In a strategic move that broadens its beverage portfolio, Gallo, a prominent supplier of wine, spirits, and ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages, has announced its entry into the beer category. This expansion is facilitated through a partnership with the founders of Montucky Cold Snacks, a brand celebrated for its American-style “cold snack” lager. Montucky is a fun lifestyle craft brand that’s based on one core product — a basic lager — with branding and pricing that competes with classic value beers from Busch to Natural Light. Here’s Jeremy Gregory, cofounder of Montucky Cold Snacks, explaining the idea to us in 2022.
Visually, we’re fun, bright, retro, and irreverent, And our light lager follows this mindset in flavor profile, as does our voice and subsequent lifestyle[s] we portray across our different platforms. This has attracted employees who also align with that vibe. That energy flows organically out to customers who in turn reinvent and reinforce these elements in their own way with us. It’s still a lot of work, but it cuts the guess work out, if everyone already is in the flow.
Montucky Cold Snacks will continue to flow. This light, sessionable lager offers a crisp, clean, and refreshing beer experience. With an ABV of 4.1 percent, 102 calories, and 4.95 grams of carbohydrates per 12-oz can, Montucky has gained popularity among outdoor enthusiasts and those who enjoy fun and relaxation. Gallo’s decision to partner with Montucky is driven by the brand’s unique consumer enthusiasm and aligns with Gallo’s goal to diversify its total alcohol beverage portfolio. From the press release:
“Today’s consumer is shopping brands, flavors, and occasions across beer, wine, spirits, and RTDs. At Gallo, we focus on serving the consumer and expanding the boundaries of what is expected,” said Ernest J. Gallo, Chief Executive Officer. “With Montucky Cold Snacks, combined with our expansion of High Noon into vodka iced tea, our partnerships with Canelo Álvarez on VMC and with Lotte on Soonhari Soju, our recent acquisitions of Fishers Island Lemonade, Salt Point, and Waterbird, and our continual wine innovation, such as VIBE by Vendange, we are constantly trying to bring new and better experiences to the consumer.”
Montucky Cold Snacks was established in 2012 by Montanans Chad Zeitner and Jeremy Gregory, who aimed to create a refreshing and fun alternative to premium domestic brands.
“Montucky was created to be a refreshing, fun, irreverent, and, most importantly, snackable alternative to premium domestic brands. The brand’s core values are rooted in celebrating our consumers for who they are, where they are, and donating back to non-profits in the markets we serve,” said Jeremy Gregory, Montucky co-founder. “We believe the key to our consumer loyalty is our commitment to be good, do good, and have fun, for both consumers and employees. We have worked hard to build on these principles since inception, and we believe Gallo is the perfect complement to help us continue in this goal.”
In the past five years, Montucky has seen significant growth, expanding from 130,000 cases to nearly one million cases in 2023. Montucky Cold Snacks are available in single 24-oz cans; 6-packs of 16-oz cans; and 12- and 24-packs of 12-oz cans, targeting domestic premium lager pricing where it is currently sold.
“With Gallo’s resources, core values, focus on consumer enjoyment and similar ethos for giving back to communities, sustainability, and the environment, we believe Gallo is the perfect partner to take Montucky where we have always thought it could go…and help us do a whole lot of good along the way! We couldn’t be more excited to see where it goes from here,” stated Montucky co-founder Chad Zeitner.
Britt West, Executive Vice President and General Manager at Gallo, echoed the excitement of this new venture.
“As a Montana resident, I have watched firsthand the magic of Montucky. From the fun surrounding the after-ski moment to the river float, Montucky is there. Entering beer offers Gallo an exciting new opportunity to reach consumers in different usage occasions, and we look forward to collaborating and growing Montucky across the beer distributor network,” he said. “We believe core lager is a big category with room for fresh and innovative propositions. We are super excited that Chad and Jeremy have agreed to stay on and help Montucky reach its full potential.”
Although the terms of the agreement remain undisclosed, this partnership marks a significant milestone for both Gallo and Montucky Cold Snacks, promising an exciting future for consumers and stakeholders alike.
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