It’s been about two years since a pair of PepsiCo major events caused the great energy drink DSD shake-up, so why is the beverage giant again at the heart of another shock to the growing beverage category? According to a Bang Energy press release on June 22, 2022, effective immediately, both parties will enthusiastically and strategically cooperate in a nationwide joint effort to transition from PepsiCo distribution to Bang Energy’s new DSD partners. This officially puts an early end to one of the most toxic relationships in recent beverage industry history. One that underperformed from the very beginning and sapped Bang Energy of its historic growth momentum. So, now what? Does everything that happened in the last two years just go back to normal. Well…if you haven’t learned anything about the last two years…there’s a new normal that we all need to get comfortable with now. Fact is, Bang Energy is still the third largest energy drink brand with 7.3% dollar share of a very important beverage category. Those types of free agents just don’t come around ever, so it’s no surprise that many of the same DSD partners that helped Bang generate its billion-dollar momentum will be back in the mix once again. But it’s presumed the brand will no longer be able to command exclusivity at these DSD distributors that stocked offerings with other energy brands once Bang Energy exited. Do you kick out Celsius Holdings that’s grown immensely in the last two years…no! Do you kick out C4 Energy that has had impressive growth…no! Does many of the AB InBev DSD partners allocate less resources to growing the GHOST Energy brand…hell no! So, what’s the predicted strategic game plan now for the biggest energy drink portfolios after the Bang and PepsiCo spilt?

Energy Drink DSD Shake-Up of 2020

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