Developed in a kitchen at Arnos Vale, Plymouth, Tobago Gold, a premium liqueur, has been delighting the tastebuds of people around the world for the last six months.
The chocolate rum cream is a combination of spices, intense Trinitario cocoa and 17 per cent Caribbean white rum.
The cocoa-pod bottle design, which can be added to any collection, is environmentally-friendly and made from advanced technology. It was engineered by marketing consultant Che Hernandez.
The liqueur can be bought locally at leading supermarkets, hotels, bars and duty-free outlets. Internationally, it is available on the retail shelves of countries such as Italy, Iceland, Sweden, Belgium, Germany, Holland and Canada.
The award-winning product is the signature of Lars Soderstrom, CEO and founder of Tobago Gold Europe BV.
Soderstrom is proud of his product for being distilled with a higher percentage of cocoa and superior quality of white rum than other liqueur brands.
He told Newsday during an interview last week, “I wanted to bring a Caribbean flavour with the values of Carnival to the world – creativity, happiness, inclusiveness, have fun together and creating personality.”
[caption id="attachment_942550" align="alignnone" width="1024"] Lars Soderstrom, CEO and Founder of Tobago Gold Europe BV, talks to Newsday about his product at his Arnos Vale, Plymouth home. - Photo by David Reid[/caption]
He said apart from the rewarding taste, Tobago Gold is also a healthy choice with a variety of spices.
“It is also low in fats and sugars and high in antioxidants."
He said the product stands well on its own but can also enhance other flavours.
“The versatile product adds a rich aroma and taste to desserts, such as ice cream, cakes and cocktails and is a splendid drink when heated. It is a great gift to present to family and friends when travelling abroad.”
Originally an engineer from Sweden, Soderstrom held several managerial positions across Europe and America, before coming to Trinidad in 2000. He is a former TSTT marketing vice president, ex-CEO at the Caribbean Broadcasting Corporation in Barbados, and past business development adviser at the Inter-American Development Bank.
While living in Trinidad, in 2004 Soderstrom bought the abandoned 365-acre La Caurita cocoa estate, in the El Tucuche hills, at Maracas Valley.
To bring the estate back to life, Soderstrom said he received grants and technical support from the Agriculture Development Bank and the Cocoa Development Company, to replant and prune the cocoa trees and build a new cocoa house.
Soderstrom, who owns a property in Maraval, has made Tobago his home for the past seven years. His European-style house, perched on the hills in Plymouth, overlooking the sea, is the inspiration behind the name of his creation.
[caption id="attachment_942552" align="alignnone" width="768"] Lars Soderstrom, left, CEO of Tobago Gold chocolate rum cream, with his cocoa estate manager Krishna Ramnarine at the La Caurita estate, Maraval valley. - Photo by David Reid[/caption]
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