AMARULA TRULY IS THE HEART AND HARVEST OF AFRICA

What defines the true spirit of Africa? Ask anyone who has visited this dramatic continent and they will be quick to recount a tale of their African indulgence, perhaps involving a safari hosted by a luxury establishment, sipping cocktails while watching a radiant African sunset.

The spirit of Africa, Amarula embodies this luxury and so much more. By supporting the communities of the Phalaborwa region in sub-equatorial southern Africa through the provision of education and skills development, Amarula honours the culture that lies at the heart of the legends and traditions surrounding the Marula tree. Without them, Amarula would simply not exist.

The indigenous Marula trees grow naturally across the Phalaborwa region. The fruit, rich in vitamin C and antioxidants (and reputed locally to have aphrodisiac properties) is distilled to produce Amarula, the luxurious cream liqueur which sells in over 100 countries world-wide. Amarula is the only cream liqueur in the world made with real Marula fruit.

Harvesting of the sun ripened fruit takes place from January to March every year. Marula fruit are picked and collected by around 6,000 people who harvest the fruit, although the benefits extend to around 60,000 individuals. At the production plant, hundreds of people turn up to be paid for their pickings – there is no set payday and the pickers walk away happily with their income there and then.

The Marula fruit are first distilled in column stills, then for a second time in copper pot stills. After ageing in small oak barrels for two years, the Marula fruit spirit is carefully blended with the finest fresh cream.

The result is a rich, soft and stable product that teases the taste-buds with chocolate, vanilla, coffee, citrus and a hint of exotic spice: Amarula – a proudly South African product awarded the status of best liqueur in the world by the IWSC in London.

Amarula Cream has come a long way since it began its journey into homes and bars around the world in 1989. Today, it is enjoyed in over 100 countries and in 2010 entered Drinks International’s Million Case Selling Brands Report for the first time.

In 2010 Amarula also established the not-for-profit Amarula Trust to co-ordinate its range of community development and conservation programmes which had been active for many years. The motto of the Trust: Sustaining communities and conscious conservation encapsulates the brand’s ongoing support for socio-economic and environmental projects.

Amarula Cream Liqueur is introducing a new sleeker, taller and more modern bottle design too. Since its first bottle design in 1983, the bottle has evolved to match the iconic brand identity and embodies the essence of the ‘African Sundowner’ experience.

As part of re-design the bottle has maintained the brand’s classic and distinctive style. The key visual equities, the bottle shape, its dark colour, the elephant imagery and the Marula fruit have been enhanced with a sleek and contemporary feel that clearly communicates the brand’s heritage, quality, sophistication and authenticity.