Molson Coors Beverage Company announced it is taking a majority ownership stake in ZOA, the better-for-you energy brand co-founded by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Dany Garcia, Dave Rienzi, and John Shulman. Buying a majority stake enables Molson Coors to lead the entirety of ZOA’s marketing, retail, and direct-to-consumer sales and development. The company believes this positions ZOA for a step change in growth.
As sales of better-for-you energy drinks continue to outpace the broader category, the deal signals Molson Coors’ belief in ZOA’s growth potential. It also follows a period of foundational initiatives, including new packaging, a new visual identity, and ZOA’s first national marketing campaign featuring A-list co-founder Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson.
Molson Coors is also confident in ZOA due to its 50% repeat purchase rate and its ability to attract new consumers to the energy category, with 30% of ZOA buyers new to this space. The brand’s direct-to-consumer business is also a significant driver of sales and consumer visibility, including its position as a top 10 energy drink brand on Amazon.
As ZOA enters its next phase, Johnson will remain the brand’s visible face through the “Big Dwayne Energy” campaign, social media promotions, etc.
Molson Coors and ZOA first started a partnership when the brand launched in 2021, and Molson Coors increased its stake in ZOA last September while also assuming a presence on ZOA’s Board of Directors.
Available at 25,000+ retail locations and more than 86,000 points of distribution across North America, ZOA represents one piece of Molson Coors’ strategic ambition to expand its total beverage portfolio. Molson Coors’ latest investment in ZOA is subject to standard regulatory approval processes and customary closing conditions.
KEY QUOTES:
“We’re building a winning portfolio that offers consumers choices across a wide range of occasions, and non-alc is a key part of that strategy. ZOA opens the door for us to participate in more parts of the day and incremental opportunities beyond our core business. We’ve built a strong foundation with ZOA over the past three years and we see a ton of opportunity for this brand to achieve its next stage of growth and scale.”
– Molson Coors Chief Commercial Officer Michelle St. Jacques
“Since day one, Molson Coors has shared our passion for ZOA Energy, and as a partner, they’ve been pivotal to bringing new consumers into the energy space with ZOA and keeping them coming back. ZOA is all about crafting drinks that help our loyal and growing consumers show up as their best selves every day, and Molson Coors’ commitment to the brand will give it an enormous amount of firepower in the next phase of growth.”
– Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson
