UK-based rum company Duppy Share has launched a ready-to-drink canned cocktail with ginger beer brand Old Jamaica.
The co-branded RTD is made up of a combination of Duppy Share’s spiced rum and Old Jamaica’s traditional ginger beer.
The drinks are available at Waitrose in 250ml cans, with an abv of 5% and at an RRP of £2.50 ($3.15) each.
Jack Orr-Ewing, CEO of Duppy Share, said Waitrose "is the perfect partner for this exciting new product", with the retailer's customers "very familiar with both Duppy and Old Jamaica".
He added: “We’re looking forward to a mega summer of activations and events, with our biggest festival schedule yet, and Old Jamaican Mules will be the standout drink for the UK throughout.”
Duppy Share launched a similar RTD in January at Sainsbury’s with grapefruit soda brand Ting, producing Pink Ting-a-Ling.
The rum company produces rum variants including aged, white, spiced and a ‘premium’ XO blend.
Juan Andres Castillo, franchise manager for Be-Liv, which distributes Old Jamaica, added: “We understand the pivotal role our product plays as a mixer, especially in the world of rum.
“That’s why we've teamed up with Duppy Share, the top seller of premium rum in the UK, to introduce a ready-to-drink solution tailored specifically for this mixological occasion. Waitrose serves as the perfect launchpad, as both brands are already embraced by discerning consumers who recognise and appreciate the quality of our beverages.”
Speaking at a spirits industry conference in October held by Just Drinks sister company Arena International, Orr-Ewing said: “I think where rum is quite different to a lot of the other spirit categories is that it’s very graded and separate. I think white rum, gold rum and spiced rum are almost three separate categories.”
According to GlobalData – Just Drinks’ parent group – the global market value of rum is set to stand at $33.4bn in 2024, reaching 1.56bn litres.
In comparison, as Orr-Ewing claimed, the surging Tequila market is forecast to stand at roughly half of the market value of rum and less than one-third of its volume.
In the UK specifically, rum’s value is predicted to reach $1.8bn while Tequila and mezcal will only reach $168m.
