Wine, spirits and ready-to-drink beverage manufacturer Gallo (formerly E&J Gallo Winery) has entered the beer category through a strategic investment in Montucky Cold Snacks, according to a release from the company. The announcement calls the deal a “strategic partnership with the founders of Montucky Cold Snacks,” but does not disclose terms of the agreement.
Montucky was founded in 2012 by Montana residents Chad Zeitner and Jeremy Gregory, and today it still produces Cold Snack beer, a light, American-style lager marketed toward outdoor enthusiasts and “lovers of fun” everywhere. The announcement states that Montucky sales have grown over the last five years from 130,000 cases to nearly 1 million cases in 2023.
Ernest J. Gallo, CEO of Gallo, believes the addition of Montucky Cold Snacks bolsters the company’s strategic approach to bringing new and better experiences to consumers. He cites the expansion of Gallo’s High Noon brand into vodka iced tea and the acquisitions of Fishers Island Lemonade, Salt Point and Waterbird as additional evidence pointing toward this approach.
Executive vice president and general manager Britt West added that Gallo believes core lager is a big category with “room for fresh and innovative propositions,” and that Zeitner and Gregory will stay on board and help Montucky continue to grow. Zeitner believes the Gallo partnership will help take Montucky “where we have always thought it could go.”
