Bacardi

Bacardi Limited began in Santiago de Cuba in 1862, when Facundo Bacardí i Massó registered a distillery that produced a charcoal-filtered rum smoother than the rough local spirits then on sale. The enterprise stayed in family hands through the Cuban revolution, the 1960 nationalization of its assets, and a relocation of production to Puerto Rico, Mexico and the Bahamas. Corporate headquarters now sit in Hamilton, Bermuda, and the board is chaired by Facundo L. Bacardí, the founder's great-great-grandson. The company is not publicly traded.

Its portfolio runs past 200 brands and labels sold in roughly 170 markets. The flagship Bacardí rum line includes Carta Blanca, Gold, Black, Añejo, Reserva Ocho and Gran Reserva Diez, along with flavored expressions and ready-to-drink cocktails. The wider group owns Grey Goose vodka, Bombay Sapphire gin, Dewar's Scotch, Martini vermouth and sparkling wine, Patrón tequila, Cazadores and St-Germain. Bacardí 151, the overproof rum, was withdrawn from most markets around 2016 as regulators pressed high-proof spirits.

Most Bacardí rum comes from the Cathedral of Rum distillery in Puerto Rico, which the company describes as the largest rum distillery in the world, with additional plants in Mexico and India. Group revenue is not disclosed but is generally estimated at $5 billion to $6 billion a year. The company employs more than 8,000 people. In September 2026 it opened a 100,000-square-foot North America office in Coral Gables, Florida, and in October it finalized a distribution agreement with Anora covering Sweden and Norway.

The bat logo, chosen for its association with good fortune, has marked the bottles since the nineteenth century. Marketing leans on music and nightlife: Casa BACARDÍ visitor experiences in Puerto Rico, a sponsorship of EDC Orlando, and seasonal campaigns such as the 2026 Halloween activations. The company also runs an annual cocktail program and reported a ranking of 32nd on the World's Top Companies for Women list in October 2026. [edit]