Gallo has purchased Whiny Baby, a US wine brand founded in 2020 by entrepreneur Jess Druey.
As part of the transaction, revealed today (17 September) by Gallo through Instagram and Druey via a LinkedIn post, the founder will remain as head of Whiny Baby while also taking on a consulting role at Gallo, with a focus on emerging consumer innovation. Financial details of the transaction were not immediately available.
Launched as a direct-to-consumer business before expanding into national retail through a 2022 partnership with McBride Sisters Wine Co, Whiny Baby has been designed to appeal to younger consumers with an accessible, social media-driven approach to wine. The brand has since gained traction with Gen Z and millennial audiences across the US.
Global Drinks Intel has contacted Gallo and Druey for further details on the acquisition.
“This is a dream come true, and I am honoured to join a legacy company with world-class leaders,” Druey said in her post on social media.
Earlier this month, Gallo shut down Courtside Cellars in California, affecting 47 jobs. The layoffs impacted all employees of the privately-owned group’s Courtside Cellars, a 300,000-square-foot production facility.
