Harpers and its sister titles are preparing to launch Think Rum in London next week, an inaugural event which will exhibit the best of this growing spirits category.
With the success of Think Gin, the brand is now growing to include rum, which is currently a star performer in the UK.
With sales up 12% in the on-trade, and 3% in the off-trade and independents and c-stores growing sales by 6%, rum's growth puts it in the running to become the next big thing, or possibly 'the next gin'.
Emerging trends and how to grow the category will be at the forefront of panel discussions and masterclasses on January 16.
On the day, the event will be celebrating the large and the small from this dynamic category with over 20 rum brands exhibiting along with a roster of premium mixers including Fever Tree and Fentimans.
Cocktail demonstrations will highlight the role the Tiki bar tradition is currently playing in driving rum's popularity, while our Think Rum Awards will recognise the retailers, bars and communicators who have contributed to the category's growth.
Masterclasses include Time for a New Categorisation, where Peter Holland will explore new and perhaps more effective ways of defining the spirit.
Registration is open now.
Rum is increasingly establishing itself as a stable category for growth.
According to Neilsen, rum has posted good growth over the past year, driven in the off-trade principally by the growing appetite for flavoured and spices rums, which have posted double-digit growth.
All rums have seen positive growth in quarterly volume sales, although value growth has been more erratic.
Value sales have been more stable in the on-trade, with both white and dark rums up 4% on the previous year (Nielsen figures to 01/10/2016)
In 2016, golden rum turned over £300m in values sales in the on-trade for the first time.
Think Rum comes to The Folly, London on Monday January 16, 2017.
To register your interest and to confirm your place on the guest list, click bit.ly/2gnXHHg to register now.
Please direct enquires to leanne.johnstone@agilemedia.co.uk .