Mojito and Bacardi – it’s a natural partnership

Enduring as the giant of the category, Bacardi continues to build on the back of a range of flavoured rums and a determined bid to exploit the brand’s historic association with the Mojito.

Eugenio Mendez, the company’s senior category director, rum, identifies Chile, Norway and Russia as the current “hotspots for growth”, enjoying compound annual growth of 40.8%, 32.2% and 31.6% respectively (2005 to 2008).

“In Chile, there are many brands contributing to the growth, including Bacardi,” Mendez says. “They have really been focusing on seeding and activating the Original Bacardi Mojito, which is driving some of this growth.”

Meanwhile in Russia the accent for Bacardi is firmly on “a dynamic marketing programme focusing on premium on-trade experiences, with a focus on key influencers and celebrity”.

Globally, Mendez believes the continued growth of white rum – despite the much-publicised trend towards golden and dark variants – has much to do with the ongoing innovation in the flavoured rums sector.  Bacardi itself has enjoyed particular success with Bacardi Dragonberry, Bacardi Torched Cherry and, most recently, Bacardi Rock Coconut.