Swansea-based Au Vodka is reportedly in discussions for a sale that could value the company at approximately £500 million, according to reports. The potential buyer is understood to be the owner of BuzzBallz, a competitor in the ready-to-drink beverage market.
Au Vodka has experienced significant growth, particularly following the pandemic, positioning itself as the second-largest brand in the UK market behind BuzzBallz. Co-founder Charlie Morgan has expressed ambitions for international expansion, including a strong push into the United States.
"If you asked a 25-year-old target market consumer in America, would they know Au? Probably not yet," Morgan told BBC Wales News in 2025. "So there's still so many more people who don't know about us. And I think we're still driven to try and take over the world a little bit more."
Morgan, alongside co-founder Jackson Quinn, has navigated the company through its rapid expansion. Morgan's early public profile stemmed from an incident in 2013 at the age of 17, when he was kicked by Chelsea footballer Eden Hazard during a match. Hazard was sent off for the offense and later apologized. The pair revisited the incident years later in a YouTube video.
Despite the company's association with celebrity and a distinctive brand image, Morgan and Quinn maintained a focused business strategy. Their move into the ready-to-drink sector coincided with a boom in that market. The potential acquisition by the BuzzBallz owner would mark a significant financial milestone for the burgeoning spirits company.