We Ask Spirit of Gallo’s Britt West About the Search for Premium Options in the RTD Segment

The ready-to-drink segment has become a category of can-dos. Any and every drink imaginable is canned for convenience these days.

With options comes an uptick in competition, making the quality of products available more important. As one of the originals, High Noon has become the #1 premium hard seltzer brand, and easily fits into any plans, not only because of its easy slim can, but also because of the quality drink inside.

“The quality of our liquid is extremely important. Our hard seltzers are made with real vodka or tequila, real juice, and no added sugar,” says Britt West, Executive Vice President and General Manager of Spirits at Gallo. “We know consumers are looking for premium, portable drink options.” We ask Britt to tell us more.

Tell us about the brand.

High Noon is a refreshing hard seltzer made with real spirits and real juice that delivers on consumer tase and lifestyle expectations. High Noon caters to a variety of audiences looking for just that with our variety of Vodka Hard Seltzer flavors, tequila and now those looking for non-carbonated options with the launch of Vodka Iced Tea.

What do you think attributes for High Noon’s sustained growth year to year?

High Noon has grown significantly since launching in 2019 and we see much of that success driven by consumers seeking premium alternatives to beer and other malt-based RTD offerings.

We also know consumers are looking for premium, portable drink options, which is why the quality of our liquid is extremely important. Our hard seltzers are made with real vodka or tequila, real juice and no added sugar, helping to make High Noon the #1 best tasting hard seltzer* and not only the #1 premium hard seltzer brand**, but the #1 spirits brand by volume***.

How does product innovation play into the brand strategy, and how do you see RTD customer habits changing, if at all?

We are constantly monitoring industry trends and insights and continue to emphasize the importance of making premium alternatives to beer and other malt-based hard seltzers to meet consumer interests.

In addition to last year’s launch of High Noon Tequila Seltzer, we have introduced several new flavors like Plum and Raspberry as part of the Snowbird Pack which was announced in January 2024 and most recently, we launched High Noon Vodka Iced Tea, made with real vodka and real iced tea, plus no added sugar and no carbonation.

How does High Noon stay top of category as the RTD field gets increasingly competitive?

There are many things that contribute to our success, but most importantly we continue to place an emphasis on staying true to our commitment to quality. Whether you’re sipping High Noon Tequila Seltzer, Vodka Iced Tea or the original High Noon Hard Seltzer, our products are made with premium ingredients, including real vodka or tequila, real juice and no added sugar and it’s clear our strategy and brand positioning is resonating with consumers. In fact, 68% of High Noon volume growth is from consumers switching and of that, 57% is coming from consumers switching to High Noon from beer and other hard seltzers******.

Is there any specific product, region, or demographic that has fueled recent growth?

In terms of product innovation, we continue to introduce new SKUs to our portfolio. In 2023, we launched High Noon Tequila Seltzer, which included four flavors: Lime, Grapefruit, Passionfruit and Strawberry. This allowed us to reach the growing number of tequila enthusiasts and provide them with a premium, portable way to enjoy their favorite spirit without having to compromise on taste. Since launching High Noon Tequila Seltzer, 20% of volume is from new buyers to the brand and it’s grown to be the #1 tequila RTD SKU****.

On-premise is another big opportunity for High Noon and we have seen that channel continue to help fuel our growth. Currently, 22% of High Noon business is done in the on-premise*****.

Why introduce the new Vodka Iced Tea?

The release of High Noon Vodka Iced Tea follows consumers ranking Hard Tea as one of their most frequent RTD category purchased in 2023, outperforming previously favorable categories like hard lemonade, wine coolers, and more*******. There are many hard teas on the market, but a lack of options made with real vodka, real tea, and no sugar added. High Noon wanted to give consumers a more premium option from a brand they trust.

High Noon Vodka Iced Tea delivers on our brand promise of a premium drink made with real vodka & real iced tea, and no added sugar. With this launch, iced tea lovers can finally trade up their hard tea for a twist on this summertime classic that is elevated to new heights.

*The Tasting Panel, September 2023
**Circana Total MULO+CONV+LIQUOR YTD through 08-06-23, Volume Sales
***Circana Consumer Network Households (NCP) 52 Weeks ending 10/1/2023 vs. YA- Total U.S. All Outlets, NBD Adjusted (Vol)
****Meijer Loyalty Card Data 2-26-2024
*****Internal Flex Data YTD through 4.30.24
******Circana Consumer Network Households (NCP) 52 Weeks ending 10/1/2023 vs. YA- Total U.S. All Outlets, NBD Adjusted (Vol)​
*******IWSR RTDs Strategic Study 2023 – United States