DDL’s Demerara Rum achieves major milestone with EU Registration

Aug 16, 2021 News

…Latest branding to enable greater demand, int’l recognition – Greenidge

Kaieteur News – Demerara Distillers Limited (DDL) and Subsidiaries disclosed yesterday in its 2021 interim report that in the period under review, it made significant progress to protect the Demerara Rum brand via an application for Geographical Indication (GI) in the European Union.
Geographical Indications protect products against misuse or imitation of the registered name and guarantee the true origin of the product to customers. These rules ensure producers in the given geographical area have collective rights over the product, as long as certain requirements are met.

Former Foreign Affairs Minister, Carl Greenidge

DDL’s Head, Komal Samaroo

According to DDL, the Demerara Rum GI application was officially published on April 8, 2021 and upon expiration of a three-months period for any opposition, it has now progressed within the European Union(EU), in that, it will be translated into the various languages of EU countries.
DDL also noted in its report that following the publication of the Demerara Rum Technical Specifications in the EU Official Journal in the coming months, the rum will be added to the list of protected GIs in the EU.
The company’s Chairman, Mr. Komal Samaroo, was keen to note in his report, that this is a major development for the company given its drive to optimize the premium value of the Demerara Rums. He said, “EU registration of the Demerara Rum GI will be Guyana’s first GI registration in the EU, as well as the Caribbean’s first GI rum registration in the EU. It is anticipated that, in the future, Demerara Rum will join well known spirits categories like Cognac, Scotich Whiskey and Tequila to benefit from the protection offered by GI regulations in the EU.”
Former Foreign Affairs Minister and Advisor on Borders to the PPP/C Government, Carl Greenidge, also lauded the major achievement by DDL by way of a letter to this publication. Greenidge said it was on August 4, 2021, that the Demerara Rum joined a select group of products that enjoy special treatment in international trade. Greenidge said the rum was entered on the European Union’s register of Geographical Indications (by means of Commission Implementing Regulation 2021/1291 of 28 July, 2021) while adding that the electronic versions of the Regulation itself and the Official Journal should be available on the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website shortly.
Expounding on the importance of the registration, Greenidge articulated that it will put this rum in the same category as champagne from France, Tequila from Mexico and Gruyère cheese from Switzerland. He said too, “With that distinction will come a de facto international endorsement of the product’s quality and standing, so that customers will also be able to be assured about its genuineness.”
He added, “In this era of counterfeits and fakes such endorsement, is a kind of assurance that the produce so designated has benefited from being produced in this specific location, Demerara, with whatever uniqueness its environment – mud, soils, sun and water – endow.”
The former Minister asserted that this dimension of branding should also inform and attract customers, generate greater demand for the product and enable DDL to command a premium by way of price. He said too, that more buoyant demand for the product and improved income for the company should also follow thereby benefiting DDL employees, cane farmers, and Guyana as a whole.
Greenidge said, “I think congratulations are therefore due all around for this achievement especially to DDL’s management for embracing the initiative and sticking with it over the years in the face of lethargy and indifference in very surprising places and of course, resistance from competitors. In that regard, Mr. Komal Samaroo, in particular, should be mentioned. Mr. Samaroo, who inherited the assignment from Mr. Yesu Persaud, his predecessor, has persisted with this endeavour with considerable energy and conviction not to mention, great calmness.”
He added, “Many Guyanese stand to benefit directly and indirectly from this work initiated several years ago, when I was the Senior Director at the CARICOM Regional Negotiating Machinery (CRNM), at Guyana’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) and subsequently taken up and supported by the European Commission. Such support is, I might add, provided for in the CARIFORUM Economic Partnership Agreement (EPA).”
The former Minister noted that the success of the other interested Guyanese producers will depend on their commitment, skills and the nation’s regulative agencies such as, the Guyana Bureau of Standards.
Speaking to the history of the measurable achievement, Greenidge said DDL attained this happy point after years of endeavour. In pursuit of this goal of branding highly desired but often unsung characteristics of certain products originating in Guyana, he said a number of other entities, including the Guyana Sugar Corporation and the Ministry of Agriculture, joined the Foreign Affairs Ministry in the exercise. He stressed that there has been much energy devoted to raising local awareness and expertise. “Readers will recall that in early December 2016, for example, a conference was convened in Georgetown to disseminate information on Geographical Indications (GIs), the title under which this matter is known. Again, in the first week of Sept 2019, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs with Inter-American Development Bank funding convened in Guyana the most recent workshop on GIs…”
In pursuing GIs, Greenidge said the Foreign Affairs Ministry had relied on the energy of its Mission in Brussels, as such, special mention should be made of Guyana’s former Ambassador to Belgium, Dr. P.I Gomes, outgoing Ambassador David Hales and their officers particularly, Senior Foreign Service Officer, Ms Bevon Mac Donald.
Finally, and most importantly, Greenidge said Mr. Bernard O’Connor, Senior Counsel (Ireland) and Resident Partner of Nctm Brussels, played a pivotal role in the exercise in general and that of DDL in particular. Greenidge said the firm has helped to prepare the case for consideration by the Africa Caribbean Pacific (ACP) – European Union (EU) and has worked with locals, to train the relevant officials and to raise public awareness.
In addition to the preparation of technical material and advice, Greenidge said, “Prof O’Connor has constantly encouraged us, reminded us of deadlines, cajoled and even pleaded with us to ensure that the Government of Guyana and its agencies did what was necessary and did so in the timely manner needed. DDL itself funded the firm’s work on rum during which exercise Prof O’Connor S.C, displayed the same energy, enthusiasm and support.”
In conclusion, Greenidge said, “It remains for the other interested enterprises in the private sector including sugar, molasses and coffee to pursue with conviction, skill and commitment at least equally that of the rum industry, in order to enjoy the benefits open to this select band of producers associated with GI products.”