Cuban rum brand sets sight on Chinese market

A famous Cuban rum brand said Saturday that it was seeking to further penetrate into the Asian market, especially China.

Havana Club has launched "a strong publicity campaign" in Asian countries, which could mean significant increases in exports, said Mirelys Acosta, head of the Marketing and Sales Department of Havana Club International S.A.

Havana Club ranked the 24th in the list of 100 most sold spirits in over 140 countries, selling about 4 million crates every year.

The decades-old U.S. trade embargo against Cuba prohibits the sale of Havana Club in the United States, a market that absorbs 40 percent of such drinks. Havana Club executives believe that they can sell around 1 million crates in the short term once the embargo is lifted. Endi