BANGKOK 9 November 2021 ecoSPIRITS announced today that it has signed a Licensed Operator Agreement for Thailand and Vietnam with a new company formed as joint venture between Bootleggers Trading, a leading Thai craft spirits distributor, and Chalong Bay Distillery, an award-winning craft rum distillery in Phuket. The new joint venture will launch closed loop service in Thailand in January 2022, with service in Vietnam following several months later. With this latest announcement, ecoSPIRITS’ closed loop network covers the majority of Asia Pacific’s leading spirits markets. More details regarding the launch of ecoSPIRITS Vietnam will be announced in January 2022.

Home to a population of almost 70 million, Thailand is one of the world’s most popular tourist destinations and a fast-rising force in Asia’s bar and cocktail community. In 2020, five Bangkok bars landed on Asia’s 50 Best Bars, including The Bamboo Bar at the Mandarin Oriental Bangkok, Tropic City, Backstage Cocktail Bar, Vesper and Teens of Thailand. The Thai bar community is known for its vibrant hospitality, creative use of ingredients and flavour and deep pool of talent. With a rich natural heritage made up of lush highland rainforests, ancient limestone karst formations, white sand beaches and clear blue waters, Thailand is also home to some of the world’s finest hotels and resorts. The combination of a vibrant local hospitality scene and a highly developed luxury tourism sector make Thailand a leading Southeast Asian market for premium spirits.

Benchamabophit Temple, Bangkok

Phang Nga Bay, Phuket

The Bamboo Bar, Mandarin Oriental, Bangkok

Federico Balzarini, Head Bartender, Vesper

Our hospitality industry is as beautiful as Mother Earth and ecoSPIRITS is taking care of both, minimizing waste and environmental impact. All this is accompanied by a clever design and stunning branding. If then we add the fact that the spirits available in ecoTOTE format are also delicious… Being ecofriendly has never been so easy.

Vesper in Bangkok is one of Asia’s 50 Best Bars

Philip Bischoff, Four Seasons APAC Beverage Ambassador & Beverage Manager, Four Seasons, Bangkok

I am really excited that ecoSPIRITS is officially launching in Thailand. It is incredibly important to me and to our industry that we work together to reduce waste and the C02 footprint. Having the ability to help the environment, while saving costs, is amazingly impactful and I look forward to the continued rollout of new markets and cities in the near future.

The stunning Four Seasons Bangkok at Chao Phraya River, which opened in 2020

As part of the new joint venture, two new ecoPLANTs, Serial Nos. 18 and 24, will be commissioned in Bangkok and Phuket to provide a network of closed loop service in Thailand. A third ecoPLANT is planned for Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam in 2022.

ecoPLANT No. 018 will be located in Bangkok, Thailand

ecoPLANT No. 024 will be located in Phuket, Thailand

Founded in Bangkok in 2014 by Minway Chi, Bootleggers Trading is an importer, educator and producer of craft spirits. Bootleggers’ exclusive distribution portfolio of craft and premium spirit brands include Plantation Rum, Citadelle Gin, Ferrand Cognac, Mancino Vermouth, Widges Gin, Tried & True Vodka, Chartreuse, Kavalan Whisky and Black Tears Rum. Bootleggers will bring its lengthy experience with Thai spirits import, distribution and brand building to the new joint venture.

Minway Chi, Founder, Bootleggers Trading Co., LTD

As an importer, producer, and distributor, the Bootleggers Team sees first hand the carbon costs associated with moving spirits around the world. With no official recycling scheme available in Thailand, it falls to us as the source to also be the solution. That is why our team is proud to be a part of the ecoSPIRITS low carbon revolution, bringing quality products in an environmentally impactful way to hospitality teams throughout Thailand. That we can do this and help save costs is just the cherry on top.”

Founded in Phuket in 2012 by Thibault Spithakis and Marine Lucchini, Chalong Bay Rum is one of Southeast Asia’s best-known craft spirit producers. Blending the traditional art of French distillation with the rich sugarcane heritage of Thailand, the distillery produces a range of handcrafted rums from 100% organic, first-press Thai sugar cane using a traditional French copper still and Saneha gin. Over the years, Chalong Bay Rums have picked up a number of international awards, including Gold, Double Gold, Best in Class, or Consumer’s Choice Award at renowned international competitions. They are currently distributed in Thailand, Singapore, France and working on expanding their international presence. The distillery will host ecoPLANT No. 024 in Phuket and provide its extensive technical, production and operational expertise to ecoSPIRITS Thailand.

Thibault Spithakis, Founder, Chalong Bay Rum

Sustainability has always been the driving principle of our project and brands. Joining the closed loop system is a natural development and a great opportunity to continue and extend our effort from production to distribution. We tried to implement recycling programs collecting bottles from clients for years but it has always been very difficult to scale, and ecoSPIRITS disruptive model is clearly providing a very smart, comprehensive, and efficient system benefiting all stakeholders and society.”

Chalong Bay’s award-winning rums will be available in ecoTOTE™ format across Thailand

Paul Gabie, CEO, ecoSPIRITS

“Our expansion of closed loop service to Thailand and Vietnam strengthens our Asia Pacific network, adding two of the fastest growing spirits markets in the region. We have tremendous admiration for what Thibault and Minway and their teams have achieved in contributing to the remarkable evolution of spirits production and distribution in Thailand over the past decade. Together, we can now contribute to the next chapter of spirits innovation in the region – one that has sustainable principles at its core.”

ecoSPIRITS closed loop service will be available in Thailand from January 2022. A more detailed announcement regarding ecoSPIRITS Vietnam will be released the same month. Bars, restaurants, hotels, distributors and brands that are interested in joining the ecoSPIRITS Climate Partner Program in Thailand or Vietnam can get in touch via email at [email protected] or [email protected] or [email protected]


About Bootleggers Trading

Bootleggers Trading was founded in 2014, as a spirits importer, producer, and educator by Minway Chi. Our team provides some of the most recognizable and most awarded independent spirits brands from around the world into the hands of Thailand’s top cocktail bars, restaurants, and specialty retailers. With a focus on quality brands and an intensive advocacy program, our team of passionate individuals helps promote and elevate the vibrant Thai cocktail and beverage industry.

For more information, please visit https://www.bootleggerstrading.com/

About Chalong Bay Distillery

Chalong Bay’s was born from the dream to unite two heritages and bring the French Caribbean tradition of Agricole rum distillation back to the origin of sugarcane. Their purpose is to create super premium craft spirits that are natural, authentic, with a unique Thai character, marrying traditions and craft production methods that are sustainable and respectful of the environment and the community.

All Chalong Bay expressions are created using first-press, natural sugarcane juice from 100% pure, organic, single variety Thai sugarcane that has been hand-cut and grown without chemical pesticides or fertilizers by local farmers.

Their recently launched Saneha Gin is crafted following the same principles and using local ingredients and botanicals such as Phuket pineapple, ginger flower, or makwan among others.

But, more than a rum and a gin, Chalong Bay is a Spirit. They are a family that carries the spirit of care and dedication. They cherish doing things naturally and authentically, refusing to compromise on quality and sustainability while respecting their communities and environment

For more information, please visit www.chalongbay.com and www.saneha.co.th