BuzzBallz’ genesis began in 2009, by the edge of a backyard pool in between a pile of papers to be graded and, of course, a cocktail. At that time, Merrilee Kick was a high school teacher working on her master’s degree. She was distracted by the way the glass balanced near the water’s edge and it seemed only a matter of time until a breeze or errant pen stroke tipped the glass. She thought: Wouldn’t this be better with a plastic container? Weren’t there other people—kicking back by pools, rivers and barbecues—that might feel the same way?

This thought inspired Merrilee to use the BuzzBallz concept in her thesis project for her master’s degree. After graduation, she decided to pursue her dream. Kick began assembling a list of qualities she wanted not only in her dream drink, but in its packaging. The plastic would be unbreakable and light enough to float. The product would be colorful, stackable and recyclable, and the drinks would be made with real fruit juice. If you forgot one in the freezer, it wouldn’t explode but would remain slushy enough to drink. Most importantly, she wanted a product that didn’t skimp on the alcohol and was strong enough and tasty enough to be like drinks you would make at home.

The first order of BuzzBallz shipped in late Summer of 2010. A year later, BuzzBallz expanded beyond Texas. Fast forward to present day 2017, Buzzballz continue to push boundaries and expand both nationally and internationally. BuzzBallz are available in 15 flavors in both the BuzzBallz line and the BuzzBallz Chillers line. The pre-mixed cocktails are packaged in colorful containers with equally colorful names, for example—Strawberry Rum Job and Choc Tease. They are strong, affordable and a whole lot of fun!