Grammy award-winning singer Ciara has partnered with Ten To One Rum to become an investor, co-owner, and director for the brand.
Created by Trinidadian-born CEO Marc Farrell, Ten To One Rum is a premium and award-winning blended rum from around the Caribbean.
The brand launched in 2019, and its current portfolio blends rums from all over the Caribbean, including Jamaica, Trinidad & Tobago, the Dominican Republic, and Barbados.
Ciara was introduced to Farrell by a mutual friend, and according to the press release, considered him a “kindred spirit” as an entrepreneur. The pair have been inspired by their shared values of community, optimism, and spontaneity to bring the rum to a larger audience.
“From my first sip of Ten To One, I was immediately transported,” said Ciara. “Not only is the product exceptional, but Marc has helped the brand establish a clear and authentic point of view. I knew immediately that I had to get involved!” Ciara added, “I couldn’t be more excited to help the brand build on its amazing foundation, and invite new audiences to rediscover their love for rum through Ten To One.”
The singer, dancer, and mother of three will be involved in amplifying the brand’s commitment to reshaping the conversation around rum. She also will be involved in marketing, business development, strategic partnerships, and other creative duties.
“To see how deeply our core values resonated with Ciara, I knew this was a natural partnership from day one,” said Farrell. “The central idea that we are stronger together than we are apart, which is so foundational to Ten To One and to Caribbean culture, is directly embodied by her collaborative spirit and unmatched energy, and we look forward to continuing to rewrite the rum narrative with Ciara as a part of our team.”
The brand currently features three expressions, including an extra-proof white rum, an aged dark rum, and a limited bottling of a 17-year, single cask Reserve, which sold out after being released in the fall of 2020.
The 2017 book, Rum Curious: The Indispensable Tasting Guide to the World’s Spirit, by Fred Minnick, dives deep into the context of the island specialty, including the fact that much of the sugarcane used to create it utilized the labor of enslaved Africans.
According to an article in Food & Wine, Minnick writes that enslaved people may have even developed the process of making rum: “Molasses could be sold and used as a sweetener too, but the fermented molasses was enjoyed by the slaves and by poor whites. At some point, somebody distilled this fermented molasses, and rum was born.”
Have you subscribed to theGrio’s new podcast “Dear Culture”? Download our newest episodes now!
TheGrio is now on Apple TV, Amazon Fire, and Roku. Download theGrio today!