WIRD’s Stade’s rum receives Bonsurco stamp

The West Indies Rum Distillery (WIRD) Stade’s Rum Beach Vat n1 is their first product to bear the Bonsucro stamp of approval.

 WIRD was the first organisation in Barbados and the first distillery in the Caribbean to receive Bonsucro certification. Bonsucro was established in 2008 to promote sustainable sugar cane and aims to reduce the environmental and social impacts of sugarcane production while recognizing the need for economic viability.

Danielle Morley, CEO, Bonsucro, congratulated WIRD on their achievement. “I am very pleased with the news from the West Indies Rum Distillery, this is a key milestone. Having lived in Barbados and engaged with stakeholders in the country, I had the chance to visit the distillery and learn about their strong commitment to sustainability. We celebrate the Bonsucro Chain of Custody certification of WIRD as an important first step towards improving sustainability of the sugarcane sector in Barbados,” she said.

In celebrating this achievement, the WIRD team remains committed to producing high quality rum that respects the Barbadian community, celebrates its cultural and technical heritage. Andrew Hassell, Managing Director WIRD said: “We know that in order to make great rum, our people must be at the center of sustainable and social development. We have worked tirelessly to reduce any negative environmental impact our product to process may have and to bring more transparency across the value chain – with sustainability as a core principle and our 2021 Bonsucro Chain of Custody certification was testimony to this.”

He acknowledged the work of WIRD’s Don Benn, Master Distiller & Operations Manager, Dario Jordan, Rum Production Controller and Teri Alleyne, Quality Controller & Lab Manager who worked with the London based company to receive the certification.

WIRD has been producing rum for over almost 130 years and is the largest distillery on the island. (PR)