A Journey Through the History of Malibu Rum & Its Rise to Popularity

Liqueur sales are up again because of the pandemic-sparked at-home cocktail fad. Malibu Rum, a category pioneer, does well. Malibu is summer’s invigorating flavour, encouraging spontaneity and enjoyment. Now let’s have a look at this brand to try and get to know more about it.

An insight into the background of Malibu:

During a trip to South Africa in the late 1970s, three British men who worked for different alcohol businesses found Malibu when they came across a drink with a coconut flavour. It “tasted like summer in a bottle,” and they were thrilled about it. It was dubbed Malibu, and it was quickly being pushed worldwide, having seen a commercial potential. Due to its reduced alcohol content, it was first marketed as a liqueur, which offered it a significant advantage since television advertising for liqueurs was permitted but not for hard spirits at the time.

Malibu, originally Coco Rico, gained popularity in 1978 with its distinctive flavour and summer-inspired bottle. Its 1980 premiere marked an icon, inspiring carefree lifestyles and the introduction of the iconic white bottle.

More than 40 years later, Malibu is now regarded as one of the top flavoured spirits globally. Furthermore, Malibu’s famous tagline, “It comes from paradise and tastes like heaven,” is still relevant today.

Where is Malibu produced?

The West Indies Rum Distillery, located on a Barbados beach, manufactured the white rum used in Malibu for many years. Malibu is now mainly blended and manufactured in Canada, with some manufacturing also taking place in the US and Spain. This makes distributing Malibu as efficiently as possible across the globe simpler.

What kind of stuff is Malibu made of?

White rum and several flavours are combined to create the liqueur Malibu. The sweet syrup produced during the refinement of sugarcane is used to make white rum (usually known as molasses). Global suppliers of ingredients are used to create the tastes. 

The Liqueurs Brand Champion is Malibu

Spirits Business declared Malibu 2020’s Liqueur Brand Champion, citing a “stellar performance.” With a 14.3% sales rise, the Pernod Ricard-owned liqueur broke beyond the four million case milestone, selling 4.4 million cases in 2020 to rank second in terms of liqueur sales after Baileys. The company credited its success to a 2019 makeover and its “spirit of summer” branding, uplifting customers’ spirits during COVID-19.

Interesting facts about Malibu

• There’s a rumour that Malibu was designed to produce the ideal Piña Colada.
• More than ninety simple recipes for Malibu cocktails are available.
• Malibu, also highly popular in Australia, is best served plain with cola, lemon-lime soda, or just soda water.
• In the 1970s, a painter whose duty was to spray paint refrigerators would spray white paint on the bottles.
• Malibu may be consumed straight as a shot or combined with pineapple, mango, orange, or banana juice for a more tropical flavour.

Malibu is loved and consumed internationally. It has become one of the world’s most delectable spirits thanks to cutting-edge marketing and quality. Malibu, one of the world’s most delicious spirits, has become a symbol of warm-weather leisure with its white bottle and laid-back tropical feel.