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/565520
54 Beverage Dynamics • September/October 2015 www.beveragedynamics.com consumption driver as it is a barrel-aged, fl avored brown spirit utilized in a variety of cocktails," says Daniel Kleinman, vice president of rum for Diageo North America. The company's portfolio includes Captain Morgan, the leader in the spiced rum segment. "Although rum consumption has been relatively fl at over the past year, it continues to be the second-largest spirit cat- egory, so the overall outlook is quite positive for brands both large and small," notes Brendan Lynch, senior director of Rum & Cordials at Beam Suntory. The company's Cruzan brand includes tropical fl avored rums, as well as aged and straight rums. "Flavored rums continue to drive the category," he adds. "The standard rum offering may be static, but there is real energy in spiced rum," says Josh Hafer, communications man- ager at Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc. The company's brands in- clude Admiral Nelson, at about 830,000 cases, and Blackheart, at 75,000 cases and growing after just four years in the market. "We have made a big play in the spiced rum category the last couple of years, and have seen a tremendous amount of success there." Retailers report their best-selling rums are spiced or fl avored. "Our most popular rum is Captain Morgan Spiced Rum," affirms Alex Vaughn, liquor associate at Liquor Mart in Boulder, THE SPICE TRADE Flavored and spiced rums drive business by promising the beach in a bottle. S un, sand and surf - lazy summer days and easy-drink- ing rum cocktails continue to attract a thirsty, young LDA crowd. Spiced and fl avored rums are an easy entry into spirits, say proponents; they're affordable, eminently mixable, and the spirit's beachy vibe is approachable and non-pretentious. Rum claims a considerable portion of the trendy fl avored spirits market, shared with vodka and now whiskey. The major players are reinforcing that claim with new spiced and fl avored rum introductions supported by astute marketing and promotions. SIZING UP THE MARKET Right now it seems that spiced and fl avored variants are driving the overall rums category in terms of growth. The major players in this sub-segment are positive about rum's market opportunities. "One of the biggest trends in rum is growth in the fl avored category," says Brian Mequet, vice president of mar- keting at Pernod Ricard, whose port- folio includes Malibu (the best-selling coconut rum). "Spiced Rum will continue to be a S BY THOMAS HENRY STRENK "Spiced rum is an affordable luxury" — Josh Hafner, communications manager at Heaven Hill Distilleries, Inc