A wider energy portfolio Coca‑Cola HBC Romania will distribute Monster Energy products, expanding the energy drink portfolio

Expanding our energy portfolio with such a strong and loved brand has a great value for us and we see a lot of opportunities in the future. Energy drinks remain a highly dynamic segment, offering fun and functionality. The energy drink market has registered a double digit growth last year and now that we have added Monster Energy, we ensure that we have an even more diverse portfolio and offer our consumers a choice in beverages to meet their tastes and lifestyles.

Jaak Mikkel General Manager, Coca‑Cola HBC Romania

Coca‑Cola HBC Romania today announces a wider product portfolio with Monster Energy, thus enriching the energy drink segment, which also includes Burn. Coca‑Cola HBC Romania is now the official importer and distributor for the Monster Energy brand, following a global agreement in which The Coca‑Cola Company aquiered an approximate 16.7% stake in Monster, an investment of UAS 2.15 billion.

Monster Energy is distributed, on the Romanian market, by Coca‑Cola HBC Romania, as of April, 2016. In Romania, Monster is available in four versions: Energy (classic energy), Absolutely Zero (zero sugar, no calories), Ripper (70% energy and 30% juice mix) and Assault (energy drink with the refreshment of soda) – in a 0.5l can. Each package provides comprehensive information on the ingredients and the nutritional values.

In Europe, Coca‑Cola Hellenic Group distributes Monster Energy in twenty countries where the Group operates: the Czech Republic, Hungary, Slovakia, Austria, Bulgaria, Switzerland, Cyprus, Estonia, Greece, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Italy, Romania, Slovenia, Croatia, Bosnia, Ukraine, Serbia and Macedonia. Coca‑Cola HBC is one of the largest branded suppliers of energy drinks by value and is growing in this category. Coca‑Cola HBC Romania will continue the Group’s dual strategy in energy drinks, taking into consideration both the Burn and the Monster propositions.

Monster Energy was launched in 2002 in the USA by Hansen Beverage Company and expanded rapidly into a global brand, available in 115 countries around the world. It is the No 1 best-selling product in its category in the USA, Monster Energy has already received significant consumer recognition and is known as a partner in various sports events such as speedway, MotoGP, Formula 1, snowboard, UFC, BMX, skate. The brand attributes tie in well with extreme motor sports, rock and “living on the edge” in general.

About Monster Energy

Monster Energy is a multi-million Euro Energy Brand that holds the title of No.1 energy drink in America*, and has conquered the slot of No.1 challenger to Red Bull with an average age in Europe of just 3 years. Delivering twice the buzz and through lifestyle marketing, Monster Energy continues to live up to their title as growth engine of the energy category, driving +20.7% of the +6.7% energy category growth**. And with a loyal and dedicated following, Monster now has a legion of fans that sits at over 24 million on Facebook alone.

Monster is way more than an energy drink… We don’t just bring you the coolest products, we give you the biggest athletes, the hottest girls, and the loudest names in sport and music. We support the scenes that our fans love, giving them exclusive access to Monster events around the globe, and we don’t just let them sit on the side-lines, we put them right in the driver’s seat. Monster Energy is a lifestyle: you don’t just drink Monster, you live it!

About Coca‑Cola HBC Group

Coca‑Cola HBC is a leading bottler of The Coca‑Cola Company with a sales volume of more than 2 billion unit cases. It has a broad geographic footprint with operations in 28 countries serving a population of approximately 590 million people. Coca‑Cola HBC offers a diverse range of non-alcoholic ready to drink beverages in the sparkling, juice, water, sport, energy, tea and coffee categories. Coca‑Cola HBC is committed to promoting sustainable development in order to create value for its business and for society. This includes providing products that meet the beverage needs of consumers, fostering an open and inclusive work environment, conducting its business in ways that protect and preserve the environment and contribute to the socio-economic development of the local communities. Coca‑Cola HBC is ranked beverage industry leader in the Dow Jones Sustainability World and Europe Indices, and is also included in the FTSE4Good Index.

In Romania, like in all other countries where it runs its business, Coca‑Cola owns and operates under its own system, including all necessary links in the production and distribution of the products to the consumers. In Romania, the system consists of Coca‑Cola Romania (subsidiary of The Coca‑Cola Company, owner of the trade marks) and his partner Coca‑Cola Hellenic (CCH Romania, bottling and distributing Coca‑Cola products under license from The Coca‑Cola Company in Romania). For more information regarding the company please visit the websites www.coca-colahellenic.com and www.thecoca-colacompany.com.

About the Coca‑Cola Company

The Coca‑Cola Company (NYSE: KO) is the world's largest beverage company, refreshing consumers with more than 500 sparkling and still brands. Led by Coca‑Cola, one of the world's most valuable and recognizable brands, our Company's portfolio features 20 billion-dollar brands including Diet Coke, Fanta, Sprite, Coca‑Cola Zero, vitamin water, Powerade, Minute Maid, Simply, Georgia and Del Valle.

Globally, we are the No. 1 provider of sparkling beverages, ready-to-drink coffees, and juices and juice drinks. Through the world's largest beverage distribution system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy our beverages at a rate of 1.9 billion servings a day.

With an enduring commitment to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives that reduce our environmental footprint, support active, healthy living, create a safe, inclusive work environment for our associates, and enhance the economic development of the communities where we operate. Together with our bottling partners, we rank among the world's top 10 private employers with more than 700,000 system associates.

For more information, visit Coca‑Cola Journey at www.coca-colacompany.com, follow us on Twitter at twitter.com/CocaColaCo, visit our blog, Coca‑Cola Unbottled, at www.coca-colablog.com or find us on LinkedIn at www.linkedin.com/company/the-coca-cola-company.

 

* Source: Source: AC Nielsen AMC to September 2015

** Source: Aggregated Nielsen value sales data for GB w.e 12/9/15, France w.e. 6/9/15, Belgium data end wk 36 2015, Germany 30/8/15, Sweden  w.e 6/9/15, Netherlands data end wk 36 2015, Republic of Ireland till July/August 2015, Northern Ireland Impulse till July/August 2015, Northern Ireland Multiples till w/e 12/9/15, South Africa data end August 2015, Spain till wk36 2015 & aggregated IRi value sales data for Greece till August 2015.