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Destilería Serrallés expanding production in next 3 years

Gov. García-Padilla (right) meets with Destilería Serrallés employees during his visit to the plant Tuesday.

Gov. García-Padilla (right) meets with Destilería Serrallés employees during his visit to the plant Tuesday.

Puerto Rican rum distiller Destilería Serrallés Inc. will increase its rum production in Puerto Rico, adding up to 8 million proof-gallons in the next 3 years, company and government officials announced Tuesday.

During a morning visit to the plant, Gov. Alejandro García-Padilla and other government officials joined Destilería Serrallés’ representatives to reveal that the additional volume comes as a result of contract manufacturing supply agreements reached by Destilería Serrallés with various spirits producers for sales in the U.S. market. Under the long-term agreements, the company will increase its rum production starting this month.

These private agreements are the result of the government’s efforts to restart the sugar cane industry, which will help to promote a stronger ecosystem for the local rum producers, the governor said.

“With our administration’s help, Destilería Serrallés has signed new contracts that will allow it to increase rum production by millions of additional gallons over the next three years,” García-Padilla said.

The Puerto Rico Industrial Development Company (PRIDCO), through the Rums of Puerto Rico Program, have been instrumental for these commitments, supporting Destilería Serrallés in the process of identifying prospective clients in the United States and advancing negotiations with them, agency Executive Director Antonio L. Medina said.

“PRIDCO has identified the rum industry as one of the traditional industrial segments of Puerto Rico with tremendous growth potential. These new agreements drive enthusiasm to our efforts and validates our strategy to seek innovative business opportunities within all segments in order to secure a more diversified industrial base,” Medina said.

The addition to Destilería Serrallés’ volume production will also provide an increase in the revenues received by the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico as part of the cover over program.

Over the years, the Ponce-based Destilería Serrallés has shown its commitment to its operations on the island, investing more than $40 million during the past decade to expand and modernize its capacity, thus supporting the rum industry ecosystem.

Specifically, during the last two years, the company has invested more than $7 million in equipment to upgrade its distillation facility, its waste water treatment operations and a large solar energy array, earning it the distinction of being one of the cleanest distilleries in the Caribbean.

“The announcement is the result of a joint collaboration between the private sector and the government in favor of our island’s economic development, and to strengthen our rum industry,” said Roberto Serrallés, vice president of Destilería Serrallés, which employs 400 people.

“In the threshold of our 150th anniversary, Destilería Serrallés is committed to expanding our exports and bringing forth our world-class rum making expertise to new markets around the world,” he said. “At Serrallés, we welcome the opportunity to partner with Puerto Rico in its efforts to regain the leading role as the Rum ‘Capital of the World’.”

Serrallés distills Puerto Rico’s premium rum brand Don Q, and is the second largest producer in volumes of premium rums for the United States market.

Author Details
Author Details
Business reporter with 30 years of experience writing for weekly and daily newspapers, as well as trade publications in Puerto Rico. My list of former employers includes Caribbean Business, The San Juan Star, and the Puerto Rico Daily Sun, among others. My areas of expertise include telecommunications, technology, retail, agriculture, tourism, banking and most other segments of Puerto Rico’s economy.
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1 Comment

  1. Kenneth McClintock April 3, 2014

    Sazerac, a New Orleans-based company well-known to those of us who earned an academic degree (my JD is from Tulane) in the Big Easy is a welcome addition to Puerto Rico’s, and Ponce’s, economy.

    Reply

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