MANILA, Philippines — Even as most businesses are reeling under the effect of the coronavirus pandemic, Filipino rum maker Tanduay’s growth continues on an upward trajectory.
Now headed by Lucio Tan III, the third-generation scion to one of the Philippines’ biggest conglomerates, Tanduay continues to successfully enter new international markets. Most recently, it inked deals with the largest US wines and spirits distributors, Johnson Brothers and General Beverage.
Tanduay is now available in Hawaii, Nevada, Wisconsin, Florida, New York, New Jersey, Illinois, California, Tennessee, Michigan and Guam. It is also available in China and Singapore, and will be available in Europe by the end of the year.
A software engineer, Tan’s direction for the 165-year-old Tanduay business is to bring it to more customers worldwide, making it available not just through traditional marketing and selling, but tapping into online channels as well.
“Even before the pandemic, we were already working on making Tanduay available through tech-driven channels. Last June, we launched an online selling site for our Filipino customers, shots.ph. In the US, we have partnered with Caskers and Flaviar, and we are also available through the online sites of our distributor-partners,” Tan, a graduate of Stanford University, said.
The company credits its international partnerships and aggressive marketing efforts for its domination of the international rum category.
For three years now, Tanduay has been declared the world’s number one rum by Drinks International magazine.
It has sold millions of cases worldwide, even outselling more popular international rum brands.
“When we market Tanduay internationally, we are also highlighting the craftsmanship of the Filipino. Tanduay is a product that we can proudly say is Philippine-made—from the sugarcane it uses to the unique distilling process it undergoes. These are all products of the Filipino’s hard work and ingenuity,” Tan said.