Beverage Dynamics is the largest national business magazine devoted exclusively to the needs of off-premise beverage alcohol retailers, from single liquor stores to big box chains, through coverage of the latest trends in wine, beer and spirits.
Issue link: http://read.dmtmag.com/i/346136
20 Beverage Dynamics • July/August 2014 www.beveragedynamics.com RUM MAGIC on-premise locations across the country to have Red Head available by July. Its suggested retail price is $24.99. Sammy Hagar isn't the only celebrity — and musician — with ties to the rum category. Multi-platinum singer-songwriter Kenny Che- sney created Blue Chair Bay Rum, a company that's been touted as one of the fastest growing companies among wine and spirits. The brand only launched last year, but it's already collecting accolades for its 40 percent ABV white rum. In addition to the brand's white, coconut and coconut spiced fl avors, banana joined the mix in June 2014, and like the coconut and coconut spiced iterations it contains 26.5% ABV. Blue Chair Bay Rum is available nationwide, and it is using the spring and summer of 2014 to hit 25 U.S. cities on its "Nowhere to Be But Here Tour." "This tour is part 'thank you' to our great fans who made Blue Chair Bay Rum the fastest growing new company launch in the history of wine and spirits, and part "welcome' to those ready to discover what made it so," said Mark Montgomery, ceo of Fishbowl Sprits, parent company of Blue Chair Bay Rum. Meanwhile, Malibu is using a summer tour as a sampling opportunity. After partnering with Maroon 5 on their con- cert tour last summer, the brand launched its "Best Summer Ever" campaign that coincides with a presenting sponsorship of OneRepublic's Native summer tour. Hayes explains that the sponsorship allows the brand to really engage with its consum- ers. "We're more connected to consumers than we ever have been," Hayes says. EYE ON INNOVATION Malibu is one brand that is always innovating. "We have our innova- tion plan for the next four years already fi gured out," Hayes explains. Last year saw the introduction eight different products to its portfo- lio, including two dessert-fl avored expressions, Malibu Sundae and Malibu Swirl. Malibu kicked off 2014 with its latest innovation, Mal- ibu Rum Sparkler, which combines Malibu rum and coconut water. Infused with bubbles and available in coconut and peach fl avors, Malibu Rum Sparkler is 22 proof and available in 750 ml bottles with a suggested retail price of $16.99. Its packaging is also a fi rst for the brand: a bottle that looks like a champagne bottle, corked and wrapped in colorful foil. Like last summer where the new products were supported by a digital and social media marketing plan and retail activation, Malibu Rum Sparkler's launch has been supported by digital and social ac- tivations as well as a through a series of off-premise sampling events with retailers. The rum category has its own Real McCoy: a rum that pays homage to Prohibition-era rum runner Bill McCoy. The Real McCoy brand follows Bill McCoy's dedication to delivering the fi nest rum, and it's produced with no artifi cial fl avors, colors or perfumes added. First launching with a fi ve-year aged expres- sion in January 2013, The Real McCoy released a three-year aged and 12-year aged in November 2013 to award-winning success. The product can be found on the East Coast in Con- necticut, Florida, Massachusetts, New Jersey, upstate New York and Rhode Island. The bottle recently underwent a new look to its cap. As the sipping rum ages more, the price goes up with the three-year retailing for $19.99, the fi ve-year at $28.99, and the 12-year at $44.99. William Grant & Sons recently obtained the U.S. distribution rights to Flor de Caña, a high-end Nicaraguan family of rums. The company already handles the high-growth Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum. Heaven Hill Distilleries' Admiral Nelson Spiced rum is now the fourth- best-selling rum nationally in the U.S. The company's Blackheart Spiced Rum is also doing well. "Increasingly, we're seeing a demand for premiumization within the category." — Kevin Oglesby, brand director, Bacardi Rums