Rum revolution comes to Sheffield
With a rumoured backing by the Bacardi Company, Inventive Leisure launched its first Cuban-themed rum bar on April Fool’s Day. It was no joke. Inventive Leisure, which has built a chain of 64 Revolution vodka bars across the country since opening its first outlet in Manchester in 1996, is now branching out into rum because they believe that Revolucion de Cuba, as the bar is called, has the potential to see similar growth to the Revolution chain. Nevertheless, any further openings would depend on the success of the launch.
At Inventive Leisure they think that rum has become fashionable again, particularly in the student and young professionals market, with cocktails like the Mojito, Cuba Libre and Caipirinha.
That confidence seems to be backed by drinks company Bacardi, which last year introduced two ready-made cocktails to be sold into the on-premise sector, called Bacardi Mojito (5.4% ABV) and Bacardi Cuba Libre (5% ABV).
At Revolucion de Cuba, where they serve more than 50 rums from the Caribbean and Latin America plus their own home made party shots ‘Rum Pinches’ which is rum infused with spices and fruits, cocktails will be mixed on site and accompanied by South-American type food.
Inventive has a ‘vodka factory’ in Manchester where it adds more than 30 flavours to vodka, including strawberry, chocolate and chilli. That’s probably where they flavour their rums too.
Inventive Leisure is a GBP 100 million-turnover business, employing 2,000 staff, it was reported.
It was founded in 1991 by CEOs Roy Ellis and Neil Macleod. In 1996 they moved away from the previously unbranded bars and clubs to start the Revolution chain, with vodka as the principal concept.
In 2000, the company floated on the Alternative Investment Market, at that time having 21 bars. It was bought out in 2006 by private equity outfit Alchemy Partners in a deal which valued the company at GBP 42.5 million.
