Bundy Reinvents Rum to Win Over Gen Z

Bundaberg Rum is reimagining its brand with bold new flavours and product formats tailored to younger consumers. The company aims to expand its share in Australia’s dark spirits market while still appealing to its long-time loyal customers.

For more than a century, Bundaberg has been a uniquely Australian brand, strongly resonating with regional communities and sports fans. However, shifting tastes among Gen Z and younger millennials are prompting the brand to modernise. Owned by Diageo Australia, Bundaberg is blending innovation with tradition to prepare for the future.

A key move in this strategy is the launch of the "Campfire" range, which includes sweeter rums finished in bourbon barrels and flavours like chocolate, peanut brittle, lamington and coffee. These products are available both as bottled spirits and in ready-to-drink (RTD) formats. This dual approach offers two main benefits. It gives younger consumers an accessible and low-commitment way to try the brand, and it helps build stronger brand recognition around shared drinking moments. The flexibility of this format also allows the company to market both offerings within a single campaign.

This approach reflects Diageo’s broader strategy that has proven successful with Guinness. By treating legacy as a strength and encouraging experimentation, Diageo has helped Guinness evolve into a lifestyle brand. Bundaberg now appears to be following a similar path, aiming to stay authentic while expanding its appeal. So far, the results are promising. Campfire has become one of the brand’s most successful recent product launches.

Diageo is also using this RTD-first approach for its global brand Johnnie Walker, which recently introduced a sweetened RTD called Black Ruby. This product is designed to tap into emerging flavour trends in Australia and take on the dominance of bourbon. The launch is part of a broader push to engage a new generation of drinkers looking for unique options.

Bundaberg’s signature flavour and cultural identity continue to be its greatest strengths. Yet with the market for dark spirits in Australia still open to new interpretations, particularly sweeter and flavoured varieties, Bundaberg sees strong potential to grow. If the strategy works, it could transform Bundy from a nostalgic favourite into a standout choice for modern consumers.

Source: The Australian, Bundaberg, Nildesperandum