Who owns Happy Hour Seltzer? The drink’s origin and ownership explored
Happy Hour is the latest addition to the string of brands that have entered the ever-growing hard seltzer market. To distinguish itself from the rest, this particular seltzer caters to the tequila-drinking crowd and has yet to be found in stores other than California.
With internet personalities such as David Dobrik, Zane Hijazi, and Heath Hussar promoting the seltzer online, many were of the view that the three YouTubers owned the company. However, their association with Happy Hour simply comes from being investors, and the ownership of the seltzer belongs to someone else.
Entrepreneur Matthew Morton founded the Happy Hour Tequila Seltzer in April 2021 and runs the company
The New York University alumnus Matthew Morton got his start as an entrepreneur after co-founding the matcha tea company Cha Cha Matcha in the summer of 2016.
He then began his second business venture in the beverage world only five years after the first one took off. In April 2021, he founded the Happy Hour Tequila Seltzer “to encourage people to get out and find happiness in the everyday moments of their lives”.
Despite the competitive seltzer market being currently driven by dominant brands such as White Claw and Truly Seltzer, the Happy Hour Drinks Company aims to carve a niche for itself as a brand that uses “real and premium” Blanco tequila.
In an interview with Bristol Farms Real Food magazine, Morton said that the brand aspires to be the go-to drink for consumers. He explained:
“The RTD (Ready To Drink) beverage category is hyper competitive at the moment – for us, the biggest obstacle has been helping people understand what sets us apart. That’s always top of mind for us as we hone our brand, build our community, and create a long-lasting relationship with our customers.”
Matthew Morton is the son of the American businessman Peter Morton who co-founded the Hard Rock Café in the 70s – the chain of international restaurants that has been in business for more than fifty years.
