By Andrew Starke
Holey Dollar Rum has announced plans to take-over the distribution of its award-winning rum, ending an 18-month partnership with Southtrade International.
Disagreement over how to manage the brand has lead to Southtrade selling its 50 percent stake in the Holey Dollar Rum Distilling Company to master distiller Stuart Gilbert.
The brand was launched 18 months ago as a joint venture between the directors of Southtrade and Gilbert.
“I wish to thank everyone for the support of the brand since launching in late 2008 and am confident that by handling our own distribution we can make our rum easier to buy across Australia and raise the brand’s profile to new heights,” said Gilbert.
He said consumers would now be able to get up-to-date information on stock availability at various retailers throughout Australia by visiting the company’s website and clicking on “Stockists”.
“We put a lot into the development of the brand but not all the company directors agreed on how to manage it, so we decided to go our own ways,” said Southtrade director Tony Stubley.
Holey Dollar has received several high-profile awards since its launch, including top honours at the International Wine & Spirits Competition and The Spirit Masters Series.