For years rum has been forecasted to be the next spirit category to undergo a major renaissance, and only in the last few years did that seem like it could be true thanks to a handful of innovative premium rum producers.
Marc Farrell, the founder, and CEO of Ten To One Rum, is among those producers seeking to elevate the category. When he founded Ten To One Rum in 2019 he leaned into his Caribbean heritage and the rich tradition of the spirit to create a premium and authentic brand identity that could propel that category into an exciting future.
On this episode of the Park Street Insider Podcast, Emily Pennington sits down with Farrell to trace his journey from a coffee executive to a leader in rum’s revival.
In this episode, he breaks down the status quo of the category and shares his approach to helping shift consumer perception. He also explains why rum is a category that should be seen as synonymous with craft.
Listeners will also get a sense of how Farrell's unique backstory made him a capable founder and hear about some of the key traits that have made him a successful entrepreneur.
Episode Breakdown:
0:00 - Introduction
5:15 - Farrell's key skillsets for entrepreneurs'
7:20 - Before Ten To One Rum
13:40 - Why start a rum brand?
16:10 - Challenges facing the rum category
22:05 - Milestones when brand building
25:28 - How Farrell learned about the industry as an outsider
29:40 - Ten To One's footprint today
32:10 - The shifting perceptions of rum
38:10 - Celebrity partnership with Ciara
Key Quote:
"As a founder, I think it's important that you don't ask people to do anything that you're not willing to do yourself. I was the first salesperson: going to accounts, doing tastings, telling the story, and closing that sale. Having those first couple cases land and seeing them on that back bar was a major, major milestone."
In this episode you'll hear from:
Marc Farrell, Founder & CEO, Ten To One Rum
Mentioned in this episode:
Ten To One Rum
Bar Convent Brooklyn 2023
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