4 minute read
Sweet, sweet music: 8 Track Rum
SWEET, SWEET MUSIC
8Track rum was born in Charlestown during the pandemic, and hopes to lift spirits after challenging times
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It takes its name from the iconic recording kit used by so many musical artists, and 8Track Spiced Rum is as perfectly composed as any fine tune. The brainchild of Jeremy Mitchell and Matt Franks, it was conceived in Charlestown in 2020 and launched in May this year. Based on rum imported from Guyana, it offers a refreshing balance of citrus and spice, ideal drunk long over ice in the summer, or warming and mellow for winter.
The former marketing manager at St Austell Brewery, Jeremy left the company in July 2020 with his heart set on a new challenge. “I’d always loved the drinks and hospitality sector, and had a real yearning to create a brand from scratch,” he confides. “Now I had the opportunity to do just that. Rum was my number one spirit of choice, because there’s so much variety and quality of produce.
“Looking at the market, I think it’s about to take off the way gin has in recent years. Where gin takes a base vodka and adds botanicals to create spirits, spiced rum takes a base rum and adds herbs, spices and botanicals to create something unique and exciting.”
Jeremy and Matt were introduced by mutual friends who identified a shared ambition. Matt heads up ethical merchandising firm Fluid Branding and, having chewed the fat over a few drinks at the Pier House in Charlestown, the pair had the bones of something that might grow into a business.
Much of the subsequent lockdown was spent in Zoom meetings and online research. The LinkedIn community was generous in offering help and advice, from where to source the best base rum to testing flavour mixes; and with 16 years of experience in the trade, across beer, spirits and wines, Jeremy was able to draw upon an enviable contacts list.
“It helped me understand how the market works and what the customer wants,” he concurs. “However, coming from a company with lots of people around you who are experts in individual things, you have to do everything and think through all the links that have to happen. I now understand things like alcohol duty, cashflow and the logistics of moving products around. This whole process has been really exciting and stretched my knowledge and experience. It makes me admire anyone who starts up a business.”
The branding needed to stand out in such a crowded drinks market. “We wanted an identity that would jump off the shelf. Kingdom and Sparrow in Falmouth got what we were trying to achieve: something that spoke of a spiced rum that was high quality but easy drinking, and that exuded joy and togetherness on the back of Covid and tough times.”
8Track was launched in May, and having firmly established itself in its home PL25 postcode, it’s now on sale in 170 bars, pubs and restaurants around the county and beyond, including the Longstore in Charlestown, The Old Bakery in Truro and Bristol Beer Factory.
Jeremy’s two sons are members of Cornish rock band The Velvet Hands, who have supported the likes of Paul Weller and Liam Gallagher on Cornwall tour dates. So many musicians and artists saw their work dry up during lockdown – self-employed, they didn’t qualify for furlough, and one government-backed campaign was widely panned for implying that those in the sector should consider retraining in cybertechnology. In contrast, Jeremy and Matt have pledged to donate a percentage of profits to the PRS Foundation, a charity funding new music and talent development.
8Track is just the first product to come out of the parent company, Upbeat Spirits. The duo has ambitions to produce many more, hopefully working with Cornish ingredients and distillers. “While there are a lot of ‘me toos’ out there, there’s always room for good products that have something different to say,” says Jeremy.
He adds: “Without wishing to diminish the changes that have happened, times of hardship and enforced change can offer a chance to pause and reset, think about what you really want to get out of life and what you can offer.” l www.8trackrum.com
