E&J Gallo Winery’s Spirit of Gallo division is adding to its RTD presence through the acquisition of the Fishers Island Lemonade brand.
The transaction, for an undisclosed sum, will see Connecticut-based Fishers Island sit alongside Gallo’s High Noon spirits-based premix. The new addition features a combination of vodka and whiskey as its spirits base and carries an ABV of 9%.
Launched nine years ago by founder Bronya Shillo, Fishers Island Lemonade also includes Spiked Tea and Pink Flamingo variants, both of which are lower in strength at 7%, as well as Fizz at 5%. The full range is available in the US in four-can packs priced at US$15.99 as well as in eight-can variety packs.
Spirit of Gallo has earned recognition from within the alcohol industry for its success with High Noon in the US. Speaking to Global Drinks Intel earlier this year, Rabobank’s global sector specialist for beverages, Stephen Rannekleiv, said: “I’d argue that it took a wine company to make spirits companies see that consumers would pay for RTD spirits: Gallo shocked everyone.”
In August, the unit bought an unspecified stake in Tequila Komos, which joined Camarena Tequila on Gallo’s books. The privately-owned company claims to be “the third-largest spirits supplier in the US by volume”.
