Lacassine, LA (August 8, 2017) – Bayou® Rum, a Louisiana-made, handcrafted spirit, today announced breaking ground on a distillery expansion, adding a barrel library, an event space and an outdoor entertainment venue to its Visitor Center, which Drinks International named “Best Largescale Visitor Center” in its 2017 Distillery Experience Challenge. Valued at more than $6 million, the expansion is planned to open in the summer of 2018.

The barrel library will be part-storage, housing thousands of batches of the latest creations from Master Blender Reiniel Vicente Diaz and Master Distiller Jeff Murphy, and part-tasting area, where visitors will be able to sample Bayou rums and learn more from the team behind the award-winning range. The event space can hold up to 300 people and is being designed for corporate events, weddings and everything in between. It is connected to the outdoor venue, complete with a stage and dance floor for hosting top entertainment acts from around the gulf region or those traveling through.

“In 2016, the Bayou Rum distillery hosted more than 35,000 guests. This expansion will allow us to better cater to new and returning visitors and offers an indoor and outdoor area for events that locals can enjoy,” said Joe Reese, Bayou Rum’s managing director, who has been leading the undertaking. “While the barrel library certainly enriches the visitor experience, the benefit for our production team is more room for current batches and for future innovations we’ve got in the pipeline.”

The distillery, which also was deemed 2016 “Attraction of the Year” by the Louisiana Travel Promotion Association, is currently open Tuesday-Saturday from 9:30a.m.-5:30p.m. Tours include a short film on the inspiration for Bayou Rum, a gallery celebrating Louisiana’s historic role as a sugarcane producer, a guided walk through the distillery where visitors can see firsthand how the spirit is produced, a tasting bar, and the popular gift shop, which boasts Bayou branded gear and drinkware and merchandise from local artisans.

About Bayou® Rum

Bayou® Rum is handcrafted at its Lacassine distillery, using raw sugar from Louisiana sugarcane and the finest molasses to produce its signature sugarhouse recipe. The Bayou Rum family consists of four expressions – Bayou Silver, Bayou Spiced, Bayou Select aged rum, and Bayou Satsuma Rum Liqueur – that have been recognized more than a combined 100 times in tasting competitions. Learn more about Bayou Rum by visiting www.bayourum.com, or by following us on Facebook at facebook.com/bayourum, on Instagram at BayouRum, or on Twitter @BayouRum.

Amber Beverage Group Steps into tequila business

17 May 2018

September 2, 2016, Riga, Latvia. The largest alcohol manufacturer and distributor in the Baltics – Amber Beverage Group, a part of SPI Group, has acquired a significant equity stake in Fabrica de Tequilas Finos, a tequila brand owning and production facility based in the town of Tequila, Mexico.

Amber Beverage Group welcomed the partnership with Fabrica de Tequilas Finos and the opportunities it will offer us to expand distribution into the USA and South and Central America.

We possess over a century of experience in production and distribution of brands such as Moskovskaya® Vodka, Riga Black Balsam® bitters and many more. Amber Beverage Group has a strong and fast growing international business covering over 50 export markets operated from Riga, Latvia. Combining our expertise with a mastery of well-established Mexican tequila producers, we look forward to expand our portfolio of beverages in a new fast-growing category and establish even stronger global footprint.

The portfolio of Fabrica De Tequilas Finos consists of over 20 tequila brands including KAH, Don Camilo, Agave 99, Zapopan and Tonala tequilas.

Seymour Ferreira

CEO and Chairman of the Board

SPI Distribution (Latvia) changes its name to Amber Distribution Latvia

17 May 2018

Latvia’s largest alcoholic beverages wholesaler SPI Distribution (Latvia) has changed its name and from July will work under the name Amber Distribution Latvia.

According to Seymour Ferreira, Board Chairman of Amber Beverage Group, which is part of SPI Group, the new company name will reflect its affiliation with the leading wine and strong spirits beverage holding company in the Baltic countries Amber Beverage Group, and will strengthen the group’s unified corporate identity.

Amber Distribution Latvia is the largest alcoholic beverages wholesale company in Latvia, which distributes local brands produced and owned by Amber Beverage Group – such as Riga Black Balsam, Bonaparte, Riga Sparkling Wine, Moka, and world famous brands – Stolichnaya®, Moskovskaya, Remy Martin, Grant’s, Tullamore Dew, Metaxa, Jim Beam, Jagermeister, Zeljonaja Marka, Bosca, Concha Y Toro, KWV and others. The company also represents beer brands Amstel, Desperados, Latgales alus, Miķeļa alus, as well as non-alcoholic beverage brands – Red Bull, Vittel, Perrier, Pepsi and the coffee Cortese.

Amber Distribution Latvia represents a wine portfolio in Latvia of more than 450 various wines, representing 45 producers from the whole world.

The company has more than 20 years of sales and marketing experience on the Latvian market. In 2007, the company was incorporated into the SPI Group and since October 2014 is part of the Amber Beverage Group holding company.

Amber Distribution Latvia (formerly SPI Distribution (Latvia)) had gross turnover in 2014 of more than EUR 87.5 million. The company has 150 employees.

Third Latvijas Balzams Concept Store Opened In Riga’s Old Town

17 May 2018

In Riga’s Old Town, at Audēju St. 8., the third new concept and design Latvijas balzams shop (part of the LB veikali shop network) was opened, offering a modern and comfortable shopping environment. Since last year Latvijas balzams veikali have invested EUR 180 000 in modernizing the network of shops.

To date, in the renovated LB shops that were opened in November last year and in March of this year, the average purchase has grown by 15%. This is evidence that guests in the city as well as local residents appreciate the new design, the modern environment and the wide assortment. By year’s end, it is planned to open an additional two Latvijas balzams shops, investing a total of around half a million euro.

A wider selection of products are available in the renovated LB shops and in addition to alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages, Latvian souvenirs and sweets are on offer. The new shop solution will also please coffee lovers, offering hot coffee to take away and a “tasting corner” will operate at certain times, offering tastings of the shop’s new products.

JSC Latvijas Balzams Marks 115th Birthday With New Logo

17 May 2018

JSC Latvijas balzams, oart of the Aber Beverage Group, marks its 115th birthday with a logo change.

Today the new logo, with a brighter and more contemporary appearance, was mounted on the production building in Riga, at 160 A. Čaka Street, reaffirming the old truth that what changes is also lasting.

As LB board chairman Guntis Āboltiņš-Āboliņš points out, the richer in traditions and older a company is, the more responsibility is placed on the company management and employees: “Our task is not only to hold a high standard of quality in producing historic brands already known in the world such as Allažu ķimelis, Riga Black Balsam, and Stolichnaya® Vodka, but also to develop as a modern producer. That means looking for the most efficient solutions for producing smartly, at high capacity and in accordance with international demand.”

In April this year, 115 years will have passed since the Riga State Spirits Warehouse No.1 (now Latvijas balzams) started work to supply the state alcohol monopoly that had been implemented in the Vidzeme province. April 30, 1900 is regarded as the birthday of the company, when receipt of the first shipment of rectified spirits at the warehouse was documented.

According to historical archives, by November 1903 there were 204 workers working at the company. Today, AS Latvijas balzams employs 600 employees at two manufacturing facilities, 160 A. Čaka Street and 7 A. Briāna Street in Riga.

The new visual identity is compatible with the change in design of Latvijas balzams’ retail shops, which started last fall. The first to bear the new visual identity are two new design and concept LB stores in Riga’s Old Town, whose facades are decorated with the renewed logo.

SPI Group – Official Statement in Response to Dutch Court Judgement

17 May 2018

SPI Group, parent company of Stoli Group, is extremely disappointed in the ruling as we firmly believe it is not correct in light of the facts and the relevant law. We are examining all of our options with our lawyers and next steps.

The ruling is only for the BeNeLux market and so the decision affects a very small part of our overall global marketplace. SPI Group still owns the Stolichnaya and Moskovskaya trademarks in over 190 countries across the world, but not in Russia. The Stolichnaya sold within Russia is a different vodka, owned by an unrelated state-controlled entity called FKP.

The decision is the result of a long effort by the Russian government to confiscate the Stolichnaya trademarks, purchased legitimately by SPI from private shareholders and not from the state. The trouble between SPI and the Russian Federation started with an order from President Putin in 2000. Since that time, SPI has been in litigation all over the world to protect its claim.

While the Benelux judgement is a setback for the company, we have had recent successes in courts in other jurisdictions in respect of the same trademarks, such as Chile, Austria and the United States.

Amber Beverage Group to distribute Beam Suntory beverages in the Baltics

17 May 2018

Amber Beverage Group, the leading wine and spirits company in the Baltic countries and part of SPI Group, is expanding its partnership with Beam Suntory, the world’s third largest premium spirits company.

From March 2015, the Amber Beverage Group will distribute the portfolio of Beam Suntory in the Baltic countries, including brands such as Teacher’s, Laphroaig and Bowmore Scotch whiskies, Canadian Club whisky, Courvoisier cognac, Sauza tequila, Jim Beam and Maker’s Mark bourbons.

“Becoming ambassadors for and partners with one of the world’s leading spirits producers is a great honour and responsibility at the same time. Our partnership with Beam Suntory Inc. via our distributor companies in Latvia and Lithuania has already been active for several years and we are delighted to expand it from March, across all the Baltic States”, said Seymour Ferreira, CEO of Amber Beverage Group.

“By expanding this cooperation with Beam Suntory, we have taken a major step towards our development strategy in the Baltic region, adding powerful global brands to our range of international partners, which already includes William Grant, Concha y Toro and KWV,” Seymour Ferreira underlined.

The partnership with Beam Suntory will allow Amber Beverage Group, already known as the producer of the world-famous Stolichnaya® vodka and Moskovskaya® in Riga, to strengthen its leading position in the whiskey, cognac and tequila segments in the Baltic markets.

“We are looking forward to a mutual long-term cooperation with SPI Group to bring our business to the new level in Baltics. Strong cooperation will lead to growth for both companies,” said Torsten Helbig, VP EMEA Emerging Markets of Beam Suntory Inc.