Tuesday, October 16, 2007

Bacardi Invests in Leblon Cachaça

Bacardi Invests in Leblon Cachaça

October 16, 2007, New York, NY – Leblon, a luxury spirit from Brazil and the most award-winning cachaça on the market, announced today that Bacardi has become an investor in the Company.

Leblon is an ultra-premium cachaça, the national spirit of Brazil and the key ingredient in the Caipirinha cocktail—a refreshing mixture of fresh lime, sugar, and Leblon. The recipient of many awards, including the ‘Top Cachaça’ Double Gold Medal at the 2007 San Francisco World Spirits Competition and the Gold Medal for taste in the prestigious Beverage Testing Institute’s (BTI) International Review of Spirits, Leblon is the first ultra-premium cachaça to be available in all fifty states, including top restaurants and bars in New York, Miami, and Los Angeles, and internationally in London and Paris.

“Cachaça is the third most consumed spirit in the world, and the Caipirinha has now become a standard cocktail in the United States and around the world,” said Steve Luttmann, president and ceo of Leblon. “With Bacardi’s involvement as a strategic partner and investor in our Company, Leblon Cachaça will be able to lead the Caipirinha trend in the United States and around the world.”

“Bacardi’s investment in Leblon shows our group’s desire to develop and grow new opportunities in the premium and super premium spirits segments,” said John Esposito, president and ceo of Bacardi U.S.A. “With Leblon, Bacardi has found a brand that reflects the quality and luxury that our group is known for and we look forward to a successful relationship as the brand continues to grow.”

Leblon stands out amongst other cachaças in the market because of its unique distillation and finishing process -- the spirit is made from fresh pressed Brazilian sugar cane that is then rested in cognac casks to create superior complexity and taste. Leblon was created by Brazilian entrepreneur Roberto Stoll Nogueira and launched in the U.S. and Europe by Steve Luttmann and Gerard Schweitzer.

About Leblon
Leblon is an ultra-premium cachaça (pronounced ka-SHAH-sa) produced in Minas Gerias, Brazil. The rum-like spirit, the most award-winning cachaça on the market, is made from fresh pressed Brazilian sugar cane that is then rested in cognac casks and blended to create superior complexity and taste. Cachaça is the main ingredient in the Caipirinha (pronounced kai-pur-EEN-ya), the national cocktail of Brazil. Leblon is available at fine retailers, restaurants, bars and clubs throughout the United States, as well as the United Kingdom, France, Thailand, and Ireland. For more information, visit www.liveloveleblon.com.

About Bacardi
Bacardi Limited is the largest privately held spirits company in the world, produces and markets a variety of internationally recognized spirits. Bacardi Limited's brand portfolio consists of more than 200 brands and labels, including: BACARDI rum, the world’s number-one selling rum; GREY GOOSE vodka, the world-leader in ultra premium vodka; DEWAR’S Scotch whisky, the number-one selling blended Scotch whisky in the United States; BOMBAY SAPPHIRE gin, the fastest-growing gin in the spirits industry; CAZADORES blue agave tequila, one of the top-selling 100 percent blue agave tequilas worldwide; MARTINI vermouth, the world-leader in vermouth; and other leading brands. For more information, visit www.BacardiLimited.com


Leblon Contacts:
Gina Sisco, Alissa Pinck
JS2 Communications
212.905.6263, 212.905.6261
gsisco@js2comm.com, apinck@js2comm.com

Bacardi Contact(s):
Patricia Neal
Bacardi
305.446.9050

Amy Federman
Burson-Marsteller
305.347.4343
amy.federman@bm.com

1 comment:

Unknown said...

Good of Bacardi for picking up the most unauthentic cachaca out there. It's too bad Leblon is how many people are discovering the category. Hopefully they won't be so put off by it that they won't try it again.