Business View Caribbean | June 2022

8 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN VOLUME 9, ISSUE 6 to excellence, crafting our spirits within this circular economy: EDDEN. It is for our fans that we wish to share what we are learning, our dedication to the planet, and the value we hold for our environment and social responsibility.” - Emmanuel Becheau, Managing Director, Rhum J.M Rhum production and banana cultivation are the most substantial industries on the island, ahead of tourism. J.M began their initiatives years before other distilleries on the island and continue to lead by example in finding creative solutions to sustainability and corporate responsibility initiatives. J.M is a prime example of how a distillery can utilize renewable energy in multiple ways, especially around the reuse of agricultural byproducts: 100% of plant fiber is repurposed for fuel, electricity, and fertilizer, and 100% of residual liquid is treated and used. Through this process J.M can conserve more than 5M gallons of water annually. J.M is scrutinizing its choices of sugarcane varieties that are planted and cultivated for their rhum production. The distillery produces its own cane plants, grafted from nodes in their nursery and then planted near the distillery. They currently use three main varieties of cane: Canne Roseau (B59.92), Canne Bleue (B 69.566) and Canne Rouge (B64.277), which are particularly suited for the microclimate of the property. “When you discover Rhum J.M, you cannot help but be moved. We knew it was our responsibility to protect it. How? Continuous innovation, tireless motivation, and limitless passion – because only this will enable us to protect our traditions while also paving the path towards our future. This is both the secret and battle of our centuries-old distillery. In this rich land, swept by trade winds and tropical rains, we grow some of the best sugarcane in the world. We prioritize soil health using crop rotation and fallow. We operate our distillery according to the principles of this circular economy so that the waste products from sugarcane fuel technical training and career advancement initiatives. 100% of the management team drives electric vehicles. To the individual members of the team and community of Martinique as a whole, these endeavors have all been enforced to protect the paradise that is Martinique. The project is a tremendous accomplishment, ensuring that J.M will continue to create rhum that is even more exceptional and ecologically responsible 100 years from now. EDDEN is the culmination of these efforts. “We produce rum which demands excellence, yet our idea of excellence vastly simply surpasses that of taste alone. The lovers of our rhum can be certain that behind each bottle there are passionate women and men committed