Bacardi announces new master of botanicals for Bombay Sapphire

Family-owned spirits company Bacardi has announced a new master of botanicals for its Bombay Sapphire and Martini vermouth brands, with Alessandro Garneri taking on the role. Garneri is replacing industry veteran Ivano Tonutti, who is retiring following a 33-year career at Bacardi.

Garneri has been with Bacardi for more than 17 years, heading up the company’s Global Botanicals Centre in Geneva since 2017. Most recently, Garneri has been trained under the departing Tonutti, sharing his knowledge on every element of the botanicals.

In his new position, he is responsible for overseeing the field-to-bottle journey of every botanical used to craft Bombay Sapphire and Martini.

Dave Ingram, chief supply chain officer at Bacardi, commented on the new role for Garneri: “Alessandro is the perfect example of our focus on nurturing talent and growing careers at Bacardi. . “After training for years for this role, he has everything it takes to be an incredible Master of Botanicals who will continue to lead the industry in sustainable sourcing of ingredients.”

Garneri added: “It’s an honour to become the Master of Botanicals for such iconic and well-loved brands. I have been passionate about science, the natural world and technology for as long as I can remember, and I feel privileged to be able to pursue those passions through my work. As a family-owned company, Bacardi does the right thing when it comes to sourcing and I’m excited to continue that legacy, creating a blueprint for others in the industry to follow.” 

The outgoing Tonutti oversaw numerous landmark sustainability milestones for Bacardi, including last year’s announcement that 100% of the wineries for the Martini portfolio are certified sustainable, while Bombay Sapphire became the first major gin brand to be made with 100% sustainably sourced botanicals.

Tonutti said on his departure: “I am immensely proud of the legacy I leave behind at Bacardi. Every day of my 33-year career at Bacardi, I have been able to use my curiosity, my passion and my drive to protect the planet and to have a real impact on the way we source our ingredients and care for those who grow our botanicals. It’s been an incredible journey and I look forward to seeing Bacardi continue to take huge strides in this space in the years to come.”

10 May 2023 - Bradley Weir