How Dwayne Johnson’s ZOA energy drink brand generated over $100m in sales a year after launch

Dwayne Johnson’s (The Rock) venture in the liquor and beverage industry continues to yield massive success. It will be recalled that at the height of the pandemic in 2020, the actor-turned-entrepreneur launched his own liquor brand called Teremana Tequila and posted record sales a year later.

Johnson announced to over 205 million followers on Instagram that he was on track to sell 300,000 cases and had shipped roughly 400,000 cases of Teremana in its first year of operations. Three years after the launch, the ultra-premium brand reached a one-million-case mark in annual sales, which translates into 9 million litres worth of liquid.

Forbes even reported in June that the brand was enjoying its status as the fastest-growing tequila category in the United States and could overtake Vodka to become the most-consumed American category of booze before the end of 2025.

Johnson transferred the magic wand he used in his tequila brand to his other venture, ZOA Energy Drink. He co-founded the energy drink brand alongside his long-time business partners Dany Garcia and Dave Rienzi, and managing partner at Juggernaut Capital, John Shulman.

ZOA is free from preservatives, artificial ingredients, and additives, according to the company, and each 16-ounce can contain 100% vitamin C, B-complex vitamins, and the essential vitamin D, in addition to a clean blend of green tea and green unroasted coffee, electrolytes, and amino acids.

When the brand launched two years ago, Forbes said ZOA was expected to be the first clean and healthy product in the energy drinks aisle made with immunity-boosting superfood ingredients, including turmeric, camu camu, and acerola.

According to Benzinga, the energy drink is performing extremely well, recording massive profits. In 2022, ZOA Energy generated over $100 million in sales and also announced 138% year-over-year growth.

The growth comes on the heels of a partnership in 2021 with Molson Coors, with the beverage company serving as the brand’s exclusive distribution partner. Today, ZOA is sold in more than 42,000 retail locations and more than 160,000 points of distribution across the U.S. and Canada. Molson Coors has since expanded its partnership with ZOA Energy.

“The entire ZOA family couldn’t be more thrilled with the expanded Molson Coors relationship and the many opportunities for growth this collaboration creates,” Johnson noted, according to The Drinks Business. “We’re grateful to play a pivotal role in Molson Coors’ investment into their ‘Beyond Beer’ growth and most importantly, playing a role in the wellness journeys of our loyal and growing consumers as we continue crafting drinks that help them show up as their best selves.”