Today we are starting a new year, one that looks to have a lot of promise for the rum industry. During the past few years there has been a growth of the premium and ultra-premium expressions in the category. 2016 looks like a year that the labors of the category will start to show some rewards. Many of the larger brands have added new expressions and the possibility of brands from Cuba finally arriving in the United States will all have an effect for the rum sales here in the United States.
“The next big thing I think people have
been waiting on is sophistication and premiumization of rum,” said Frank
Quinones, managing director, Botran Aged Rum. “The premium segment is
accelerating more than the standard and white rums. I believe today, compared to five years
ago, we have made quantum leaps within rum. There are a lot more premium rums
now on offer and our time will come because rum is extremely flexible and
versatile.”
Quinones statement is pretty much right on the money in my eyes. The time spent in the past few year developing these fine quality rums will start to come to fruition. I see the introduction of many premium white rums as well as the traditional dark expressions and an indicator of what is to come. “The attractiveness of the rum category comes exactly from its very big diversity,” said Stéphanie Labasque, global marketing & commercial director, Groupe BBS, Trois Rivières Rhum. “These new brands will allow the rum category to answer the needs of new rum consumers.”
The Craft Rum sector of the category is another area the I see huge growth here in America during 2016. There are s many great small batch distilleries here in America that have grown up to the point where they are a significant part of the picture in 2016.
The United States is one of the largest consumers of rum in the world. As such, all of these new brands and expressions are going to be huge for those of us that already enjoy our rums, but will also help to attract new people to the category. The United States is the largest consumer by volume and the second largest based on value. In the past, we have not had the access to many of the premium rums that the rest of the world enjoys, and hopefully this year more of the premium expressions will be on our shelves for our enjoyment.
