Destilería Serrallés facts for kids
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| Private | |
| Industry | Distilled beverages |
| Founded | Ponce, Captaincy General of Puerto Rico (1865) |
| Headquarters | Ponce, Puerto Rico |
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Key people
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Félix Juan Serrallés, Jr. President and CEO (1990? - c. 2019) Philippe Brechot (c. 2019 - present) |
| Products | Rum, vodka, medicinal alcohol |
| Revenue | $114.24 M USD(July 2011 |
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Number of employees
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400, over 600 on payroll |
Destilería Serrallés is a company in Ponce, Puerto Rico, that makes rum. It is famous for its Don Q rum brand. This company is Puerto Rico's oldest family-owned business. It earns over 100 million dollars each year. In 2011, it added over $300 million to Puerto Rico's economy. This money came from selling its rums only in the United States.
Contents
How the Company Started
The story of Destilería Serrallés is linked to the Serrallés family. This family came from Catalonia, Spain, in the 1830s. They became very good at growing and processing cane sugar. They sold this sugar to countries like the United States, the United Kingdom, and France.
Their sugar cane farm, called "Hacienda Mercedita", grew very large. It became like a small town with its own rail line. It also had homes for workers, a transport fleet, and a store. Later, it even had a private airport, which is now Mercedita Airport in Ponce. Today, they still make rum from sugar cane molasses. This happens at the same Serrallés distilling factory that has been used for over 100 years.
The Mercedita Farm
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In 1865, the family opened a rum factory at their farm. They named the farm "Hacienda Mercedita" to honor Mercedes Perez, the family's mother. In that year, Juan Serralles Colon bought a special machine called a still from France. This machine helped him make his first barrels of rum. He became one of the most successful rum sellers in Puerto Rico.
The Don Q Brand
The Serrallés company made several local rum brands. Most of them did not last long. The family saw that other rum makers on the island were doing well. So, they decided to create a new, special brand to sell outside Puerto Rico.
The Ron Don Q brand started in 1932. It quickly became popular with people in Puerto Rico. Many thought it tasted smoother than rival brands like Bacardi. Also, Bacardi was seen as a foreign brand at the time. By the 1960s, Ron Don Q was sold in most big supermarkets in Puerto Rico. Besides rum, the factory also makes medicinal alcohol, vodka, and a drink called Don Juan.
Buying Other Companies
In 1985, Serrallés, Inc. bought another company called Puerto Rico Distillers, Inc. This was a big step for the company. This purchase helped Serrallés grow much faster. It added more products like Palo Viejo, Ron Llave, and Granado to their list. This also doubled the company's sales.
Serrallés also bought the right to make and sell "Ronrico" and "Captain Morgan" rums. They could sell these in Puerto Rico and the rest of the Caribbean. Captain Morgan rum is one of the biggest selling rums in the world. Because of these deals, Serrallés, Inc. more than doubled its sales.
Where Don Q is Sold
The company's main product, Ron Don Q, is sold in many places. These include the United States, Mexico, the Virgin Islands, and Spain. Serrallés USA is the company that sells Don Q in the United States. Its office is in Stamford, Connecticut.
Who They Compete With
Ron Don Q is the top-selling rum in Puerto Rico. It sells more than Bacardi and Captain Morgan. The Captain Morgan rum brand is owned by a company called Diageo. However, Destilería Serrallés used to make it in a different factory in Puerto Rico. Recently, Diageo decided to move its Captain Morgan production. They now make it in the U.S. Virgin Islands instead of with Serrallés.
Awards and Recognition
Destilería Serrallés has won several awards. They received the Green Award from The Drinks Business magazine. This was for using renewable energy in their factories. Serrallés also won the World Class Distillery 2019 prize from the World Spirit Awards.
Advertising and Sponsorships
Ron Don Q has done many advertising campaigns. Their TV ads have been on Puerto Rican channels for many years. The brand has also sponsored local sports teams. These include the baseball team Leones de Ponce. They also sponsor the basketball team, the basketball Leones. The Serrallés company also sponsors the "Copa Serralles" boat race. Ron Don Q is advertised a lot at this event. Don Q rum has also appeared in some movies. You can find small sample bottles of Don Q rum in stores. Experts at Proof66.com say Don Q Añejo is among the top 10% of all rums.
The Company Today
The current president and CEO of the company is Philippe Brechot. Today, the company makes over 60% of all the rum sold in Puerto Rico. In 1998, Serrallés, Inc. sold over $100 million worth of products. The company has grown into a large business. It makes and sells over 80 different products around the world.
Since 2000, the Grupo Serralles, which includes the distillery, also owns the Ponce Hilton & Casino. It is one of America's 100 oldest family-owned businesses.
See also
In Spanish: Destilería Serrallés para niños
- Juan Serralles
- Castillo Serrallés
- Don Q
- Ponce, Puerto Rico
