Gran Cubaya launches Don Gener rum brand in Sancti Spíritus

The Ulloa León family, operating through their private small and medium-sized enterprise (MSME) Gran Cubaya, has launched a new line of refined rum named ‘Don Gener’ in the Taguasco municipality of Sancti Spíritus, Cuba.

The decision to pivot to rum production follows significant economic challenges and shortages of raw materials. The family business, which began in 2022 as a small home-based industry producing wines, vinegar, and guava preserves, struggled when the scarcity of sugar—their primary ingredient—disrupted their original production plans.

According to founder and chemical engineer Jorge Ulloa León, the family attempted to produce their own molasses by cultivating sugarcane, but the project was denied because MSMEs are legally prohibited from owning land for such purposes. To overcome this, the company utilized recent economic measures to establish contracts with entities that produce alcohol derived from sugarcane honey. The new Don Gener rum has an alcohol content of 34 degrees and is sold in 750ml and one-liter plastic bottles.