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“We have never forgotten the incredible kindness of the Bahamian people and the important role they played in the history of our company,” said Facundo L. Bacardi, Chairman of family-owned Bacardi Limited. “We hope in a small way to contribute to the rebuilding of this great country in the face of this tragedy just as The Bahamas helped Bacardi rebuild nearly 60 years ago.”

While Bacardi no longer has facilities in The Bahamas, the company’s donation is testament to its longstanding relationship to the Bahamian people and the islands, where the company produced its iconic rum for nearly 50 years and was a vital member of the business community, working hard to make The Bahamas a better place to live and work. Still today, many Bacardi family members have roots in the islands.

The catastrophic destruction caused by Hurricane Dorian strikes particularly close to Bacardi. Puerto Rico, which was impacted on such tragic scale by Hurricane Maria in 2017, is home to the BACARDÍ rum distillery, the largest premium rum distillery in the world, and the company has been deeply involved in the community and its recovery over the last two years.

Corporate responsibility has always been a priority for Bacardi. Company founder and BACARDÍ rum creator Don Facundo Bacardí Massó began this tradition in 1862 when he volunteered as the chief organizer of disaster relief in his hometown of Santiago de Cuba after a horrific earthquake. Since then, the Bacardí family and company have continued to build upon his commitment to assist in times of catastrophic natural disasters.