Duppy Share targets £1m with crowdfund
Caribbean rum brand Duppy Share is aiming to raise £1 million (US$1.3m) through a crowdfunding campaign as it chases global growth.
The crowdfund is designed to fuel global growth for the brand, which is available in more than 30 markets and has recently launched in the US.
In the first day of the announcement, the brand said around £250,000 (US$336,000) had been pledged.
Priority access for the crowdfund will open on Monday 8 August and can be found on the brand’s website.
Duppy Share claims to have 25% of the market share of the premium rum category in the UK, and is backed by the likes of British rappers Stormzy and Kano.
It also has a big presence in the ready-to-drink (RTD) sector having collaborated with Moth, Old Jamaica and Ting on canned cocktails, which it claims sell more than two million cans annually.
Those looking to invest in the brand will get a variety of perks, including exclusive drops and limited edition releases, behind-the-scenes access and VIP tickets, and early product access.
Jack Orr-Ewing, CEO and co-founder of Duppy Share, said: “We’ve spent the last 10 years building Duppy Share into the UK’s leading independent premium rum brand – but we’re just getting started.
“With the launch of Duppy House and our global push, we’re ready to take on the giants of the rum industry. This raise is about bringing our community along for the ride – giving people the chance not just to drink Duppy, but to own a part of the next great drinks success story.”
Duppy House
Along with international expansion, the crowdfund coincides with launch the of Duppy House, a new range of rums that the brand said is ‘designed to take on the £1bn+ house-pour rum category’.
The range features three trade-first speed rail rums – Gold, Silver and Spiced – which have been launched with Simmons Bars in the UK.
The rums were developed together by the Duppy Share team and mixologists and trade specialists, as a solution for the demand in rums that deliver in high-volume service while retaining quality and consistency in their liquid profile.
They are also ‘perfectly-priced’ for house pour cocktails.
Frost said: ““We’ve had venues and bartenders asking us for years to create a house rum that delivers both quality and value – and now the time is right.
“Duppy House is everything we’ve learned distilled into one range. To launch it with a forward-thinking group like Simmons – who helped shape this from the earliest conversations – is a huge moment for us.
“This marks a new chapter in Duppy’s journey and we’re just getting started.”
The brand believes the range can become a ‘go-to rum’ for operators looking to drive rate of sale without compromising on quality.
Simmons is the first bar group to stock Duppy House, beginning with the Gold expression across its venues.
Stefan Kokot, director of product at Simmons Bars, added: “We’re thrilled to be the launch partner for Duppy House – a rum that’s been created with a deep understanding of what the on-trade really needs.
“From the liquid to the look and feel, it’s been a genuinely collaborative process with the Duppy team. We’ve always admired their energy and instinct for brand-building and Duppy House feels like the perfect product for our bars – fast, flavourful and full of personality.”
Duppy Share was launched in 2015 and is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, releasing a legacy edition rum to mark the occasion last month.
Last month, the brand also set a Guinness World Record for the world’s largest rum Punch.
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