Who Owns High Noon?

High Noon is an American hard seltzer brand based in Modesto, California. The brand was launched in 2019 by Gallo to provide canned vodka-based cocktails with fruit juice. High Noon’s drinks don’t contain added sugar and gluten. In Mar 2023, the brand expanded its lineup beyond vodka by introducing a tequila seltzer. High Noon Tequila Seltzer is sold in an 8-pack with lime, grapefruit, passionfruit, and strawberry flavors. [1]

High Noon is known for its canned vodka cocktail, with 100 calories per can. This alcoholic drink comes in 4, 8, or 12 packs with several flavors, including lime, peach, black cherry, lemon, grapefruit, pineapple, mango, passionfruit, and watermelon. Consumers are enticed by High Noon’s functional attributes, such as sugar-free, zero carbs, and under 100 calories. In 2022, High Noon sales increased 85% to 16.4 million cases, becoming the top-selling spirit-based canned cocktail. [2]

High Noon stays ahead of competitors by raising the quality of its cocktails and expanding its product line. The brand had about a 40% share of the spirits-based hard seltzer category in 2022, its third full year of business.

In 2023, High Noon sold 21.4 million cases, up over 30% from 2022. It was the leader in the RTD category, ahead of Tito’s Vodka and Jack Daniel’s. Tito’s moved 12 million cases, and Jack Daniel’s sold 6.5 million cases – about a third of High Noon’s sales. But who owns High Noon? [3]

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Who is High Noon’s Parent Company?

High Noon is owned by privately held GALLO, a 90-plus-year-old wine specialist based in Modesto, California. The parent company was founded in 1933 by Ernest and Julio Gallo as E & J Gallo Winery. In Feb 2024, E & J Gallo Winery rebranded to GALLO to reflect its expansion beyond wines. Gallo is an iconic brand in the global winery and wine distribution market and a household name among consumers. The rebranding includes a redesigned logo that honors the founders’ Italian heritage. [4]

GALLO employs over 7,000 people worldwide. The parent company owns over 100 brands, including ordinary and luxury wines, beverages, and distilled spirits. High Noon is a GALLO brand operating under GALLO’s Spirit of Gallo subsidiary. In Jan 2024, Spirit of Gallo introduced the High Noon Snowbird Pack. This limited-edition pack has fan-favorite Peach and Lemon flavors with Plum and Raspberry seasonal sensations. [5]

GALLO sells products in over 100 countries through distributors and retailers. The parent company leverages targeted marketing strategies for different GALLO brands to attract and convert more potential buyers. In Jun 2023, Spirit of Gallo partnered with golf apparel brand TravisMathew to launch the High Noon x TravisMathew Apparel Collection. The product line includes limited edition polos, hats, and tees, accessorized with a can of High Noon to market GALLO’s hard seltzer to golfers. [6]

GALLO is a global wine and spirits industry leader with over 100 iconic brands. Its portfolio includes Apothic, Barefoot Wine, Black Box, J Vineyards, New Amsterdam Vodka, Orin Swift, RumChata, and High Noon. The parent company is expanding its business via strategic acquisitions.

In Aug 2023, GALLO’s Luxury Wine Group agreed to acquire Rombauer Vineyards from the Rombauer family. Rombauer produces acclaimed wines in Napa Valley, including Carneros Chardonnay, Zinfandel, and Sauvignon Blanc. [7]

High Noon’s Ownership History

Although High Noon was established in 2019, the brand traces its origins to 1933 when Julio and Ernest Gallo founded GALLO. The company’s history spans four generations of family ownership. The Gallo brothers started the winery at the end of Prohibition. In 1975, GALLO made its first acquisition to create E&J Brandy.

Julio Gallo managed wine production, while Ernest Gallo handled sales and distribution. The brothers were worth around $1.3 billion as of 1992. In 1993, co-founder and Chairman Julio Gallo died in a car accident at 83 years old. The winery partnered with Martha Stewart in 2007 to promote its wines. The Gallo family has contributed to US politicians, like former US President Bill Clinton and US Senator Bob Dole, to protect its interests. [8]

GALLO has been growing its spirits portfolio for nearly half a century. The parent company started selling its first spirit – E&J Brandy – in the 1970s and introduced the New Amsterdam vodka in the early 2000s. GALLO launched High Noon in 2019 to capitalize on the canned cocktail craze. As the spirits portfolio expanded, the parent company recognized a need to differentiate the segment from its industry-leading wine business. In 2022, GALLO created the new Spirit of Gallo brand as its distilled arm. [9]

Spirit of Gallo includes High Noon, New Amsterdam Vodka, Camarena Tequila, RumChata, Pink Whitney, RumHaven, Fishers Island Lemonade, and Stratusphere Gin. The division also offers GALLO-owned and imported luxury spirits, such as The Dalmore Single Malt Scotch, Horse Soldier Bourbon, Tequila Komos, Don Fulano Tequila, Amaro Montenegro, and Lo-Fi Aperitifs.

In Dec 2023, Spirit of Gallo partnered with LOTTE to add the Soju category to its fast-growing spirits portfolio. The new segment includes LOTTE’s Soonhari, Chum Churum, and Saero drinks. [10]

High Noon’s Shareholder Structure

High Noon is a wholly owned GALLO brand. Since 1933, GALLO has maintained family ownership and solidified itself as a world-class wine empire. Over a dozen descendants of Ernest and Julio Gallo inherited the California winery. The Gallo family has been featured on Forbes’ Richest American Families list. [11]

Gallo’s descendants own the parent company and its 100+ brands, including High Noon. In 2022, the Gallo dynasty had fifteen family members. Each member works in the business and owns a stake in the Gallo Empire. [12]

The Gallo family spans three generations. The winery has been handed down the family tree since its founding. Julio Gallo was the company’s first CEO until May 1993, followed by Ernest Gallo and Ernest’s grandson, Ernest Joe Gallo. In Oct 2022, CEO Ernest opened GALLO’s new Chester County Operations Facility. [13]

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