For 20 years, Bacardi and Pernod Ricard are engaged in a legal battle in the United States over Havana Club, with both groups claiming ownership of the brand.
It all started in 1992. Patrick Ricard signed an agreement with Fidel Castro to market Havana Club rum internationally. This brand had been created in 1934 by the Arechabala family, which was forced into exile during the revolution.
From then on, the craze for Cuban rum with the mojito caused exports of cases of rum to take off = from 300,000 cases in 1993 to 4 million in 2014 ! And this despite the American embargo which has closed the doors to the world's largest market (40% of the world market with 18 million cases and 3.5 billion dollars).
To counter Pernod Ricard, Bacardi bought the rights and revenues of Havana Club from the Arechabala heirs and launched a legal offensive in 1993! Currently Bacardi is marketing a Havana Club rum on the American market but it is made in Puerto Rico!
In 1998, a law called the Bacardi Bill was passed preventing the registration in the United States of trademarks belonging to embargoed countries.
But the warming of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the United States has changed all that. Havana Club could soon be on the scene in the US as soon as the embargo ends.
A first sesame has been obtained = American tourists can leave Cuba with a bottle of Havana Club as a souvenir...
