Today we’d like to introduce you to Merrilee Kick.
Merrilee, please share your story with us. How did you get to where you are today?
I was a teacher at Plano West Senior High, getting my MBA in my spare time. I came up with an idea while grading papers by the side of the pool, to create a ready to drink cocktail in a ball-shaped container. I developed and launched the idea in 2009, had all permits and permissions by 2010, and today we sell BuzzBallz in 45 states and 21 countries. We also make bourbon, gin, vodka, and rum. We have the only woman-owned Distillery/Winery combo in the USA. We employ about 140 people in the DFW area and are known for our innovation.
Has it been a smooth road?
Some of the struggles we had along the way include growing too fast, not having enough people or not having enough equipment to make what we wanted to make to keep up with demand. Since we had no experience in the industry it took time to learn who the important players were and how to penetrate the inner circle for our distributors and retailers. It also took time to get the people with the relationships in the industry to come on board and work for us. Now we are very happy!
We’d love to hear more about your business.
We are a manufacturer of Ready-To-Drink cocktails called BuzzBallz. They are sold through distributors to liquor stores, grocery stores, convenience stores, casinos, restaurants, bars, arenas, in 45 states and 21 countries. We are known for our innovation with our containers and our fun product. Our differences are that we are the actual manufacturer, not just a brand owner – we are vertically integrated. We own our building and production equipment, we have an R&D and Compliance team, we have our own in house marketing and sales. We are quick movers when we want to invent something new for a customer.
Is our city a good place to do what you do?
I think the DFW area is great because it is centrally located in the USA – easy to ship from, the cost of living is low, and there are some amazing offerings in this city for someone looking to live here. Schools are good, sports are good, and job opportunities are abundant (and the traffic isn’t too bad like many major cities). DFW Airport and Love Field offer excellent service for the people who want to fly.
Contact Info:
- Website: www.buzzballz.com
- Phone: 972-242-3777
- Email: kick@buzzballz.com
- Instagram: buzzballz
- Facebook: buzzballz
- Twitter: buzzballz
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