They have learned to work adversity into success. Vollmer reveals some of the company’s keys.
Venezuela runs for its blood and its people, in the heart. Perhaps that is why Alberto Vollmer (fifth family generation) is clear that the 225-year history of Ron Santa Teresa cannot be counted without the turning points that speak of challenges overcome, and moments of enjoyment in each toast. Today, fifty years after his father, Alberto J. Vollmer, began the internationalization of the brand, Alberto and his brother Henrique have not only increased the sales of Santa Teresa, but have also made the social part one of the main ingredients. in every drink. Present in more than one hundred countries, their leitmotif is to capture the Venezuelan territory in each bottle. In the future they aspire to lead the super premium rum category worldwide.
How does such a legendary company maintain traditional values 225 years later?
We have learned that what we did in the past brought us to where we are today and what we do today will lead us to build the future. At Santa Teresa we evaluate the profile of our collaborators very well, because beyond their strengths as workers, we have to see the human being. A person who shares his values makes you go further, and the company also moves forward.
Transformation in each challenge, inspiration in the Venezuelan people, respect for nature, tradition, mastery. Are there other new values that you have incorporated with the new generations?
Each generation has collected lessons that have allowed us to forge our spirit, incorporating three important values: resilience to face adversity, commitment to our communities and, our reason for being, to transform lives.
How do you make a homeland with such an emblematic product in a country whose economy fluctuates recurrently?
Throughout our history we have seen and experienced everything: war of independence, caudillos, democratic periods, economic depressions, growth, hyperinflation, etc. We have never crossed calm waters, but that has always helped us to get ahead. We floated the company after a very strong financial crisis that our country experienced and we applied
a plan to reduce costs, with which we achieved the rebirth of Santa Teresa and since then, we have worked to bring the best Venezuelan rums to the world. This has been possible thanks to our more than two thousand direct and indirect employees, more than a thousand prisoners who are learning values through rugby with the Alcatraz Project, the two hundred members of gangs reinserted into society and the more than two thousand children of our community away from violence.
“EACH GENERATION HAS COLLECTED LEARNINGS THAT HAVE ALLOWED US TO FORGE OUR SPIRIT, INCORPORATING IMPORTANT VALUES FOR US”
Ron Santa Teresa cannot be conceived without these social pillars…
We do not conceive any triumph of the company with its back to the community that accompanies us. The only reason we make rum is so we can continue to transform lives. For this reason, we have developed social initiatives that seek to improve the living conditions of the inhabitants of the Revenga municipality, reintegrate criminal gangs into society and keep children and young people away from violence who today play and practice the values of rugby within the ranch. Beyond Revenga, we have brought rugby to thirty-six prisons nationwide, thereby expanding the scope of the transformation. Our Alcatraz Rugby Club players have grown into a team that competes in international tournaments.
Why rugby for integration?
One of our premises is to understand the problem, to forget about the role of victims and perpetrators, to generate long-term sustainable solutions. We have always been of the conviction that the same capacity that the human being has to do evil, he has to do good. We do not do this to sell rum, we sell rum in order to continue transforming lives and providing second chances. Rugby dismantles these hierarchies based on violence and builds new ones, based on the skills of each individual, achieving equal conditions.
What would you drink on a day at the beginning of autumn, like today?
To accompany a good rum, the most important thing is good company, so I would meet with my family and friends. I would choose a Cojonudo, which has 60ml of Santa Teresa 1796, 30ml of sparkling water and an orange twist . It is a simple cocktail , which does not need much and enhances the rum. Just like good family times: you don’t need much to make them perfect.
