AC Milan supporters organize protests after disappointing season

MILAN (AP) — Thousands of AC Milan supporters protested outside the club headquarters on Saturday as the Rossoneri wrapped up a season in which they failed to qualify for Europe and lost to Bologna in the Italian Cup final.

“Singer, Cardinale, Furlani, Ibra, Moncada: everyone leave, free Milan from this agony,” read a banner held by fans. They named the team’s key management members and owners.

Inside the San Siro later for Milan’s final Serie A match against last-placed Monza, there were more protests.

Fans on the upper level at one end positioned themselves to form the words, “Go home.”

Milan began the season as a potential title contender but was in ninth place, 22 points behind champion Napoli.

The seven-time European champion was eliminated by Feyenoord in the Champions League playoffs in February.

Meanwhile, city rival Inter Milan will play Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League final next Saturday.

AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer

AC Milan fans hold a protest in the square of the Portello area of Milan, Italy near the club's headquarters on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Stefano Porta/LaPresse via AP)

AC Milan fans hold a protest in the square of the Portello area of Milan, Italy near the club's headquarters on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Stefano Porta/LaPresse via AP)

AC Milan fans hold a protest in the square of the Portello area of Milan, Italy near the club's headquarters on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Stefano Porta/LaPresse via AP)

AC Milan fans hold a protest in the square of the Portello area of Milan, Italy near the club's headquarters on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Stefano Porta/LaPresse via AP)

AC Milan fans hold a protest in the square of the Portello area of Milan, Italy near the club's headquarters on Saturday, May 24, 2025. (Stefano Porta/LaPresse via AP)

KOHALA, Hawai‘i--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Jan 15, 2026--

Kuleana Rum Works, the Hawai‘i-based distillery known for its additive-free, award-winning rums, today announced the release of “An Open Letter on Additive-Free Rum,” written by Founder & CEO Steve Jefferson, addressing why rum is now facing the same scrutiny and market shift that reshaped tequila a decade ago.

This press release features multimedia. View the full release here: https://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20260107792953/en/

Consumers across spirits are demanding more honesty about how products are made. Additive-free labeling has already transformed tequila and is reshaping whiskey and RTDs. Drinkers now expect producers to protect natural flavor instead of masking it, and bartenders increasingly use transparency as a measure of quality. The letter positions rum as the next category entering this accountability cycle, as more consumers begin to question undisclosed sweeteners, flavorings and added color.

Tequila provides the clearest precedent. Producers who embraced additive-free methods helped premiumize the category, while brands relying on undisclosed additives now face growing skepticism. According to the letter, rum is approaching the same turning point. Jefferson explains that Kuleana Rum Works was founded on additive-free principles: growing heirloom Hawaiian kō (sugarcane), fermenting and distilling fresh juice at lower proof to preserve natural character, adding nothing after distillation and holding all blending partners to the same standards. Every rum — whether distilled in Hawai‘i or sourced — is verified additive-free through independent lab testing and supplier documentation.

“Consumer expectations are changing fast across spirits,” said Steve Jefferson, Founder and CEO of Kuleana Rum Works. “People want honesty in what they drink, and they’re rewarding producers who protect natural flavor rather than covering it up. Additive-free isn’t a trend — it’s becoming the standard, and rum is now facing that shift head-on.”

Additional detail in the letter underscores how production choices such as fresh juice fermentation, low-proof distillation and a strict no-additives policy create transparency and flavor integrity that align with what the market is valuing.

About Kuleana Rum Works

Founded on the island of Hawai‘i in 2013, Kuleana Rum Works crafts award-winning, additive-free rums — led by its signature Hawaiian Rum Agricole® — from fresh kō (heirloom Hawaiian sugarcane) grown on its regenerative Kohala farm. Now available in 17 states and Japan, Kuleana Rum Works champions excellence, transparency and community stewardship. Visit kuleanarum.com to learn more.

https://kuleanarum.com/additive-free/