Our Philosophy

At Stade’s Rum Distillery, we are grounded in tradition and guided by a spirit of exploration.

Responsibility, from the ground up

At Stade’s Rum Distillery, we are grounded in tradition and guided by a spirit of exploration.

Shaped by shared values and a close connection to the people around us, this approach begins with the land and carries through every stage of production.

We are committed to strengthening Barbados’ rum-making heritage while building for the future.

Thanks to our demonstrated commitment to sustainable sugarcane production, Stade’s Rum Distillery is the first distillery in the CARICOM region to earn BONSUCRO certification. Bonsucro’s Chain of Custody certification ensures social, environmental and ethical standards are met at every step of the production, sourcing and trading of sugarcane.

As a historic Barbadian distillery at the heart of the island’s rum heritage, we are focused on building a local, sustainable supply chain. This means restoring the quality of the soil and planting the sugarcane, coconut and yam crops that once defined local agriculture on our island. Kendal Farm is a major step in this direction.

Partners in progress

In order to grow sugarcane with the best aromatic qualities for our rums, we partner with the West Indies Central Sugar Cane Breeding Station (WICSBS) to research and develop sugarcane varieties adapted to the Barbadian terroir.

Together, we built the Harper Sugar Cane Mill in 2023 to support WISCBS research and to process selected varieties into fresh cane juice that helps define the flavour profile of Stade’s Rum Distillery expressions.

While we patiently wait for our coconut trees on Kendal Farm to reach maturity, we continue to support Barbadian farmers through sourcing and long-term agricultural projects. Stade’s Rum Distillery works hand-in-hand with several local growers to source the fresh coconuts that make our coconut rums so naturally delicious.

Always learning

Since day one, research and innovation have been the foundation of Stade’s Rum Distillery.

Our greatest treasure is the archive of historical documents that lie in our Distiller’s Vault; they tell of experiments going back over a century into fermentation techniques, still designs, ageing processes and blending secrets. This spirit of curiosity drives our teams today as they cultivate proprietary yeast strains in our Nursery and explore fermentation methods inspired by those old records.

For our distillation experts, it’s a dream come true to revive our collection of antique stills so they can craft Barbadian rum once again. Every hour of painstaking research, of trial-and-error testing, is worth it to continue this legacy of Barbados rum.

Continuous learning is what drove George Stade, and that thirst for knowledge got Stade’s Rum Distillery to the place it is today, the most important rum producer in Barbados.

That’s why we grow our own sugarcane at Kendal Farm, so we can learn the best ways to sustain our agricultural heritage and create the finest rums with locally grown ingredients.

A greener future for Barbados

Smart energy use is an essential part of Stade’s Rum Distillery present and future. We installed photovoltaic panels on our warehouse roofs that provide 20% of the distillery’s energy needs.

The next step is our ambitious sustainability project to transform organic production waste from our stills into renewable energy. Converting distillery vinasse into biogas gives us the capacity to produce enough green electricity to power 4,300 Barbadian homes, recover heat to generate steam for distillery operations, and improve soil fertility for over 1,500 hectares of land. Every measure we take brings us closer to our objective of total carbon neutrality by 2040.

A lighter packaging footprint

Packaging is one of the largest environmental challenges for the spirits industry.

By reducing the weight and volume of our packaging, we aim to lessen its impact.

Maison Ferrand developed the Ecopouch to deliver some of its most popular expressions to on-trade customers, including some Planteray rums. The 2.8 liter Ecopouch, which eliminates

over 110 tons of glass from production each year, earned the 2025 Adelphe Trophy for eco-responsible packaging,

Stade’s Rum Distillery’s bestselling Planteray XO 20th Anniversary Barbados rum is now packaged in lighter bottles that reduce their weight up to 30%, which reduce glass consumption and the environmental impact of transporting them to customers.

These innovations help us significantly reduce our environmental footprint while maintaining product quality.

Sharing knowledge

Stade’s Rum Distillery is part of the Maison Ferrand family, so we are fortunate to have homes in both France and Barbados.

We share our pride through Cultural Exchange Programs that give our team members the chance to explore the iconic landmarks, traditions, and cultures of each country.

Every year, a group from Stade’s Rum Distillery visits France for a week, while a team from Maison Ferrand’s sites in France travels to Barbados. Each group gets to experience their counterpart’s working environment and contribute their knowledge. Coopers from Cognac have trained our local Barbadian barrel makers in the techniques for restoring old casks – a skill once practiced in Barbados, but since forgotten. Over in France, our own fermentation specialists shared their expertise with the teams that craft Ferrand Cognac. Thanks to these personal and professional exchanges, we are always strengthening the bonds that connect us across the Atlantic.