The BuzzBallz Story ft. Merrilee Kick
November 6, 2025
In this episode, we’re joined by Merrilee Kick, Founder of BuzzBallz and CEO of Gourmetland Foods — a powerhouse in the ready-to-drink alcohol space. Merrilee shares how a moment of poolside inspiration turned into a globally distributed, category-defining brand with its iconic spherical packaging and bold mission to “reinvent the happy hour.”
We dive deep into how she designed her packaging from scratch, scaled operations without external funding, built a vertically integrated business, and cracked high-margin growth — all while staying scrappy and rooted in culture. Merrilee also reflects on the Sazerac acquisition, her Forbes-featured journey, and what’s next with Gourmetland.
🎯 Key Topics Discussed:
1. How a high school teacher created one of America’s top RTD brands
2. Why packaging is the real product in CPG
3. Her approach to distributor relationships & retail success
4. The surprising story behind the “BuzzBallz” name
5. Balancing brand, culture, and operations as a solo founder
6. What Gourmetland Foods is cooking up next
7. Why she believes in “fairness over equality” as a leadership philosophy
8. What really moves shelves: pricing, displays & impulse buying behavior
9. Lessons in brand building, culture, and how to keep it fun
🎙️ Welcome to Episode 03 of ShelfLife — the CPG podcast by Phyllo, where we uncover the untold stories behind the world’s most iconic brands and the people who build them.
👀 See what you can build with Phyllo: https://www.getphyllo.com/
In this episode, we’re joined by Merrilee Kick, Founder of BuzzBallz and CEO of Gourmetland Foods — a powerhouse in the ready-to-drink alcohol space. Merrilee shares how a moment of poolside inspiration turned into a globally distributed, category-defining brand with its iconic spherical packaging and bold mission to “reinvent the happy hour.”
We dive deep into how she designed her packaging from scratch, scaled operations without external funding, built a vertically integrated business, and cracked high-margin growth — all while staying scrappy and rooted in culture. Merrilee also reflects on the Sazerac acquisition, her Forbes-featured journey, and what’s next with Gourmetland.
🎯 Key Topics Discussed:
1. How a high school teacher created one of America’s top RTD brands
2. Why packaging is the real product in CPG
3. Her approach to distributor relationships & retail success
4. The surprising story behind the “BuzzBallz” name
5. Balancing brand, culture, and operations as a solo founder
6. What Gourmetland Foods is cooking up next
7. Why she believes in “fairness over equality” as a leadership philosophy
8. What really moves shelves: pricing, displays & impulse buying behavior
9. Lessons in brand building, culture, and how to keep it fun
🔗 Learn more about BuzzBallz: https://www.buzzballz.com/
📢 Learn more about Phyllo:
🌐 Website: https://getphyllo.com
📩 Email: contact@getphyllo.com
📱 Beacons: https://beacons.ai/getphyllo
👀 See what you can build with Phyllo: https://www.getphyllo.com/
In this episode, we’re joined by Merrilee Kick, Founder of BuzzBallz and CEO of Gourmetland Foods — a powerhouse in the ready-to-drink alcohol space. Merrilee shares how a moment of poolside inspiration turned into a globally distributed, category-defining brand with its iconic spherical packaging and bold mission to “reinvent the happy hour.”
We dive deep into how she designed her packaging from scratch, scaled operations without external funding, built a vertically integrated business, and cracked high-margin growth — all while staying scrappy and rooted in culture. Merrilee also reflects on the Sazerac acquisition, her Forbes-featured journey, and what’s next with Gourmetland.
🎯 Key Topics Discussed:
1. How a high school teacher created one of America’s top RTD brands
2. Why packaging is the real product in CPG
3. Her approach to distributor relationships & retail success
4. The surprising story behind the “BuzzBallz” name
5. Balancing brand, culture, and operations as a solo founder
6. What Gourmetland Foods is cooking up next
7. Why she believes in “fairness over equality” as a leadership philosophy
8. What really moves shelves: pricing, displays & impulse buying behavior
9. Lessons in brand building, culture, and how to keep it fun
🔗 Learn more about BuzzBallz: https://www.buzzballz.com/
📢 Learn more about Phyllo:
🌐 Website: https://getphyllo.com
📩 Email: contact@getphyllo.com
📱 Beacons: https://beacons.ai/getphyllo