Bacardi
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| Private company | |
| Founded | Santiago de Cuba, Cuba (4 February 1862) |
| Founder | Don Facundo Bacardí Massó |
| Headquarters | Hamilton, Bermuda |
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Key people
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Facundo L. Bacardi, Chairman; Michael J. Dolan, CEO |
| Products | Bacardi rum, Grey Goose vodka, Dewar's Blended Scotch whisky, Bombay Sapphire gin, Martini & Rossi vermouth and Asti, Eristoff vodka, Cazadores blue agave tequila, Angel's Envy Bourbon |
| Revenue |
 US$ 5 billion (est. 2012) |
| Website | bacardilimited.com |
Bacardi Limited (English: /bəˈkɑːrdi/; Catalan: [bəkəɾˈði]; Spanish: [bakarˈði]) is the largest privately held, family-owned spirits company in the world. Originally known for its eponymous Bacardi white rum, it now has a portfolio of more than 200 brands and labels. Founded in 1862, and family-owned for seven generations, Bacardi employs 6,000 people, manufactures at 29 facilities in 16 markets on four continents, with sales in more than 150 countries. Bacardi Limited refers to the Bacardi group of companies, including Bacardi International Limited. The company sells in excess of 200 million bottles per year. The company's sales in 2007 were US$5.5 billion, up from $4.9 billion in 2006. In recent years sales have stagnated, with the company recording US$4.6 billion in 2014. It laid off 10% of its North American workforce in 2015.
Bacardi Limited is headquartered in Hamilton, Bermuda, and has a 16-member board of directors led by the original founder's great-great grandson, Facundo L. Bacardí. Along with other leading alcohol producers, Bacardi is part of a producers' commitments organization which aims to reduce harmful drinking.
Facundo Bacardí Massó, a Spanish wine merchant, was born in Sitges, Catalonia, Spain, in 1814, and emigrated to Cuba in 1830. During this period, rum was cheaply made and not considered a refined drink, and rarely sold in upmarket taverns. Facundo began attempting to "tame" rum by isolating a proprietary strain of yeast still used in Bacardi production. This yeast gives Bacardi rum its flavour profile. After experimenting with several techniques he hit upon filtering the rum through charcoal, which removed impurities. In addition to this, Facundo aged the rum in white oak barrels, which had the effect of mellowing the drink. The final product was the first clear, or "white" rum in the world.
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Wikipedia