Bacardi debuts new exotic flavoured rums in ‘breakthrough’ bottles
The first drink – Bacardi Wolf Berry, contains blueberry and wolfberry (goji berry), while Bacardi Black Razz contains raspberry and black sapote, as the company claimed ‘unique fruit pairings’.
Bacardi said that, once chilled, new packaging (pictured) would display visual effects: namely a red claw mark for the Wolf Berry variety and an enlarged red berry logo for Black Razz.
Recent Bacardi innovations
Euromonitor International US research analyst Jared Koerten told BeverageDaily.com: "Bacardi’s recent flavour innovations have focused on exotic offerings that go beyond traditional ‘simple’ fruits.
"Bacardi Rock Coconut, Bacardi Dragon Berry, and most recently, Bacardi Wolf Berry and Bacardi Black Razz, clearly highlight how the brand is moving beyond its more traditional Coconut, Apple, Melon, Orange, and Lemon lines to offer more exotic fruit flavours."
Koerten said flavours were fuelling growth across the US rum category, with collective volume sales of dark and white rums up steadily since 2008 (222,666 litres) with the latest Euromonitor data forecasting growth to 246,367 litres in 2014.
Flavour of the month
Throughout this period the research firm expects white rums (130,513 litres in 2014) to exceed dark rums (115,854 litres) in volume sales terms, within an overall world rum category predicted to grow from 1.367bn litres in 2008 to 1.638bn in 2014.
"Flavoured rums have been strongly outperforming non-flavoured rums in recent years. In fact, while flavoured rums have been growing in the mid-single digits, non-flavoured rums have seen slight declines," Koerten said.
He added: "In a highly competitive landscape like that of Rum in the US, future innovation in flavours is likely as companies attempt to help their product stand out among the myriad of competitors on the shelf. Leaders in flavour innovation like Bacardi will likely work to keep this competitive edge, while other brands will less-established flavor offerings are likely to step up their own innovation efforts in response."
Toby Whitmoyer, vice president and brand marketing director, rum category, at Bacardi USA, said: “As the world’s most popular rum, Bacardi holds a leadership position when it comes to creating new innovative flavour combinations that blend the very popular, well-known flavours with more exotic ones that are gaining momentum like wolfberry and black sapote.”
The Wolfberry variety infused blueberry and wolfberry to create a “vibrant spirit, with a robust aroma and compelling taste,” the company said.
Second newcomer Bacardi Black Razz is a raspberry-flavoured with the addition of black sapote (a type of persimmon), with the brand claiming a “rich, chocolate-like taste that is both refreshing and sweet with a deep and bold flavour profile”.
Enticing younger consumers
Koerten said that flavoured spirits having tremendous success in a number of categories, with one rum success story the Admiral Nelson brand, which was acquired by Heaven Hill Distilleries Inc in June of 2011.
"In fact, the brand has seen its total volume sales grow by double-digit rates in every year since 2002. The brand offers a range of flavoured products, including Coconut, Raspberry, and Vanilla, as well as its core spiced offering," he said.
Last September, Koerten noted that flavoured varieties were relatively new to other spirits categories such as bourbon, with cherry-flavoured product Jim Beam Red Stag, for instance, attracting younger consumers and women into the category.
Koerten said: “In other categories, flavours are a bit more established. They’ve been out for a while, have already been successful. In these categories it’s about pushing new flavours – what’s the next frontier in terms of flavours.”
Bacardi recommends that its new flavours be chilled and served as shots or mixed with lemon-lime soda, and 750ml bottles will be sold for $14.99 (€11.90); 50ml, 200ml, 375ml, 750ml, 1l and 1.75l sizes will also be available.
