St. John’s Graduates Launch Rum Distillery, Foundation to Aid Haiti

Eddy Jean ’08CPS and Joseph Roseme ’08CPS have joined with two colleagues in the creation of the Navet 1804 distillery in Léogâne, Haiti, a coastal community about two hours from the capital of Port-au-Prince. The classmates have also established the Navet 1804 Foundation to support agricultural and educational initiatives in Haiti from a portion of sales proceeds.

“We have always had an understanding of how grateful and lucky we were,” Mr. Jean said. “Having lived in Haiti, we know the only difference between us and the people there is we had the opportunity to come to the United States for schooling. We always wanted to pay that forward, to create opportunities and take our success and share it with others.”

Navet 1804’s Beginnings 

Neither Mr. Jean nor Mr. Roseme, Haitian Americans from Brockton, MA, have a background in the distillery sciences. What they do share—besides an alma mater—is a love for Haiti and an unwavering belief in its people.

Such affection is illustrated in the name of their product. Navet is a Creole word loosely translated to native or artisanal. 1804 celebrates the year Haiti gained its independence from France.

Mr. Jean and Mr. Roseme began their journey in 2015 with two years of research into distilling trends, discovering few microdistilleries that specialized in rum. Fewer still specialized in rum from Haiti, whose sugar cane is among the best in the world.   

Most commercial rum is distilled from molasses, a sugar byproduct. What makes Navet 1804 unique, the owners say, is that it is distilled directly from organically grown sugar cane harvested in rich Haitian soil that blends sugar flavors to form clairin’s unique taste.

Clairin is also a versatile spirit that can be finished with notes of cinnamon, vanilla, or caramel. One of Navet 1804’s most popular offerings, Siror Vieilli, is matured in oak barrels for a whiskey-like taste.

“In the early 2000s, craft vodkas were popular, then came whiskeys, and then tequilas and bourbons,” Mr. Roseme explained. “What we learned is that the category of craft rums is a completely open market and that consumers are starting to appreciate it.”

For the moment, Navet 1804 is available in three varietals. Nearly 500 cases have been sold so far in 2024; with help from local sugar cane farmers, the founders hope to grow that total past 1,000 cases next year. Details on Navet 1804 retailers are available on the distillery’s website.

Sustaining a business in impoverished Haiti is difficult. Farmers cope with frequent and severe droughts, tropical storms, earthquakes, and higher-than-average temperatures. Criminals present further challenges for farmers and business owners.

Efforts to Support Haiti 

Haitian farmers have also been reluctant to invest time and money in crops such as sugar cane without the guarantee of a market. High tariffs, low brand recognition, political instability, and competition from other Caribbean countries have all stifled Haitian rum production.

The goal of empowering others helped launch the creation of the Navet 1804 Foundation. In promoting agricultural self-sufficiency and supporting educational enhancements, Mr. Jean and Mr. Roseme believe they can offer hope to Haiti’s disenfranchised. They currently employ about 200 farmers in the production of sugar cane.

“The goal,” Mr. Roseme explained, “is to create a revenue-producing vehicle in the rum company and then use it as a continuing provider to the foundation.”

“Just from production alone, we are supporting the farming families in Haiti by creating a demand for sugar cane,” Mr. Roseme continued. “The more sugar cane we can buy, the more farmers we can employ. We intend to also support education, health care, waste management, and tourism.”

Their eagerness to help the needy was cultivated at St. John’s, according to Mr. Jean, who graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Health Services Administration. Mr. Roseme graduated with a bachelor’s degree in Sport Management. Both worked in the corporate world in the United States before committing themselves to Navet 1804. 

“St. John’s was, for me, the most accurate reflection of the world because you meet people from so many diverse backgrounds,” Mr. Jean said. “It opens your eyes to the rest of the world and gives you a chance to learn about the many ways gains can be made. Everybody is worthy and everyone has something to contribute.”