In a statement on Instagram, Burrell said: “While I am a founder and shareholder of Equiano Limited, it has come to light that the corresponding trademark was never registered in the company's name but was purportedly registered by a company controlled by another of our founding directors and shareholders.

“Therefore, I can no longer continue to represent the Equiano Rum brand and I have retained counsel in the matter.”

Burrell co-founded the brand, a blend of African and Caribbean rums, alongside Aaisha Dadral, Amanda Kakembo and Oli Bartlam in 2019 and released its first bottling in June 2020.

The brand was created in honour of Olaudah Equiano, who was enslaved as a child and shipped to the Caribbean from modern-day Nigeria, and later was able to purchase his freedom and become a key member of the abolitionist movement in London.

Since launching Equiano Rum has released several expressions, including its debut vintage rum, an 11-year-old blend of Gray’s and Foursquare Rums, released in 2024.

The statement continued: “This has been an incredibly difficult and disappointing situation, but I refuse to let it define me or my passion for rum. Rum has always been more than just a spirit for me - it is history, culture, community and a way of life. That is where my focus will remain.

“I am deeply grateful to everyone who has supported me on this particular journey so far - from fellow rum lovers, bartenders, and industry peers, to those who simply shared a glass, and the amazing story of an African entrepreneur, abolitionist and author who bought his freedom by selling rum.”

Burrell finished the statement with the hashtags “stolen” and “no longer black owned”.

Equiano Global Ltd has since responded to the claims made by Burrell in a statement provided to Drinks International that read in part: 

“In May this year, the directors of Equiano Ltd (Ian Burrell, Amanda Kakembo and Aaisha Dadral) initiated an administration process due to a significant funding gap. During this process, it became apparent that the company did not own all intellectual property and trademark rights. The IP had in fact been secured by the company’s design agency, something that all directors, including Ian, were aware of well before administration.

“Following this, Ian assembled a syndicate of new investors that sought to negotiate and secure the business and assets of Equiano Limited whilst also attempting to purchase the IP and take full control of the brand. The administrators, acting independently and in the best interests of creditors, ultimately rejected their proposal to purchase the assets of Equiano Limited and instead accepted an offer from Equiano Global Limited, a company backed by existing shareholders.
 
“While we thank Ian for his past contributions, it is important to be clear: he was a director throughout, he knew the ownership position of the IP, he attempted to take control of the business through the administration process he initiated, with a new set of investors, and that attempt was unsuccessful. It is regrettable to see efforts to reframe the narrative after the fact, particularly when such actions risk undermining those who have worked tirelessly to build this business. Protecting one’s own interests is understandable; doing so at the expense of colleagues, shareholders, investors and staff is not.”