BuzzBallz, the brightly coloured premixed cocktails in spherical plastic containers, have become the must-have drink of the summer in the UK, with sales soaring among Gen Z consumers. The brand, invented by American teacher Merrilee Kick in 2009, was bought by Sazerac in 2022 for an estimated $500m and is now valued at over $1bn.
Since arriving in the UK in 2022, BuzzBallz has seen explosive growth, driven by word of mouth and social media. Jake Wenz, CEO of Sazerac, said: 'The buzz has been largely driven by organic discovery, primarily in independent retailers and via word of mouth on social media. It has been incredible to watch BuzzBallz become a cult favourite among consumers in the UK, specifically gen Z.'
The trend is part of a wider resurgence of alcopops from the 1990s and early 2000s, including Reef, Bacardi Breezer and Smirnoff Ice. A survey in March 2025 found that 76% of UK Gen Z consumers had drunk alcohol in the past six months, up from 66% in 2023.
Freya McCann, 29, a sales worker from Edinburgh, said: 'People my age are either buying a home and getting married, or they’re saying: “Let’s get some BuzzBallz and have a good time.”' She described them as 'convenient' and 'silly', with a nostalgic appeal reminiscent of school discos.
Each BuzzBallz contains about five teaspoons of sugar, close to the maximum daily recommendation for women. Critics have raised concerns about the palatability of such drinks, echoing debates from the 1990s when alcopops were accused of being marketed to underage drinkers.
