Geoff Ross, CEO of vodka company 42BELOW, has spoken to GayNZ.com to reassure GLBT Kiwis that the vodka brand, recently sold to Bacardi, will still support our community events. “The gay community is absolutely vital to our product so we hope that you will be on board with us for as long as the brand lives,” said Ross. “That will also be our attitude throughout other countries where we sell the product as well. “So it's business as usual.” Ross sold 42BELOW to Bacardi Ltd in September, rocketing his personal fortune from next to nothing to more than $35 million. The vodka brand is principal sponsor of Queenstown's annual Gay Ski Week, and also supports Auckland's HERO Festival along with many other LBGT events nationwide. At the time of the sale, a spokesperson for Bacardi spoke of the company's immense respect for 42BELOW and their plans to invest heavily in their vodka products worldwide. “Bacardi plans to bring to bear the resources of its global marketing and distribution infrastructure to accelerate the presence of 42 BELOW from 25 to more than 130 countries and cement its New Zealand status in a global economy,” said a press release. Ref: GayNZ.com (m)
Credit: GayNZ.com News Staff
First published: Friday, 3rd November 2006 - 12:00pm