Discover how Barti Rum’s unique recipe has grown from one man’s vision to national success
It all started in 2017 as a passion project of Jonathan Williams,” begins Fran Barnikel, Managing Director of Barti Rum. “Jonathan is an eccentric entrepreneur, and I was working for his other business, the Pembrokeshire Beach Food Company, when I remember him bounding into the office as he often would, with an idea to create a spiced rum.
“I thought it was a crazy idea, and I told him not to involve me in the rum business. So, Jonathan went off to explore different recipes and ingredients for about six months. Inevitably, the rum had to include seaweed; seaweed had played an integral part in Jonathan’s career as a chef and this key ingredient had led to him winning lots of awards.
“I’ve always been a rum girl,” she laughs, “and as soon as I tried the seaweed rum recipe, I knew it was going to be a hit, especially being right at the peak of the UK’s gin trend. Jonathan launched the rum as his side project, but as business got busier, he wanted someone to help with the execution and often asked me to help. Before I knew it, I ended up working for the rum business for free in my spare time for an entire year in exchange for a share of the business.
“This agreement could have gone horribly wrong, but I had faith in Jonathan as his ideas always seemed to take off. Sure enough, by the time 2018 rolled around, I found myself jumping ship from the seaweed business to work as the Managing Director of Barti Rum, by which time the rum had gained momentum, largely through word of mouth and recommendations.”
Unprecedented demand
The story of Barti Rum’s foundation is far from traditional, and is instead fueled by genuine passion, incredible hard work from all those involved, and a determination to succeed. Described as a ‘creamy vanilla backdrop for a dancing melody of classic spices, cinnamon, clove, and sweet citrus, married together by the subtle infusion of laver seaweed,’ Barti Rum has taken the UK by storm, particularly in local regions in and around Pembrokeshire.
“Initially backed by local people and tourists to Pembrokeshire, Barti Rum soon spiraled and became well known across the UK, especially with a range of bars and restaurants serving it,” Fran narrates. “Of course, 2020 happened, but the pandemic was actually a turning point for us, as lots of people were drinking at home and our online sales went through the roof.
“We got offered some supermarket deals early on, but we made the decision to keep growing and ensure the brand’s foundations were strong enough to support such expansion; we wanted the rum to be very visible and in lots of hospitality outlets before it landed in the supermarket. Eight weeks ago, however, we successfully launched Barti Rum in Tesco stores across Wales, and the rum is stocked at somewhere between 400 and 500 independent retailers, bars, and restaurants throughout the UK.”
The brand’s conscious decision to focus on one variety with undivided marketing attention paid off; that is, until Jonathan had another somewhat crazy idea. “Although we do some product collaborations like coffee and chocolate with other local companies, we followed the route of having a single product offering until last Christmas, when we decided to create a limited-edition cream liqueur,” Fran shares.
Barti Rum’s cream liqueur uses a coconut product, meaning it is plant-based and therefore available to a wider audience, and the product has recently won not one, not two, but seven World Drinks Awards. “We knew it was going to be a success, and we forecasted how many bottles we might need, but I can categorically say it was not enough – we sold out immediately and the scarcity created a buzz like no other marketing campaign I’ve come across,” Fran reveals. “We had to limit people’s orders and customers were taking bottles out of our hands as we delivered to local outlets. 
“We thought the buzz would die down after Christmas, but we had a huge list of pre-orders even in January. Having researched the trend of cream liqueurs becoming more popular and given the demand, we decided to keep the cream liqueur as a constant offering. Now, as we approach Christmas 2024, we’re stocking up to ensure we don’t fall into the cream liqueur drought we experienced last year.”
Seaweed solutions
Before we discuss the future, we’re keen to ask Fran about Jonathan’s latest venture, Blue Carbon. “The project is in its infancy, but Jonathan is working with various scientists on the concept of using seaweed as a carbon capturing tool,” Fran says. “It is a similar concept to trees being used to sequester carbon, but there are specific potential advantages like using less land and locking the carbon underwater. Once we’ve got scientific evidence, there’s an opportunity to create spaces within the sea to plant seaweed for the pure aim of capturing carbon.
“Although Barti Rum will be part of the Blue Carbon project, we also have our own sustainability initiatives. Our bottles are made using 50 percent recycled glass, our packaging is plastic free, and we use 100 percent biodegradable labels – even the adhesives we use do not contain microplastics. We’ve just received B Corp accreditation, which is super exciting and proves that we’re a business striving for environmental protection and social equality.”
With 2025 round the corner, our conversation ends by discussing what the new year will bring for Barti Rum. “We’re currently in the process of repurposing an old freezer trailer into a bar where we can serve Barti Rum cocktails at events and festivals,” Fran reveals. “Having just received B Corp status, we will also continue to drive our sustainability initiatives in 2025 and beyond.”
Under Fran’s leadership, Barti Rum is sure to continue growing across the UK, especially given its successful growth in just seven years. If you’re not already sold by the rum’s promise of spiced deliciousness, you can turn to page 26 to read our taste test review.