Apparently this drinks category is huge (had no idea, never even tasted one).
GALLO SALES EXCEED 1.25 BILLION ON HIGH NOON BRAND
High Noon Sun Sips is leading spirits-based cocktails into new territory in a quickly evolving beverage alcohol industry. Launched by Spirit of Gallo in May 2019, High Noon’s sales approached $1.25 billion last year, and it became the No. 1-selling spirits brand by volume in the United States, according to Impact Databank. “I was doubtful at first because of the price compared to malt-based hard seltzer,” says Mark O’Callaghan, owner of Exit 9 Wine & Liquor Warehouse in Clifton Park, New York. “The consumer told the industry they are willing to pay for quality. High Noon has a crisp, clean taste, and there is no question on the quality of the product.”
In 2022, High Noon rocketed past Tito’s with 85% growth to 16.4 million cases to become the spirits volume leader. Moreover, High Noon commands about a 40% share of the spirits-based hard seltzer category. “High Noon is just absolutely kicking it and has an incredible volume,” says David Jackson, senior vice president of trade relations for the National Alcohol Beverage Control Association.
Spirit of Gallo is keeping the momentum behind its hard seltzer going with the March 1 launch of High Noon Tequila Seltzer (SRP $22 an eight-pack of 12-ounce cans). “We got 10 cases of the High Noon Tequila Seltzer on March 1 to start with, and we sold out in seven hours,” O’Callaghan says. “It’s doing really well.”
The High Noon extension is made with blanco Tequila and fruit juice and comes in four flavors: Lime, Grapefruit, Strawberry, and Passionfruit. “I’m excited to see what the High Noon Tequila-based hard seltzer does because that is going to be a different consumer than the vodka-based consumer,” says Mat Dinsmore, owner of Wilbur’s Total Beverage in Fort Collins, Colorado.
High Noon is the leading spirits-based hard seltzer at Wilbur’s and is neck and neck with less-expensive malt-based hard seltzers White Claw ($18.95 a 12-pack of 12-ounce cans) and Truly ($20 a 12-pack of 12-ounce cans). “The quality of High Noon is exponentially better than malt-based hard seltzers,” Dinsmore says. “High Noon is successful because it was one of the first spirits-based hard seltzers to market before Covid. It’s good quality and Gallo is second to none in entry to market.”
High Noon received a particularly warm welcome in states like New York, where wine and spirits stores cannot sell malt-based beverage alcohol....
The brand appears to have good penetration throughout the different adult-population age groups. “It’s not just a young adult thing,” O’Callaghan says. “It’s all the age groups. I have seen guys from around 30 to 70 drinking High Noon at golf outings.”