PURCHASE, NY. — PepsiCo, Inc. has entered into an agreement with Vital Pharmaceuticals Inc., Weston, Fla., the maker of the Bang Energy drink portfolio, to distribute the beverages in the United States. Introduced in 2012, Bang Energy is carried in more than 200,000 outlets in the United States, and was the single largest contributor to overall liquid refreshment beverage growth in 2019, according to Information Resources, Inc., Chicago.
“In the ultra-competitive energy category, Bang Energy has thrived, pioneering the performance energy segment and attracting the next-generation of energy consumers,” said Kirk Tanner, chief executive officer of PepsiCo Beverages North America. “This alliance plays a central role in PepsiCo’s overall energy-beverage strategy and enables us to significantly accelerate the distribution of Bang Energy to meet rising consumer demand.”
PepsiCo acquired Rockstar Energy Beverages for $3.85 billion earlier this year. The Rockstar and Bang brands add to PepsiCo’s other energy beverages, which include the Mountain Dew Kickstart, GameFuel and Amp brands.
“Bang is committed to serving zero-calorie, highly effective innovation and exceeding our consumers’ expectations,” said Jack Owoc, CEO of Bang Energy. “When it comes to the category, we have invented the future by reinventing the game.”