Viral Welsh vodka brand Au Vodka set for £500m sale to BuzzBallz owner

Swansea-based drinks brand Au Vodka is reportedly nearing a £500 million sale in a deal that could see its two founders earn more than £100 million each.

The viral Welsh vodka company, founded by childhood friends Charlie Morgan and Jackson Quinn, has agreed a deal to be acquired by US drinks giant Sazerac, the company behind brands including Southern Comfort and ready-to-drink sensation BuzzBallz.

The deal would mark a remarkable rise for a business that began in Swansea in 2015 and has since grown into one of the UK's most recognisable premium vodka brands.

From Swansea start-up to global brand

Au Vodka was founded by Morgan and Quinn with a distinctive idea — a premium vodka brand built around eye-catching gold bottles, social media marketing and celebrity endorsements.

The brand quickly developed a strong following, particularly among younger adult consumers, with its distinctive gold-coloured bottles becoming instantly recognisable.

Just two years after launching the business, the founders secured investment from DJ Charlie Sloth, whose celebrity connections helped raise the company's profile.

The brand later attracted major publicity through celebrity and influencer campaigns, while its products became increasingly popular at holiday destinations including Ibiza and Dubai.

Au Vodka also moved quickly into the booming ready-to-drink market, launching canned products that retained the company's signature gold branding.

The move proved highly successful, with Au Vodka becoming one of the biggest names in the UK ready-to-drink alcohol market.

The former Swansea City ball boy behind the brand

For co-founder Charlie Morgan, the journey has been an extraordinary one.

Morgan first became known nationally and internationally in 2013 when, as a teenage Swansea City ball boy, he was involved in an infamous incident with Chelsea footballer Eden Hazard.

Hazard was sent off during the match after attempting to retrieve the ball from Morgan, making contact with the teenager in an incident that sparked widespread debate among football fans.

More than a decade later, Morgan had transformed his early fame into something very different — becoming one half of one of Wales' most successful modern business stories.

Morgan and Hazard later reunited for a video, joking about the famous incident years after it happened.

A golden future from Swansea

In 2025, Au Vodka opened a new headquarters in Swansea, creating a striking base that reflected the company's bold and unconventional branding.

The site featured gold-themed vehicles and even a nine-hole mini-golf course, underlining the personality that helped the company stand out in an increasingly competitive drinks market.

At the same time, the business was looking beyond the UK.

Morgan had spoken about ambitions to significantly expand Au Vodka's presence in the United States, where the brand still had considerable room to grow.

Now, a sale to Sazerac could provide the company with the backing and international reach needed to take the brand to an even wider global audience.

Sazerac looks to strengthen its UK presence

Sazerac, which owns Southern Comfort and BuzzBallz, has confirmed that it has agreed to acquire Au Vodka.

The US drinks company said the deal would allow it to deepen its presence in the UK market.

For Au Vodka, joining a major international drinks group would represent the next chapter in a business that has grown from a Swansea start-up into a brand recognised around the world.

The founders have not publicly discussed the reported financial details of the deal.

However, reports suggest the sale could value the company at around £500 million, potentially earning Morgan and Quinn more than £100 million each.

A remarkable Welsh business success story

The proposed deal is another major milestone for a company that built its reputation through bold branding, social media, celebrity attention and an ability to spot changing trends in the drinks market.

But the story of Au Vodka is also a Swansea success story.

From a business launched by two childhood friends in Wales to a potential £500 million acquisition by one of the world's major drinks companies, Au Vodka's rise has been anything but ordinary.

If the deal is completed, it could become one of the most significant business success stories to emerge from Swansea in recent years.

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