Bacardi is the best -selling rum brand in the world : is Achieved in 150 countries country and produces 20 million dollars in profits every year .
But not a drop of liquor is sold in Cuba , where the founder of the company Facundo Bacardi opened the first distillery in 1862 , in a small restaurant with aluminum roof and the dirty floor , at the slaughterhouse Street in the city of Santiago.
The story about the development of the mark is Contained in the book “Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba ” (Publisher Viking, 365 pages) of Tom Gjelten .
With a broad and Rigorous report , rich details and unusual sometimes, Veteran correspondent of National Public Radio tells the story of the Bacardi family , Whose product Helped create the Cuban spirit until Fidel Castro nationalized the company in 1960.
The Bacardi went to court to preserve its international brand and Eventually managed to raise an Empire with operations in Puerto Rico , Mexico , Brazil , and the Bahamas.
“Not even think to register the Bacardi brand , so we lost ,” Castro said years later . “We had the factory That Bacardi rum produced true , but could not Retain its name as such. ”
Facundo Bacardi was the first Mayor in the Cuban city of Santiago and was a pioneer in the develop developing style of Cuban rum , Noted for being light , dry and smooth . Also I have invented a system of filter with coal and was the first to liquor aging in oak barrels .
Bacardi won international awards and soon after 1900 Became the rum “made famous Cuba ” .
The prohibition of the sale of Alcohol in United States pushed Their Citizens to run Cuba , thirst for Bacardi .
An announcement of the time, features a bat – the logo of the brand , as scary Describing Gjelten – loading to Uncle Sam in its talons with an empty glass from Florida to Cuba .
For 1935 the newspaper The New York Times quoted Bacardi as a proper name lexicon of That Entered the United States as a generic, like Kleenex term passed with . Ernest Hemingway Mentioned Generally the Bacardi in his novels.
Eager to reach the American market again without having to pay taxes , the company established a distillery in Puerto Rico in 1936.
According To Gjelten , Bacardi discovered That the key to consistency in the flavor of Their rum was in the cane molasses .
After Overcoming problems in the distillation process , engineers managed to correct the discrepancies So THAT ron had a taste identical to That occurred anywhere in Cuba to do .
The Bacardi was Opposed by the Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista and Fidel Castro, supported , Allowing even some of its workers to join rebel Their forces .
Vilma Espin , wife of the former Cuban President Raul Castro current , was the daughter of the accounting officer of Bacardi and one of the members of the family weave socks for the rebels under the command of Castro who Fought against the Batista government.
The rebels issued a decree That would not attack Bacardi facilities, and the executive head Jose ” Pepin ” Bosch, Accompanied Castro on his first trip to United States since it took power in 1959. However , Bosch broke up Because I was afraid to address That took the Castro Government .
After Nationalizing Bacardi , Cuba Began producing Havana Club rum , the brand Arechabalas the family , producing Bacardi competidores who Fought not by the name after the nationalization .
Eventually , Bacardi Purchased the rights to the Havana Club name of the family and Arechabalas Began selling his own version of Havana Club in United States, triggering legal battles With the new Castro ‘s administration in Cuba .
Gjelten / AP / Internetphotos / TheCubanHistory.com
Brief History of the Bacardi House
The Cuban History , Hollywood.
Arnoldo Varona , Editor
BRIEF HISTORY OF THE CASA BACARDI
Bacardi rum brand is the most sold in the world is accomplished in 150 countries and produces 20 million in profits each year .
But not a drop of liquor sold in Cuba , where founder Facundo Bacardi opened the first distillery in 1862 , in a small restaurant with aluminum roof and dirt floor in the slaughterhouse street in the city of Santiago.
The story on brand development is contained in the book ” Bacardi and the Long Fight for Cuba ” (Editorial Viking, 365 pages), Tom Gjelten .
With an extensive and rigorous report , rich detail and sometimes unusual , veteran correspondent of National Public Radio tells the story of the Bacardi family , whose product helped create the Cuban spirit until Fidel Castro nationalized the company in 1960.
Bacardi went to court to retain its international brand and eventually built an empire with operations in Puerto Rico , Mexico , Brazil and the Bahamas.
“Do not even think about trademarking Bacardi, so we lost ,” said Castro years later. ” We had the factory that produced actual Bacardi rum , but he could not keep his name as such. ”
Facundo Bacardi was the first Cuban mayor in the city of Santiago and was a pioneer in the development of Cuban-style rum , known for being light, dry and smooth. He also invented a filter system with coal and was the first to aging liquor in oak barrels .
Bacardi won international awards after 1900 and soon became rum “made famous in Cuba .”
The ban on the sale of alcohol in the United States pushed its citizens to run Cuba , Bacardi thirsty .
A notice of the time, has a bat – the logo of the brand , which he describes as fear Gjelten – charging Uncle Sam in his claws with an empty glass from Florida to Cuba .
In 1935 The New York Times quoted Bacardi as a proper name entered the lexicon of the United States as a generic term , as happened with Kleenex . Ernest Hemingway generally mentioned Bacardi in his novels.
Eager to get back to the U.S. market without paying taxes , the company established a distillery in Puerto Rico in 1936.
According Gjelten , Bacardi discovered that the key to consistency in the taste of rum was in cane molasses .
After overcoming the problems in the distillation process , engineers were able to correct the discrepancies Ron was identical to what happened in Cuba anywhere to do it flavor.
Bacardi opposed to Cuban dictator Fulgencio Batista and Fidel Castro, supported , even considering some of their workers to join his rebel forces .
Vilma Espín , a former wife of the current Cuban President Raul Castro, was the daughter of Bacardi accountant and one of the members of the family socks to knit the rebels under the command of Castro who fought against the Batista government .
The rebels issued a decree that facility not attack Bacardi and CEO, José ” Pepin ” Bosch, accompanied Castro on his first trip to the U.S. since he took power in 1959. But Bosch was removed because he was afraid to face , that had the Castro government .
After nationalizing Bacardi, Cuba began producing rum Havana Club, the brand Arechabalas , Bacardi competitors , the production did not fight for the name after nationalization.
Eventually, Bacardi purchased the rights to the Havana Club name from the Arechabalas and began selling his own version of Havana Club in the United States , prompting new legal battles with the administration of Castro in Cuba .
Gjelten / AP / Internetphotos / TheCubanHistory.com
Brief History of the Bacardi House
The Cuban History , Hollywood.
Arnoldo Varona, Editor