Merrilee Kick nets $400 million from BuzzBallz sale

Merrilee Kick, a former public high school teacher from Texas, has become one of the wealthiest self-made women in the United States following the sale of her beverage brand, BuzzBallz.

In 2009, while grading papers, Kick conceived the idea for a colorful, spherical plastic packaging for ready-to-drink cocktails. She funded the initial growth of the business using inheritance, bank loans, and credit cards rather than outside investors. The brand eventually expanded to supermarkets and convenience stores across the United States and into dozens of other countries.

In April 2024, Kick sold BuzzBallz to the American alcohol corporation Sazerac. While the exact terms were not publicly confirmed, Forbes estimates the deal was worth at least $500 million. Following the transaction, Kick reportedly earned at least $400 million after taxes, earning her the 84th spot on Forbes' 2024 list of America's wealthiest self-made women. Kick and her family stepped down from the company's operations in January 2025.