Page 26 - IAADFS Summit 2023 Special Edition

INSIDER

Cardow family creates premium rum to add to growing retail and
wholesale wine and spirits operations

A year after announcing to the The Premium bar in the Departures
industry the expansion of its business Store has been a particular success for
into liquor through retail and wholesale Cardow, says Surville.
operations in St. Thomas, long-time “We have a premium bar inside our
jewelry specialist the Cardow family is Departures Store which is an opportunity
now producing its own premium rum: to present a new item or interesting new
Extra Virgin by Cardow. concept to any traveler. People can sit at
the bar and be exposed in a way that they
Extra Virgin by Cardow wouldn’t be able to be anywhere else. At
Cardow is offering two different the bar we have more than 20 seats and
rums in its Extra Virgin by Cardow line, have hired super-professional bartenders.
which have quickly become bestsellers, We present the product to the consumer
says Hubert Surville, the well-known wine and the traveler in the best possible manner.
and spirits expert who is consulting on the When a consumer tastes the product at join the
business. the bar and likes it all he has to do is turn
“Extra Virgin by Cardow is a rum that two liquor stores in St. Thomas’ Cyril E. around and buy it in the store.”
is made from the first pressing of the sugar King Airport. Under the name Cardow The company also operates an
cane, not the molasses, and comes in a very Wine & Spirits, the company operates an exclusive Wine & Spirits store at the - E X C L U S I V E A I R P O R T
nice decanter. We add a special technique 859-square foot Departures Store, which Crown Bay Cruise Port, which serves R E T A I L E R
for the aging which brings out a very includes a premium bar, and a 445-square Royal Caribbean, Celebrity Cruise Lines
delicate flavor,” says Surville. foot Arrivals store. The St. Thomas airport and Holland American Cruise Line. Crown - E X C L U S I V E C R U I S E
Cardow is currently producing two handled one million passengers a year Bay also acts as a port of call to the Sea
types of rum: Old Rum, a classic aged rum in 2019, and the island has been one of Dream Yacht Club, which caters to private P O R T R E T A I L E R
in cognac and bourbon barrels, and Navy the fastest recovering destinations in the vessels. - W H O L E S A L E
Rum, which is heavier, and goes very well Caribbean. “The business at Crown Bay has
FAMILY
with mixing with ginger beer, says Surville. “The Departures Store is a classic doubled over last year. The volume of O P E R A T I O N
“These two rums are the best sellers travel retail location. At the Arrivals Store passengers is going back to a better level, FAMILY - A I R C O N D I T I O N E D
in our stores, which is quite amazing. The we cater to wealthy Americans, because but people are also interested in finding
Navy Rum outsells Pure White. And these 90-95% visitors at the airport in the USVI good values and products that they W A R E H O U S E
are premium rums: the Old Rum is $50 and come from the U.S. These people find can either take back home or consume - D E L I V E R Y T R U C K
The Navy Rum is $30. The reactions of the value and buy products for consumption onboard,” says Surville.
consumers have been incredible.” during their stay,” says Surville. In addition, the company has two
“We do the same revenue from the beachfront resorts on the island, both of
Retail operations flourish Arrivals store as from the Departures which feature a restaurant and bar. WHOLESALER & EXCLUSIVE RETAILER
From specialists in the crafting of outlet, even though the Arrivals store is Further supporting the new businesses,
fine jewelry, parent company Cardow significantly smaller. But it is a different Cardow Wine & Spirits launched a IN THE USVI
Inc. is now also the exclusive operator of type of purchase.” wholesale and distribution division in
September 2021 which is already serving Let us build your brand.
more than 100 on-premise accounts
throughout St. Thomas, St. John and St. Find out more about our direct access to 3 million passengers in travel retail
Croix.
“The wholesale operation sells to through our retail locations, sister company hotels, and our focus on top-
almost only restaurants, which makes us end retailers, bars, and restaurants throughout the USVI.
in the words of some of our suppliers ‘the
perfect market test for mainland U.S.,’
because 95% of our visitors are coming
from the U.S. and we offer on-premise # 7 0 - C L I N D B E R G H B A Y , S T . T H O M A S , U S V I 0 0 8 0 2
distribution and our retail operations,
which gives us a combination of all the
local consumption, travel retail, souvenir,
and exotic consumption. We are getting the
attention of more and more suppliers.” C O N T A C T O U R O F F I C E F O R M O R E D E T A I L S :
For more information, contact Paul
de Lyrot, COO, at Paul@Cardow.com or 3 4 0 - 6 2 6 - 2 9 2 0 P A U L @ C A R D O W . C O M C A R D O W W I N E S P I R I T S . C O M
The Cardow Wine & Spirits Departures Store at St. Thomas’ Cyril E. King Airport Hubert Surville, at Hubert@Cardow.com .
in the USVI features a premium bar.

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