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Ron Elba – Rum from the Elbe

At Ron Elba the clue is in the name – a rum from the Elbe. It is produced by hand by two young men from Hamburg: Hannes, a process engineer, has a penchant for concentrating aromas in distillates. That means he was probably made to manufacture rum. Daniel, a businessman and sports lover, found Hannes to be a congenial partner following his conversion to a cognoscente of fine drink. Both men are neither marketing professionals nor large investors; they see themselves as ‘men of conviction, who have made rum with a love of detail’. They worked over two years on producing a rum which stands out immediately from industrial products. With it they attract people who are also not entirely satisfied with what’s on offer.

The choice molasses comes from the island of Mauritius. Cultured yeast is also used. The rum is surprisingly fruity and complex, it needs neither artificial aromas nor sugar, and is therefore described as a ‘dry’ rum. Distillation (still) takes place at a colleague’s distillery in a three-stage rectifier with a special process stage, which makes the distillate especially smooth. From mashing to fermentation tracking to distilling and blending with northern German well water and filling into bottles, both aficionados are always present. The objective is to grow organically, in order to purchase their own distilling equipment as soon as possible and to establish a new rum distillery in Hamburg.

At the World Spirits Award, there was gold for Ron Elba – Hamburg Dry Rum.

Grenada Distillers: From a sugar factory to a world-class rum distillery

The Grenada sugar factory was founded in 1937 and renamed Grenada Distillers Limited in 2001. The finest spirits on the Caribbean island are manufactured here, from the fermentation of the molasses and distillation, blending and maturing to bottling and sales. The trademark product, Clarke’s Court Rum, was named after a nearby bay in the Woodlands Valley, in the southern part of the island. From 2001 to today, the company has grown considerably. There is currently a choice of 23 spirits for local, regional and international markets. During the COVID-19 pandemic, two special products were launched on the market: a disinfectant solution and a hand disinfectant.

The prime goal is the creation of world-class products through a constant extension of the product range: AMAZ-IN Brand of Creams, flavoured rums, exotic spicy rums refined with local spices and fruits, and premium aged rums. The pre-cast Pure White Rum is still the market leader and Grenada’s most popular rum ambassador.

The management of food safety has the highest priority during the growth of the company. Grenada Distillers Limited has been ISO-certified since 2017 – a necessary framework condition for ensuring a safe product in a safe environment.

The World Class Distillery 2025 received Double Gold for Clarke’s Court Pure White Rum, Gold for Exotic Spicy Rum, Clarke’s Court Special Dark Rum and Clarke’s Court #37 12 Year Old, and Silver for Clarke’s Court Old Grog Rum and Rhythm Coconut Rum.

MBG International Premium Brands – Brands with added value

“We Love Liquids.” This slogan has accompanied MBG on its worldwide path of success since it was founded in 1993 under the name P.O.S. Marketing + Vertrieb GmbH: Strong brands have been established around the world in nearly 60 countries, with innovative own brands, renowned retail brands, great ideas and a lot of energy. With over 250 employees, the MBG Group currently generates over € 200 million and, every year, more than a million hectolitres are produced. The portfolio in Germany includes 12 own brands and 6 retail brands (from non-alcoholic drinks to low proof drinks to wines & spirits) for 90,000 customers.

“Our recipe for successful brands is the mixture of passion, conviction and knowledge of the market. If all goes well, names and products become new worlds which consumers love. Success is not always predictable, which means that courage is needed above all. The right moment has to be found and hard work put in, just like with a hit single: some are one hit wonders while others become classics.” Little can be added to this definition from Managing Director Andreas W. Herb. From the MBG Group headquarters in Paderborn, a great deal of expertise makes successful brands, tailored to the respective target group and the market segment. Many brands that are well known on shop shelves and in the gastronomy sector have played a role in the history of the company.

Participation in the World Spirits Award yielded gold for Dos Mas Nasty Nuts Shot.