special collaboration.”
Bacardí Rum has partnered with ‘Poptails by LAPP’ to launch a limited run of delicious Fruity Frozen Cocktail Kits for rum lovers to enjoy just in time for the revival of summer in the UK. Frozen cocktails are having a real moment and are currently the seventh most ordered serve for summer 2021, showing their universal popularity as Brits look to cool down from the summer heat.
Bacardí Fruity Frozen Cocktail Kits will be available to pre-order from 18th August for £35, exclusively on the Poptails By LAPP website. Perfect for cocktail lovers who yearn to evolve their mixology skills while creating easy-to-make, crowd-pleasing cocktails within minutes when entertaining.
Cocktail enthusiasts will be able to choose between two kit flavours – a tropical coconut and pineapple kit made with bold and fresh Bacardí Coconut to make a Rumstar Colada frozen cocktail (a twist on the classic Pornstar Martini), or a zesty berry kit which includes all the ingredients to make a delicious frozen Red Berry Daiquiri with tangy and sweet Bacardí Raspberry to enjoy and sip in the sun.
The Bacardí Fruity Frozen Cocktail Kits will keep summer going and transport you to a tropical paradise with a vibrant drinks experience – all from the comfort of your own garden and without needing any extraordinary bartender expertise, just a blender! The kits both feature the new limited edition Bacardí Raspberry and Bacardí Coconut bottles in addition to LAPP’s non-alcoholic flavoured Poptails that arrive frozen. Just blend for 10 seconds with the fruity expression from Bacardí and other recipe ingredients for the ultimate tipple.
Inspired by the Caribbean heritage and vibrant personality of Bacardí, the new limited edition bottles will make you feel like your back yard is a beach, bringing a summer holiday vibe to any bar cart or back bar. The design also reflects the natural flavours of the ingredients in Bacardí Coconut and Bacardí Raspberry, showcasing fresh flavour inside and out.
“With many Brits staycationing in the UK this summer, August will finally bring us some much-deserved heat and how better to celebrate than with a frozen cocktail!” says Marie Peyto, Brand Director for Bacardí Rum UK. “After partnering with key bars across the UK to bring delicious frozen cocktails to the public, we wanted to create a way for people to also enjoy at home with Bacardí Rum just in time for summer’s hot finale. Now anyone can create bar-quality frozen drinks in their own kitchen with our new Fruity Frozen Cocktail Kits in partnership with LAPP – complete with new eye-catching Bacardí Coconut and Raspberry bottles that are perfect for summer entertaining”.
Continuing the tropical, vibrant, and fun experiences this summer, Bacardí also announces the arrival of its new drink-dispensing billboard which will serve fruity frozen cocktails to the sun-lovers of London, creating a slice of paradise on the Thames. The public will be able to sample both Bacardí Coconut and Bacardí Raspberry in complimentary frozen cocktails on 21st and 22nd August from 12:00pm to 19:00pm at Observation Point, Southbank, and can vote for their favourite for the chance to win one of 10 Fruity Frozen Cocktail Kits to enjoy at home, in the flavour of their choice.
Its been a challenging year to say the least for the Alcobev Industry. But with the industry now seemingly heading in the right direction Anmol Gill, Head of Customer Marketing, Bacardi India spoke to Vincent Fernandes and Lopamudra Ganguly on the challenges of 2020, the prospects for 2021 and Bacardi’s Green initiative.
Anmol Gill
How have Bacardi brands performed in the second half of 2020?
With the festive season ushering in post the lockdown, Bacardi brands have been doing well. There’s renewed optimism as the overall industry is recovering and this has helped increase Bacardi brands’ share in the market. The growth for Bacardi brands has been different across different regions on basis of the occasions that they’re consumed and whether they’re in the High Proof or Low Proof categories.
And in this duration, consumers have become more informed on their knowledge of spirits and cocktails owing to their homemade experiments with cocktails. As on-trade opens up, this will lead to an informed appreciation for bartenders’ skills and greater innovations at bars.
What was your Marketing Strategy during the pandemic?
During the pandemic we kept the consumer at the heart of everything we did, we continued to create moments that matter across brands with their respective cultural passion points of dance, music, comedy and more. We had to remain more agile than ever as consumer behaviour was shifting rapidly and has in many ways changed permanently in this duration. Digital became the consumers’ mainstay as they were looking for avenues to create pre-Covid moments and occasions. Now, it is a part and parcel of the consumer experience, so going forward on-ground and digital experiences will coexist across experiences and campaigns.
As a leader of experiences, our main goal lies in co-curating these new occasions and formats, along with our consumers – understanding how we can meet them at their doorsteps instead of the other way around. Virtual mixology masterclasses, are a great example of the manner in which our brands like Dewar’s and Bombay Sapphire enabled to enjoy their favourite cocktails on a special occasion, when they couldn’t step out to the bar.
Virtual concerts, such as the #HappyAtHome concerts hosted by Bacardí, recreating ‘weekend gigs’ that consumers could enjoy along with their friends, is another creative format where we have adapted to serve what the consumer is craving while staying true to our brand purpose.
How was the response to these marketing initiatives?
All of these campaigns successfully brought alive the brands’ ethos and engaged with the consumers in the formats that they were seeking while also transcending geographical boundaries, enabling access to consumers across the nooks and corners of the country.
How do you see Bacardi faring in 2021?
As the world economy will recover gradually from the pandemic, so will the alcobev industry. With online channels opening up and on-trade beginning to flourish again, I am positive about our brands’ and the overall industry’s growth. The digitization of cultural experiences is here to stay given the successes this year and we will most likely see these coexist with the on-ground activities going forward.
What special initiatives has Bacardi planned this year?
At Bacardi, we identify and leverage consumer insights and needs in order to create any marketing initiative. We explore campaigns and activities where we have an organic fit, a right to play and ones that embody our brand spirit. Thus, with authenticity at the core, we will continue to create moments that matter through platforms, occasions as well as experiences; co-curating them along with our consumers, in formats they prefer.
What are Bacardi’s post-pandemic revival plans?
For us, as part of our BEST10 strategy, Bacardi, globally has been set with the task of making the next ten years the best ones for Bacardi, to become a company known to bring people together for exceptional drinking experiences. As part of this strategy, putting the consumer first and supporting our on-trade channels, especially at this time will be key elements. Our touch points to see this vision through will be authenticity, community and safety.
Authenticity will remain our pillar to build lasting consumer trust. As a family oriented company, we will continue to support communities and partners who’ve been impacted by the crisis. And as safety is crucial, we will continue to build creative but honest ways of ensuring safety.
Do you see the brand sales recovering from the Covid-19 setbacks in 2020?
Yes, I’m optimistic about the future. While distribution in on-trade is still on its path to recovery, we are positive that the new normal will take brand sales in a positive direction. The overall industry is expected to recover fully by the end of the year or early next year.
How do you see the Indian alcobev market recovering from the pandemic?
The growth signs are ushering in recovery in the industry. The channel that now requires innovative solutions to fully make a comeback and grow in the industry is the on-trade business. In this duration, e-commerce opened up for the alcobev industry and it would be interesting to see how it develops in the near future.
How are the Green Projects fairing, especially around packaging? The biodegradable bottles which does not leave behind harmful micro plastics. When is it scheduled to come to India?
In our over 158-year history, Bacardi has always been committed to respecting natural resources and acting responsibly, as well as inspiring consumers and peers to join us in these initiatives. In 2016, we committed to eliminate all single-use plastic straws in our cocktails globally. Now, we’re excited to pioneer the world’s most sustainable spirits bottle which is 100% biodegradable and make a giant leap forward in the fight against climate change and plastic pollution. It will be on shelf globally by 2023 and will replace 80 Million plastic bottles – 3,000 tons of plastic – currently produced by Bacardi across its portfolio of brands every year. Starting with Bacardí rum, the new packaging will be rolled out across the entire Bacardi supply chain and the company’s 200 brands and labels including Bombay Sapphire gin, Grey Goose vodka, Patrón tequila, Martini vermouth and Dewar’s Scotch whisky. We’re looking forward to share this exciting new biopolymer technology with the entire spirits industry.
This revolutionary move is in collaboration with Danimer Scientific, a leading developer and manufacturer of biodegradable products. Petroleum-based plastics used by Bacardi today will be replaced by Danimer Scientific’s Nodax PHA, a biopolymer which derives from the natural oils of plant seeds such as palm, canola and soy. While a regular plastic bottle takes over 400 years to decompose, the new spirits bottle made from Nodax PHA will biodegrade in a wide range of environments, including compost, soil, freshwater and sea water, and after 18 months disappear without leaving behind harmful microplastics.
