Overview: Agriculture Minister Dr Shantal Munro-Knight announced the opening of a world-class export packhouse within the next few weeks alongside the acquisition of Kendal Farm by Stade’s West Indies Rum Distillery. The event highlighted the French-owned maker’s commitment to Barbados’ agricultural heritage and resilience against climate challenges.
The Full Story
Barbados will open an export packhouse within the next few weeks to expand farmexport opportunities, Agriculture Minister Dr Shantal Munro-Knight announced on Friday at the acquisition of one of the island’s oldest plantations by a French-owned rum and gin-maker. The ceremony brought together government and agricultural leaders, business partners, international media and members of the distillery community.
Dr Munro-Knight said: “Along with Export Barbados, we will, within the next couple of weeks, [be] opening up a world-class export packhouse, opening up opportunities for Barbados to export.” The minister praised the Stade’s West Indies Rum Distillery’s decade-long commitment and its climate-resilient infrastructure, capable of withstanding major hurricanes. She stated: “What we have opened here this morning, and what we are celebrating, is a continuation of a Barbadian story about innovation and resilience. It is a story that brings to the fore the history of people, land, agricultural heritage, and innovation.”
Production & Profile
The project is part of the drinks maker’s pledge to invest in the economy, strengthen sourcing networks, and develop spirits rooted in the island’s soil. The site combines commercial farming, agricultural research, experimental agronomy, and traditional rum ageing at a single working site. Hassell highlighted accounts from Richard Ligon’s landmark 1657 history, which detailed early plantation life and sugar manufacturing.
Gabriel also highlighted the link between traditional agricultural methods and modern production, noting how local crops such as coconuts contributed to award-winning products, including Cut & Dry coconut rum. Gabriel described restoring an authentic 1780s copper still through thousands of hours of manual work alongside coppersmiths and coopers. He added: “These two put together so we can go and show what we’re about. For me, Barbados has been 10 years already, and like I said, we’re going to be doing that together.”
Brand & Industry History
The storied Kendal, dating back to 1648, about eight years after sugarcane was first introduced to the island, and immortalised in folklore, was touted by Stade’s as part of the firm’s effort to bring agriculture, scientific research and rum-making closer together. Hassell outlined the Kendal estate’s history, noting that historical records connected the property to figures including Thomas Modyford and Thomas Kendall, as well as John Kendall, who owned 470 acres there by 1680.
Hassell also highlighted the 1859 discovery by agronomist John Redman Bovell and his contemporaries that sugarcane grew from seeds. Bovell’s genetic experiments established Barbados as one of the world’s leading cane breeding stations. He also referenced the legend of Inkle and Yarico, commemorated by a monument unveiled at Kendal in 2015, and the legacy of Adam Waterman, an enslaved stonemason who helped rebuild St John’s Parish Church after the 1831 hurricane.
What This Means
The project is part of the drinks maker’s pledge to invest in the economy, strengthen sourcing networks, and develop spirits rooted in the island’s soil. Dr Munro-Knight emphasized the importance of investing in people and combining modern agricultural techniques with traditional craftsmanship, including reviving historical vatting arts on site. She said navigating an increasingly complex global landscape required small island developing states to confront historical adversities by investing in their people.
Consumer Takeaway
Gabriel addressed the international significance of Barbadian rum culture. He said that while the distillery exported award-winning spirits to 121 countries and had recently earned top accolades as a manufacturer, local community and collaboration remained central to its mission. Gabriel also highlighted the link between traditional agricultural methods and modern production, noting how local crops such as coconuts contributed to award-winning products, including Cut & Dry coconut rum.
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