Travel retail focus drives Pyrat forward

The recent strong growth experienced by Pyrat rum has been partly built on parent company Patròn Spirits’ heavy emphasis on the travel retail sector. Export sales are up more than 75% in the year to date, with the duty-free sector showing 50% growth thanks to a series of new listings such as World Duty Free at Heathrow Airport, Dufry in Puerto Rico, plus several US border stores.

Pyrat’s ultra-premium market position – both for its 1623 and XO Reserve bottlings – means that many consumers tend to sip it neat, although cocktail consumption is also part of the mix.

Strong markets outside the US include Switzerland, Germany and the Caribbean, but even in the States, Pyrat is still a relative newcomer: there’s been no large-scale advertising to date, although a new website is attracting growing numbers of visitors.