Flo Rida Wins $82.6 Million Lawsuit Against Celsius Energy Drink Maker

Jan. 19, 2023

A jury found the energy drink brand guilty of breaching a 2014-2018 endorsement deal with the rapper.

One could presume rapper Flo Rida is having a Good Feeling following the announcement yesterday that he would be awarded $82.6M following his breach of contract case with the makers of Celsius energy drinks.

Flo Rida, whose legal name is Tramar Dillard, was awarded the money on Wednesday after a South Florida jury found that the makers of Celsius energy drinks breached a 2014-2018 endorsement deal as well as hiding money from the singer.

According to an AP report, Dillard and his production company sued Celsius Holdings Inc. in Broward County court in May 2021, claiming that the beverage company violated conditions of its endorsement deal. According to the civil complaint, Flo Rida served as a brand ambassador for Celsius from 2014 to 2018, where he claimed to play an instrumental role in launching the company's brand, growth and expansion.

In court, Celsius' legal team argued the company reached its success after the endorsement deal ended in 2018. In August 2022, PepsiCo paid $550M for a stake in Celsius, which included a long-term strategic distribution arrangement transitioning most of Celsius' current U.S. distribution to PepsiCo. No word yet on if Celsius would be appealing the verdict.

About the Author

Erin A. Hallstrom

Erin Hallstrom oversaw our digital content strategy for the Food Processing brand from 2008-2023. She is now the Associate Director of SEO Strategy for Endeavor Business Media, where she holds technical certifications in both website analytics and search engine optimization. Most recently, she was named the 2022 Marianne Dekker Mattera Award Winner.