Spirit of Success

Globally recognised company calls Hamilton, Bermuda "home"

When he was born in Spain nearly 200 years ago, his father expected him to follow family tradition and become a bricklayer. Instead, Don Facundo Bacardí Massó grew up to establish a company that reaches around the world from its home in Bermuda.

"Bacardi Limited is a forward-looking company with an excellent portfolio of premium products," says Andreas Gembler, president and CEO of the firm that sells more than 240 million bottles a year in more than 150 countries. "We will continue to drive growth organically through acquisition and new product development."

That's good news for Bermuda, says Gaston Tano, managing director. "At Bacardí, we believe that sharing our resources through corporate donations, sponsorships, and employee participation in local charitable activities are the ways in which we demonstrate our support to a variety of worthy programmes that directly serve our community here in Bermuda."

As part of its ongoing commitment to Bermuda, Bacardi regularly supports and contributes to local arts, sports, education, heritage and cultural endeavours, including the Bacardi Limited Overseas Accounting Scholarships, the Bermuda Festival, the Bermuda Ballet Association, the Bermuda Philharmonic Society, the Bermuda Underwater Exploration Institute, Maritime Museum, The King Edward VII Memorial Hospital and the St. George's Foundation.

Recently, Bacardi announced from its Hamilton headquarters that it planned to purchase 42 Below, a premium vodka maker in New Zealand. "Bacardi is thrilled to welcome 42 Below and its young and innovative brands into our global portfolio," Gembler said. "With substantial investment, time and nurturing, these brands show long-term potential in the global spirits industry, especially in the growing Asia-Pacific region."

Bacardi's phenomenal success might come as a surprise to the company's founder, who emigrated to Cuba in 1830 and set up a mercantile business. In 1852 Bacardi began making rum from sugarcane molasses. The drink in those days was rather crude and harsh. Bacardi experimented with several methods in an attempt to produce a smoother sort of rum.

Finally he hit upon the technique of filtering the spirit through charcoal, which removed impurities. Bacardi, who had experience selling wines, also decided to age his rum in oak barrels, which gave it a mellow flavour.

What he ended up with was the world's first clear, or "white," rum. Ten years later he acquired a distillery, which grew to become the world's largest family owned, privately held distiller of spirits, including Bacardi Superior and Bacardi 151 rums. Other brands owned by Bacardi include Grey Goose vodka, Dewar's Blended Scotch whisky, Bombay Sapphire gin, Eristoff vodka, Martini & Rossi vermouth and Cazadores tequila.

From its headquarters on Pitts Bay Road, Bacardi pulled in more than $3 billion in 2004. As such, it is the fourth-largest spirits company in the world.

That, as the firm's founder might say, is an accomplishment deserving of a toast.

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