Rum Brand Champion 2017: Sailor Jerry

Sailor Jerry has crossed the magic million-­case threshold

It was a variable market for rum in 2016. While the likes of Ron Medellin and Bozkov made strong double-digit gains, other notable names posted significant declines. McDowell’s No.1 Celebration, last year’s biggest brand by volume, took a 8.02% tumble, while Contessa, perhaps similarly hit by demonetisation in India, collapsed by more than 26%.

But there was one notable new name in particular for The Brand Champions: Sailor Jerry. William Grant & Sons’s spiced rum crossed the magic million-­case threshold, posting solid growth of 3.8% in the process.

Chin Ru Foo, Sailor Jerry global brand director, is extremely proud that the spiced rum has joined the Brand Champions club. “As the only spiced rum brand within William Grant & Sons, the brand’s continued growth reinforces the importance of Sailor Jerry within the portfolio, and its ability to recruit a new generation of legal drinking age­plus drinkers through its independent and distinctive positioning,” she said.

It was the US that led the charge, with “impactful experiential partnerships” driving the growth, she continued. One example would be the recent New York Fleet Week hook­up with cosmetics brand Kiehl’s Since 1851. Sailor Jerry is also conspicuous for its dismissal of premiumisation – a buzzword for the rum category in recent years.

“Sailor Jerry is an unpretentious brand that thrives on fun, inclusive sociable occasions for the independent minded individual,” she affirmed. “As a result, we have no plans to premiumise.” Perhaps it’s by cutting through the noise that the brand will continue to thrive.

See the adjacent column to discover the spirits that sold more than 1m cases last year, as well as The Brand Champions 2017 of each individual category.

Rum (Figures: million 9l case sales)