Bacardi Shake Your Future Graduate Makes History As First Female Winner of Taste of Bermuda Cocktail Competition

Bacardi Limited continues to change lives and help build the next generation of bartenders through its Shake Your Future program. In Bermuda, where the program launched earlier this year, the program has led to the win of the latest Taste of Bermuda Cocktail Competition. Kierra Lee, a student of the inaugural Shake Your Future Bermuda program, seized the top prize in the Taste of Bermuda: Set The Bar Cocktail Competition. Kierra's remarkable victory stands as a testament to her exceptional talent and dedication, making her the first female champion in the competition's ten-year history. She captured the hearts of judges and audiences with her innovative cocktail creation, 'Papas Dream' inspired by her grandfather and made with GREY GOOSE Essences Strawberry & Lemongrass, ST-GERMAIN elderflower liqueur and sweet flavors including yuzu extract.

Shake Your Future, a program originally created by Bacardi in 2018 in France, has since expanded its reach around the globe to include Italy, Germany, UK, India, and South Africa. This pioneering program provides free professional bartender training to unemployed young adults, with a commitment to extending the same opportunities to 10,000 individuals globally by 2030. In Bermuda, the program was launched in February 2023, in collaboration with the Bermuda Government's Department of Workforce Development.

The inaugural Bermuda cohort saw seven participants embarking on a transformative ten-week journey. This program included four intensive weeks of training at the European Bartending School in London, where they earned their international bartender certification. Upon their return to Bermuda, participants continued to refine their skills, focusing on personal branding and marketing, and embarked on a valuable four-week work placement with some of Bermuda's top bars and restaurants.

Kierra Lee's unwavering commitment and determination throughout this journey ultimately led her to secure a permanent position at one of Bermuda's top restaurants. Her extraordinary journey culminated in her participation in the Taste of Bermuda: Set The Bar Cocktail Competition.

Bacardi has announced the second cohort of Shake Your Future this November, offering more aspiring talents, like Kierra, the opportunity to excel in the art of mixology. Kierra Lee's journey serves as a powerful testament to the transformative influence of mentorship and support that the Shake Your Future program provides.

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To find out more about Shake Your Future, visit: https://www.bacardilimited.com/esg/shakeyourfuture/