Tortuga Rum Cakes Founder Talks History and Recovery

Some things really make you think of cruising, like Tortuga Rum Cake Company. The Caribbean brand of cakes, sauces, coffee and more was founded by Robert Hamaty and is one of the most recognizable brands from the region. We spoke with Mr. Hamaty from his home in the Cayman Islands to learn more about the impact COVID 19 is having on his business and his local community. 

Tortuga employs hundreds of people across Jamaica, the Cayman Islands, the Bahamas, St. Lucia and even a distribution center in Florida. Business has been down due to a lack of tourism and curfews on the islands, but Mr. Hamaty explained it was for the best.

(the curfews) obviously affect business, but it’s the right approach to stop the spread.

Check out our full interview with Robert Hamaty in the video below! 

The golden boxes are easy to spot all over the Caribbean and tons of cruisers pick them up as gifts for friends and family after a vacation. Thankfully, the company does sell all of its products online and they ship to America, so if you were planning to stock up on your cruise this spring, you can still get your rum cake fix online. 

Helping out local Caribbean businesses like Tortuga who are struggling without cruise passengers now will help the industry bounce back to normal quicker once cruise lines feel it’s safe and responsible to sail again. There are many timelines out there for when that could be, but we’re hopeful it will be sooner rather than later! 

Have you tried a rum cake? Let us know your favorite Caribbean dessert and where you can find it!