Drink rum, fight slavery with Equiano Rum

To mark International Day for the Abolition of Slavery, Equiano Rum has partnered 17 Singapore bars to raise funds in support of anti-slavery work.

Rum today may bring plenty of joy to those who drink it, but its origins are sadly closely associated with that of slavery. For a large part of history slaves from Africa were brought to the Caribbean, forced to work on sugarcane plantations where the resultant molasses are turned into rum. In turn this rum was used to purchase even more slaves, further perpetuating the slave trade.

While too many rum brands look to sweep that sad fact under the dusty carpet of history, at least one prefers to do the right thing. Equiano Rum started The Equiano Rum Co. Foundation to help combat modern slavery, and the company gives a portion of its profits in support of freedom and equality projects.

And to mark International Day for the Abolition of Slavery on 2 December, Equiano Rum has rounded up 25 bars globally, each of which have pledged to raise funds in aid of The Equiano Rum Co. Foundation’s movement against slavery. Between 22 November and 6 December 2021, a S$1 from each pour of Equiano Rum served neat or in a cocktail at the participating bars will be donated to Anti-Slavery International – the oldest human rights organisation in the world that works to eliminate all forms of modern slavery across the globe.

What’s particularly heartening to note is that 17 of those 25 bars are Singapore-based. They are:

• 1880
• Beats Bites & Cocktails
• Cafe & Bar Gavroche
• Flow Bar
• Fung Kee Hotdogs
• Heart of Darkness
• Lime House
• Low Tide
• Sago House
• Spiffy Dapper
• Taylor Adam
• The Bar at 15 Stamford
• The ExciseMan
• The Guild
• The Single Cask
• Tippling Club
• *one bar has requested to be anonymous

These participating Singapore bars will fundraise alongside London’s Duchess of Dalston and Crossroads, as well as Allegory, The Game, Tiki on 18th, De Rhum Spot, and Qui Qui in the United State of America.

“Philanthropy is at the heart of our business. The quarterly grants from the Foundation have gone to tackle important causes such as bonded labour in Nepal and Vietnamese child trafficking across Europe,” says Ian Burrell, co-founder of The Equiano Rum Co. and co-creator of Equiano Rum. “We are proud to be a part of the iconic and vibrant bar scene in Singapore and feel encouraged by the strong support.”

“Singapore has a world-renowned cocktail scene. We have twelve of Asia’s 50 Best Bars and four named as World’s Best in the city state,” shares Mr Matthew Fergusson-Stewart, Managing Director, SPUN Spirits, the exclusive distributor of Equiano Rum in Singapore. “To be leading this philanthropic campaign during times of COVID-19 goes to show the level of maturity bars in Singapore have.”

Be sure to check in at those participating bars from now till 6 December (till end-December for The Bar at 15 Stamford and Beats Bites & Cocktails) for some Equiano Rum, be it neat, on the rocks, or in a cocktail.

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