e l b m u r A G AKIN
M
Rum has been a rising star for the past 10 years, constantly on the horizon but never quite breaking through. All that looks finally set to change as both the global and domestic rum markets are exploding with category growth, expansion and new releases, writes spirits expert Tash McGill. eading into 2020, several global rum brands launched new packaging, new expressions and new on-premise initiatives based on predicted growth trajectories. The category saw a record 150 million cases sold in 2019. In 2020, Appleton Estate relaunched modernised packaging, a new eight-year-old expression and announced its first ever single cask programme. Bacardí moved swiftly to support on-premise in the UK and Europe with investment at a grassroots level to support the uptake of cocktails-to-go in the northern summer, and is moving ahead with plans to launch its biodegradable bottle by 2023. These examples are in addition to the fast-growing expansion of spiced, flavoured and botanical rums – of which there were just over 10.7 million bottles sold in 2020, according to the Wine and Spirits Trade Association. That puts the spiced and
h
18 THE SHOUT NZ – MAY 2021
flavoured rum category on par with white rum, which sold 10.8 million bottles. However, in a pandemic-ruled 2020, the numbers jumped all over the map. According to Euromonitor International and companyreleased data, off-premise sales are still yet to surge to the growth predicted for 2020, despite so many consumers drinking at home for much of the year. That is predicted to turnaround this year, with category growth predicted to boom from $15 billion in 2020 to $21 billion by 2027. Much of this growth is expected to come from ‘non-traditional’ rum markets such as China, Japan and Germany. Unlike other expansive categories like single malt Scotch whisky, the growth in rum will be multi-faceted and utilise on-premise growth through mixologists, bottled cocktails and the RTD market, supported by category expansion into spiced, flavoured and botanical rums.
Tash McGill is a spirits and hospitality writer who regularly hosts tastings and education classes for those wanting to know more about spirits and their uses - from cocktails to culinary food matches. She has been in the spirits and cocktail industry for more than 10 years, writing, tasting and judging competitions.
The category is expanding into spiced, flavoured and botanical rums
