Гренадский ром претендует на статус мирового лидера: эксперты видят потенциал для роста на премиальных рынках

Could Grenadian rum become a global powerhouse? Distillers in Grenada have built a strong fanbase at home and have every reason to be able to replicate this success overseas. Grenada is one of those islands that has it all; white sand beaches, mountains, rainforests, crystal clear seas and waterfalls. Its diverse offerings make it an appealing destination for holiday makers. Intrigue has been steadily growing in rums from Grenada – but what will it take to build this Caribbean island’s distilling community into an international success story? “Grenada is a small Caribbean island, whose consumption can be described as a mix of local and tourist demand,” notes Ryan Lee, senior market analyst at IWSR, which specialises in global beverage alcohol data and insights. “Rum is the most consumed spirit in the market and has deep historical ties to sugarcane plantations with local production dating back hundreds of years. “Before 2020, spirits drinkers had been moving out of the rum category in search of other international spirits (white rum consumers to vodka or white Tequila, and aged rum consumers to whisky and brandy). This was driven partly by tourists bringing their home country’s drinking trends into the local on-trade scene, which then influences local consumption as well. That shift has slowed since the pandemic due to inflation and cost of living pressures making rum attractive again from a value perspective.” Maria Daniel, managing partner at EY-Parthenon Caribbean, says white/overproof rum is the strongest local category. “Clarke’s Court white rum is very popular in the domestic market and has been historically considered the company’s (Grenada Distillers Limited) flagship product,” she adds. Flavoured rums have also been well-received, Daniel notes, and also cites Rivers Royale as a popular white, overproof choice. The brand uses a hybrid of cane juice and molasses, and has a “strong cultural following in Grenada. Daniel sees five segments that the rum market in Grenada could be divided into: everyday, local consumption; social and tourism consumption; heritage and authenticity; premium and connoisseur; and emerging opportunities. Each sector plays into specific rum styles. For example, the aforementioned white and overproof rums are often seen as everyday, local spirits. Meanwhile, tourists often lean towards rum Punch and flavoured rums. At present, EY-Parthenon Caribbean is leading the sale of Grenadian rum distillery Renegade, and believes its rums are best-suited to cater to drinkers seeking heritage, authenticity and premium products, and also help to boost emerging opportunities. Grenada is becoming more premium, Daniel believes, but notes it is an “emerging premium market”. She continues: “I believe that there are two different rum markets developing in Grenada. One is the traditional market that is influenced by price/affordability, cultural identity/expression, familiarity and rum strength. The second is the global premium rum and connoisseur market, where provenance, terroir, fermentation, distillation method, maturation, cask type, blending techniques and traceability are increasingly important. “Renegade Rum is a prime example of this emerging category, having positioned Grenadian rum around the concept of single-farm, cuvée and terroir-driven production. Its use of locally grown sugarcane, specific cane varieties, distinctive fermentation and distillation techniques, and maturation in carefully selected casks allows the rum to communicate a sense of place and production authenticity. Rather than competing solely on volume or price, Renegade demonstrates how Grenada can create premium spirits with a compelling origin story, technical transparency and a level of provenance that appeals to knowledgeable international rum consumers.” Representation and education However, she stresses that the premiumisation of Grenada will not happen simply by putting out more expensive versions of local products into the market. It’s more complex than that. “It will come from creating a product with a reason to command a premium. Renegade had the perfect combination: terroir, sugarcane, tropical maturation, high-quality casks, provenance and a strong traditional rum culture on the island,” Daniel adds. On an international level, the general consensus is that there is plenty of room for Grenadian spirits – particularly rum – to grow. Greater representation, education and tasting opportunities are needed in established markets like the UK to bolster Grenadian producers overseas. “Spirits from Grenada are a very small category for us at The Whisky Exchange,” notes Dawn Davies MW, commercial buying director at The Whisky Exchange. “Our main seller from Grenada is Rivers Antoine. This is down to the fact that people who have been to Grenada and tried the higher-ABV version want to get it over here. “Like many of the smaller Caribbean islands, it is the unaged rums that are interesting, but they do not really have much cut through in comparison to the more established products. The aged rums don’t have much representation in the UK, so most people would not have much access to tasting them and understanding them. “There is not much representation in the UK for rums from Grenada so they get lost amongst the other islands that have stronger representation.” For Daniel, the future success of rum and other spirits from Grenada will not come from the growth of a single producer, but from establishing a clear identity for Grenadian beverages. “All major producers on the island should come together to strengthen the Grenada Rum and Spirits Producers Association so that collectively, an identity could be given to Grenada rum – since each individual producer will have their own interpretation,” Daniel advises. “I would actually use Renegade as evidence that the concept works. Renegade demonstrated that an internationally sophisticated rum consumer will pay attention to Grenadian terroir, individual farms, cane varieties and traceability. I believe Grenada absolutely has the ingredients to become recognised internationally as a premium rum origin. Grenada should own the idea of the ‘Spice Island’s’ terroir-driven rum – combining volcanic soils, distinctive sugarcane, tropical maturation and Grenada’s extraordinary spice and culinary heritage. “And in that context, Renegade was arguably ahead of its time. Its farm-by-farm, cane-to-cask philosophy was pointing toward exactly the type of provenance-based premiumisation that could form the foundation of a future ‘Grenadian Premium Rum’ category. The strategic opportunity shouldn’t be to sell more rum in Grenada (population size too small) but rather build a distinctly Grenadian premium rum portfolio that uses the domestic market as its foundation and tourism as its showroom, while ultimately targeting the US, UK and European premium markets.” Storytelling is important For The Whisky Exchange’s Davies, she believes brands could benefit from tapping into stories more to build lasting connections with consumers. “More cohesive storytelling” is needed, she says, adding: “What makes the rum special, what is the history and why should people want to drink them, what is their USP? Tourism is often a good way to spread the word, but it is about the sale when they get back home as well as the bottle they bring back.” The US, the UK, Europe (particularly France) and regional Caribbean markets have been cited as key export opportunities for Grenadian rums. Meanwhile, locally, over the next few years, IWSR’s Lee notes: “Consumption will be dependent on global economic improvements bringing tourists into the market. Besides the direct sales to tourists, this also creates local jobs and boosts consumer spending, and for tourist jobs to support the workforce and boost consumer spending.” While it remains a small category globally, it is evident that the opportunities to grow Grenadian rum into a global contender are unlimited. Excitement and intrigue from both customers and trade professionals is evidently there. Now, it’s time for producers to rise to the challenge and put Grenada firmly on the global spirits map. Related news Inside Renegade Distillery's rum-making potential Community first: why Renegade is more than an acquisition opportunity