Primed for Success Volume 3

Handcrafting A Local Specialty

The global beer industry is estimated to be worth US$250 billion, and this figure is expected to double by 2018. In Barbados, nearly two million cases of the lager are consumed annually. Simply put, beer is big business and one local brewery intends on cashing in on this prospect.

What began as an idea in 2009, eventually became Barbados’ first oak-aged and hand-crafted beer brand some three years later. “During the Speightstown ‘Jazz on The Beach’ Festival, whilst liming on the beach with the musicians, I had a thought about combining the rum heritage of Barbados with refreshing lager beer to produce a truly unique taste,” shared Chief Executive Officer Glyn Partridge. Taking its name from the 11 parishes of Barbados, 10 of which are named after Saints, the 10 Saints Brewery Limited was born. Besides the name, the distinctiveness of the 10 Saints beer is what makes it a truly appealing lager. “I wanted to build on the brand loyalty that already existed here for rum. The idea was to somehow work with the 300-year rum heritage, for which the Caribbean is known, and piggy back on that with a beer.” To achieve this, Glyn worked with a Professor of Brewing at the Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, Ian Herok, to create what he describes as a very subtle, genuine, and authentic product of aging beer in oak rum barrels. “After some time, we realised that we could really get the right taste, and of all the spirits, flavours and concoctions out there, rum really works well with beer.” The production of 10 Saints is a slow, complex and delicate one. The barrels used in the process were originally used to age bourbon in Kentucky, before being shipped to Barbados for ageing rum. With the gradual infusion of essences from the wood and beer, the result is a deep flavour and unique character that is synonymous with a hand-crafted brew. Even though the concept and development of 10 Saints was Glyn’s brainchild, he rallied the personnel he saw necessary to take the project from idea to invention.

“In addition to the Master Brewer from Heriot-Watt, I also collaborated with a number of local businesses. After all, this is what entrepreneurship is about, leveraging something very small into something bigger.” The music and drinks impresario also thinks it is important for entrepreneurs to think about their brand and the story behind it. “What you need with every product is a presentation that tells a tale and captivates the buyers, while building brand loyalty.” For 10 Saints, their customer base includes visitors to the island and a few locals who have the experience of traveling to various markets and experiencing different beer styles. “I think what we have started is a movement towards hand-crafted beer. I call it a movement because it is quite big overseas, which makes tourists the low- hanging fruit for our product, but it is beginning to grow in Barbados, especially among the young population.” Glyn does not believe that 10 Saints has many major competitors, because of the category the product is in. “I think we are the only brewery in the Caribbean that successfully sells at a super-premium price. No one else in the market fits our niche and that is what makes us attractive.” In terms of exporting, 10 Saints can be found in Antigua and Barbuda, Grenada, St. Vincent and the Grenadines, Canada, Germany, Italy, France, Poland and the United Kingdom. “We’ve been exporting for just over a year, but we are hoping to expand to even more Caribbean markets. We also recently launched in Canada, but we’re yet to break into the US which is a potentially huge market, but we cannot go there without financial support.”

Primed for Success / Vol. 3 / 2014-2015

www.carib-export.com

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