Meanwhile, Can BodyArmor Regain Pre-Acquisition Momentum
February 1, 2023
For decades, Coca-Cola’s Powerade existed to fight off US sports drink leader Gatorade, which created what is now at least a $12 billion category, according to BD all-channel data. In more recent years, Powerade all but faded into the background, overshadowed by a challenger called BodyArmor that pledged to displace PepsiCo-owned Gatorade with claims of better-for-you ingredients and an in-your-face marketing voice. That may now change. A year after acquiring BodyArmor and merging it into a standalone unit with Powerade, Coca-Cola is ready to get...
Monster Targets Liquid Death, Celsius, Hard Mtn Dew With 2023 Launches
February 1, 2023
The Beast Unleashed Alcohol Offering to Walk Careful Line, CEO Makes Clear
Monster Beverage executives announced they will use a new in-house non-alcoholic beverage incubator called Monarchy to distribute brands that aren’t yet large enough for partner Coca-Cola’s direct store delivery system. Monarchy will be operated out of...
During last year’s bear market, the S&P 500 index fell nearly -20%. Still, the share prices for both Coca-Cola and PepsiCo outperformed the broader market to end the year at +7.4% and +4.0%, respectively. Monster Beverage’s +5.7% gain also beat...
KDP CEO Says Investment, Distribution Deal to Unlock C-Stores, Cold Placements
December 19, 2022
Keurig Dr Pepper followed its surprise $50 million November investment in Athletic Brewing with a far larger deal in December – an $863 million investment in C4 performance energy drink maker Nutrabolt. KDP also becomes Nutrabolt’s long-term sales and distribution partner. While ready-to-drink C4 ...
Major US non-carbonated beverage categories generated higher pricing at retail during the first nine months of 2022, which lead to dollar gains in all categories tracked by BD. While volume fell for all categories except plain bottled water, the declines did not show accelerated erosion compared to the six-month trend. Sports drinks and plain bottled...
Coke Zero Sugar Passes Diet Pepsi in 3Q After +12.6% Volume Gain
November 9, 2022
Consumers cut their carbonated soft drink consumption at US retail during the first nine months of 2022 relative to the same period in 2021. Strong pricing growth of +14% for the total CSD category drove dollar sales almost +12% higher, according to BD data. Volume declined -2.0% (decelerating from -2.2% for the first six months of this year), reflecting a...
Influencer Who Introduced Kobe Bryant to BodyArmor Looks to Parlay Connections
October 20, 2022
Darren Rovell, the journalist, investor, and social media influencer who wrote the literal book on Gatorade, is bringing heat to the fast-growing canned cocktail market. Rovell, who has 2 million Twitter followers and is credited with introducing the late Kobe Bryant to BodyArmor co-founder Mike Repole, had his lightbulb moment 10 months ago while drinking spicy cocktails. That inspiration has since led to a brand called KickStand Cocktails and a newly landed $2 million investment round. The ready-to-drink cocktail blends vodka and fruit juice with artisanal spice, which Rovell says is the key differentiator. KickStand enters a canned cocktail market that is expected to grow by an average of +11.6% through 2032, according to researcher Future Market Insights. As consumers move on from the hard seltzer craze to...