Next Century Spirits Joins Forces with Kenny Chesney Via the Acquisition of Blue Chair Bay Rum®

ZEBULON, N.C., March 11, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Next Century Spirits (NCS) announces the acquisition of Blue Chair Bay Rum, a key move in expanding its presence into the premium rum category. This award-winning spirit, the world's largest independently owned rum, was created and built by East Tennessee songwriter/superstar Kenny Chesney and has sold millions of cases to date.

Chesney will continue to infuse his vision as one of NCS's largest percentage owners and will play an integral role moving forward.

"Blue Chair Bay Rum has endless potential, and we're excited to bring it into the NCS family," said Anthony Moniello, Co-CEO of Next Century Spirits. "Kenny created something special – a great tasting rum with a rich story. At NCS, we're building a team of fast-moving entrepreneurs and a portfolio of bold, unique brands for the next generation of spirits drinkers. Adding Kenny and Blue Chair Bay to our vision is another incredible step forward."

"Blue Chair Bay Rum was created to capture my life, as a spirit to share with friends," said Kenny Chesney. "This rum is the result of a lot of fun, passion, sunshine, good people and No Shoes Nation energy. Next Century Spirits embraces those same qualities. They have a passion for innovation and going to new places. This is going to be cool."

The NCS-Chesney alliance continues a groundbreaking season for the country artist. Known for his high intensity record-breaking tours, Chesney becomes the first country act to headline Vegas' Sphere starting May 22, 2025.

"Teaming up with Kenny is a natural fit for NCS, and we are excited that he will play an active role in the company," said Rob Mason, Co-CEO of Next Century Spirits. "Blue Chair Bay Rum strengthens our vision and marks another step in accelerating our growth as we work to shape the spirits of tomorrow."

For more information about Next Century Spirits' portfolio and innovation, visit www.nextcenturyspirits.com

About Next Century Spirits
Next Century Spirits (NCS), headquartered in Zebulon, North Carolina, is a full-service distilled spirits company, building a strategically developed portfolio of owned brands and offering private label solutions, co-packing, and bulk supply. NCS seeks to redefine what's possible in spirits production with its patented Spiranova™ process, which accelerates flavor transformation using natural ingredients. Its portfolio includes Nue Vodka, Numbskull—a cool mint and chocolate-flavored whiskey—Bear Fight Whiskey, Creek Water American Whiskey, Caddy Clubhouse Cocktails, Calamity Gin, and Henderson Whiskey. NCS-owned brands have earned over 35 gold medals in industry competitions, and in 2023, the company was named North Carolina Distillery of the Year by the New York International Spirits Competition.

About Kenny Chesney

Eight-time Entertainer of the Year Kenny Chesney has been heralded as "The King of the Road" by The Wall Street Journal and "The People's Superstar" by The Los Angeles Times. With 33 #1 hits including "American Kids," "When The Sun Goes Down," "Save It For A Rainy Day", "Get Along" and "Pirate Flag," with over 32 million albums sold and 11 billion total U.S. streams, he has become the soundtrack for coming of age in the heartland this century. His commitment to his fans – known as No Shoes Nation – makes Chesney the only country artist on Billboard's "Top 10 Touring Acts of the past 25 Years" for the last 15 years, as well consistently playing NFL stadiums across the U.S. to just shy of 20 million people. Recently announced as the first country artist to play the groundbreaking Sphere Las Vegas, Chesney continues taking his music into new dimensions.

About Blue Chair Bay Rum

Blue Chair Bay Rum embodies the carefree rhythm of a day in the Caribbean. Created to share with No Shoes Nation, Chesney distilled the essence of the best day with friends on the water by employing true craftsmanship and maintaining exceptional quality. An authentic Caribbean rum, blended with natural ingredients, it's available in: Spiced, White, Coconut, Banana, Coconut Spiced, Vanilla, Key Lime Rum Cream, Banana Rum Cream, Pineapple Rum Cream and Coconut Spiced Rum Cream. Kenny Chesney worked with one of the world's great master blenders, Mike Booth, to create the blends. Blue Chair Bay® Rum is an award-winning premium brand steeped in Kenny Chesney's heart and love for living, from beach to bottle.

STS Capital Partners

STS Capital Partners is a global mergers and acquisitions firm specializing in sell-side advisory. Focused on maximizing value, STS expertly led this deal, with Partner and Managing Director Smoke Wallin navigating complex negotiations to ensure success.

SOURCE Next Century Spirits