LOUISVILLE, KY (March 26, 2020) — 375 Park Avenue Spirits, an independent yet fully integrated sales division of Sazerac Company, is expanding its portfolio with Novo Fogo Brazilian Cachaça products effective May 1, 2020. Under this agreement, 375 Park Avenue Spirits and Sazerac Company will assume responsibility for all sales, distribution, importation, and operational logistics in the USA and will support the brand’s marketing efforts.
“Novo Fogo entered the market 10 years ago and has taken it by storm,” said Jason Schladenhauffen, president and CEO of 375 Park Avenue Spirits. “It’s produced at a zero-waste, carbon-negative, 100% organic-certified distillery and the commitment of its leadership to their employees, their families, and the community where it is distilled is unparalleled. We’re excited to build on the success that the team has already had and feel that consumers who are looking for authenticity and environmental stewardship in the brands they support will be quick to embrace this brand.
“Cachaça is a spirit that many Americans aren’t yet familiar with, despite being considered ‘rum’s older Brazilian cousin,’” Schladenhauffen continued. “But the versatility of this spirit and the existing expressions and RTD (ready to drink) products that the brand has already brought to market will continue to grow in popularity as Americans learn more about it. We’re ready to hit the ground running and grow the whole category of cachaça with this award-winning brand.”
Novo Fogo founders Dragos Axinte and Emily LaCroix-Axinte partnered with Agroecológica Marumbi Ltda, an organic distillery in Morretes, Brazil, in the Atlantic Forest, initially launching two cachaça expressions on the U.S. West Coast. Over the years, as the brand has grown, so has its commitment to environmental sustainability.
“We believe in taking care of our neighbors – humans, plants, and animals,” the Axinte’s said. “Novo Fogo seeks to set an example that you can do well by doing right and prove that necessity is truly the mother of all innovation. With 375 Park Avenue Spirits taking the helm for sales and distribution, we will retain our independence and have the space to further develop our strengths in product innovation, brand advocacy, and environmental stewardship.”
The full portfolio of Novo Fogo products will be available, including the brand’s core expressions (Silver, Chameleon, and Barrel-Aged Cachaça), the Two-Wood cachaças (Tanager, Colibri, and Graciosa), as well as the extensive single-barrel program, all in 750 mL and 50 mL formats. The portfolio also includes easy to drink items such as the Caipirinha Kit (750 mL), single-serve Cocktail Kits (50 mL), and Sparkling Caipirinha canned cocktails in Lime, Passionfruit Lime, and Mango Lime variants (200 ml).
About 375 Park Avenue Spirits
375 Park Avenue Spirits specializes in superior brands from around the world that drive innovation within their category. It was founded in 1981 as Luctor International, LLC and in early 2015, became an independent subsidiary yet fully integrated sales company inside the Sazerac Company.
The 375 Park Avenue Spirits portfolio spans the premium- to luxury-spirit categories and includes numerous expressions from leading international producers: Van Gogh Vodka and Gin from Holland; Tap Whisky from Canada; Dictador Rum from Colombia; Saint James Rhum from Martinique; Antica Sambuca, Limoncello Rossi D’Asiago and Dolce Nero from Italy; Saint-Vivant and Castarède Armagnac from France; Yeni Raki and Tekirdag Rakisi from Turkey; Scapegrace Gin from New Zealand; and Paul John Single Malt Whisky from India.
375 Park Avenue Spirits also represents the International Beverage Holdings Ltd. spirit portfolio including single malt whiskies Speyburn, Old Pulteney, Balblair, and anCnoc as well as Hankey Bannister blended Scotch and Caorunn Gin from Scotland. On the Pacific side, the alliance includes Phraya Rum and Mekhong – an iconic brand and a household name in South East Asia.
In 2018, 375 Park Avenue Spirits signed multiple agreements to act as the U.S. representative for J.P. Wiser’s Canadian whisky and Lamb’s® rum by Corby Spirit and Wine Limited; Ballantine’s, Passport, and Something Special whiskies from Scotland by Chivas Brothers Ltd.; Becherovka Herbal Liqueur from the Czech Republic by Jan Becher; Cachaça Janeiro from Brazil by Pernod-Brasil; Soho Lychee Liqueur from France by Pernod SAS; and Minttu Peppermint Liqueur from Finland by Pernod Finland.
By aligning with brands that embrace the values and vision of 375 Park Avenue Spirits, the company has created an environment of growth for supplier partners in the domestic market.
About Sazerac
Sazerac is one of America’s oldest family owned, privately held distillers with operations in the United States in Louisiana, Kentucky, Indiana, Virginia, Tennessee, Maine, New Hampshire, South Carolina, Maryland, California, and global operations in the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, India, Australia and Canada. For more information on Sazerac, please visit www.sazerac.com.
About Novo Fogo
Novo Fogo owns and operates a 100% organic cachaça distillery, sugarcane plantation, and spirits brand. The distillery is located in a rainforest town in Brazil named Morretes, in the state of Paraná. The carbon-negative, zero-waste business mirrors its sustainability mindset at the destination through health and wellness programs for bartenders and consumers in the USA, Canada, Western Europe, and the Philippines. The diverse spirits in the Novo Fogo line range in retail price from USD $30 to $300 and also extend into single-serving canned cocktails and cocktail kits ($2.99 to $4.99); all products are based on the same quality liquids and consistent branding. Novo Fogo seeks to build a business that can last 100 years, so it is making investments in its communities at both the origin and destination. Novo Fogo’s legacy reforestation project, The Un-Endangered Forest, seeks to remove 30 different native Brazilian trees from the list of threatened species and highlights the company’s leadership in distilled spirits sustainability.