The Paris-based company has been battling with rum rival Bacardi over the Havana Club trademark in the States for over a decade.
After the US Supreme Court refused to review the decision of the Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia which had prevented the renewal of the Havana Club trademark registration in the US, Pernod Ricard announced the registration of the Havanista trademark.
Produced and bottled in Cuba, Havanista is a Cuban rum aimed at the US market, which will be launched if the embargo is lifted.
Jérôme Cottin-Bizonne, CEO of Havana Club International, the joint-venture between Pernod Ricard and Corporación Cuba Ron, said: “With Havanista, if the embargo is lifted, we will be happy to bring the unique quality and taste of Cuban rum to US consumers.”
According to Pernod Ricard, Havana Club sales have multiplied ten-fold during the past 18 years and should reach the 4 million cases milestone this year.
