Pita, José MiguelMachado, Beatriz Maria Barroso de Bordalo2025-09-022025-09-022025-06-262025-05-31http://hdl.handle.net/10362/187395The Port wine industry, deeply embedded in Portuguese heritage, is undergoing a period of significant transformation. Facing declining consumption, shifting demographics, and intensifying global competition, traditional Port houses must seek innovative avenues for growth. This thesis explores strategic diversification through the development of a Porto Rum Cluster, a collaborative ecosystem where Port wine producers leverage their heritage, barrels, and distribution channels to produce premium rum aged in Port casks. Using the case of Scoundrels Distilling as a proof of concept, this study assesses the operational feasibility, market trends, supply chain structure, and go-to-market strategy for launching a premium, Portuguese-branded rum. Through frameworks like Porter’s Value Chain and STP (Segmentation, Targeting, and Positioning), the analysis demonstrates how storytelling, sustainability, and cross-category innovation can revitalize legacy wine brands. The research concludes that a Porto-based premium rum initiative is both culturally resonant and commercially promising, offering a path toward long-term value creation for the broader spirits industry in PortugalengGo-to-market strategyProductDifferentiationMarket prioritizationConsumer trendsValue chain analysisLocal integration strategyCultural identity revivalCost and revenue structureFinancial projectionsPort winePremium rumPorto rum clusterCask-aged spiritsStrategic diversificationPort casksHeritage brandingStorytellingLocal sourcingMolassesRAR açúcarFermentationDistillationScoundrels distillingIn-house productionStrategic partnershipsPortuguese spirits industryPorter's Value ChainSupply chain integrationYeast innovationSustainable productionSTP frameworkMarket segmentationGo-to-market strategyInternationalizationAlma AtlânticaCraft spiritsBrand identityFinancial projectionsBreak-even analysisDiversificationDouro ValleyBarrel agingSecond-use casksFortified wineBrand revitalizationMarket repositioningValue creationConsumer trendsProduct innovationGlobalizationNiche marketsSpirits industryPortuguese identityBrand heritageCross-category strategyAged spiritsBrand storytellingExport strategyRum maturationCraft spiritsRegional brandingPremiumizationSustainabilityAtlantic influenceTerroirCultural brandingProduct differentiationAuthenticityInnovation strategyLegacy brandsNew consumer segmentsIdentity shiftExperiential marketingCask-finishingProduct perceptionTrade channelsLuxury spiritsStartup distilleriesSegment disruptionTradition vs innovationStorytelling marketingIndustry collaborationEconomic sustainabilityBrand partnershipsMarket adaptationmaster thesis203990790