NEW ORLEANS — Happy Raptor Distilling, a woman-owned New Orleans-based craft rum distillery, has announced the expansion of its signature line of 504Syrups. The expansion includes the addition of two new varieties of 504Syrups – cucumber mint and lavender lemon peppercorn – as well as the increased availability of shipping throughout the U.S., Canada and Mexico. The expansion marks the first significant step forward in the award-winning distillery’s production since Hurricane Ida in 2021.
“When Hurricane Ida hit Louisiana in August 2021, this project and many others went on hold so that we could focus on keeping our doors open,” said Happy Raptor Co-Founder and Chief Brand Officer Meagen Moreland-Taliancich in a press release. “Thanks to our community, we are here to tell the tale and we’re growing. While we can’t legally ship craft spirits in Louisiana, having the bandwidth to expand shipment of our non-alcoholic 504Syrups means sharing a piece of New Orleans and of our story with the world.”
Happy Raptor is located at 1512 Carondelet Street. Its 504Syrups are handcrafted in New Orleans using Louisiana cane sugar and “only whole, real ingredients,” said Moreland-Taliancich.
504Syrups Cucumber Mint marks the company’s first fundraising product in partnership with Sprout NOLA, a New Orleans-based nonprofit organization that provides farmers in Louisiana with technical and social support. Inspired by the abundance of Sprout’s community gardens, 100% of the profits of 504Syrups Cucumber Mint will benefit Sprout through the end of 2023.
“Building an equitable food system is joyful community building,” said Sprout Community Food Manager Mina Seck. “The fact that too many families lack access to basic necessities and fresh food is heartbreaking, but the community building and joy we experience in urban agriculture is immeasurable. In New Orleans, food is the heartbeat of our city and growing food is a special part of it.”
