Fishers Island Lemonade sold to Gallo
May 2—NORTH STONINGTON — Nearly nine years after launching the well-received Fishers Island Lemonade canned cocktail that now sells hundreds of thousands of cases annually, founder Bronya Shillo has decided to sell the brand to a Top Five spirits company.
Spirit of Gallo, based in Modesto, Calif., announced Monday its acquisition of Fishers Island Lemonade, though terms were not released. The company is a division of E. & J. Gallo Winery and owns other canned cocktail brands such as High Noon.
Fishers Island Lemonade, based in North Stonington, was one of the first craft cocktails available in a can, and the recipe had been handed down for generations at the Pequot Inn on Fishers Island, which Shillo's parents ran. The brand was launched on Memorial Day 2014 and had developed a loyal following that ran up and down the Eastern Seaboard.
Shillo, who grew up in Bloomfield, had spent summers on Fishers Island and as a young adult helped her parents run the Pequot Inn bar. She got the idea for canning the bar's favorite drink to save time on brewing up new batches of the alcoholic favorite during the busy summer season.
"There is no other organization I would trust to take Fishers Island Lemonade to the next level," Shillo said in a statement. "I am ecstatic for this opportunity to support and further grow the Fishers Island Lemonade brand."
Shillo was not available for comment to determine what her future with the company might be, nor what the sale would mean for her small group of local employees.
The sale of the company will allow Spirit of Gallo to bring Fishers Island Lemonade to a wider group of customers.
Britt West, senior vice president and general manager of Spirit of Gallo, said in a statement that consumers are looking for cocktails with higher alcohol content and fuller flavor.
"Having known Bronya for over a decade, I have watched her bring Fishers Island Lemonade from a concept all the way to its success as one of the highest-quality and best tasting canned cocktails in the market," West said in a release. "Together, we will highlight the unique sense and taste of island life to more consumers across the country."
Since initially launching Fishers Island Lemonade, Shillo a few years ago introduced new drinks in the same family, including Half and Half and Pink Flamingo. Last year, the brand won Platinum, Double Gold and the Consumer's Choice Award at the 2022 SIP Awards, and Gold at the 2023 San Francisco Spirits Awards.
