Molson Coors Acquires Majority Stake in Zoa Energy Brand

It appears — to turn a phrase — that Molson Coors Beverage Co. smells what Zoa is cookin’ — with Molson Coors acquiring a majority stake in the energy brand founded by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Dany Garcia, Dave Rienzi and John Shulman, according to a release shared today.

The majority stake means Molson Coors will lead Zoa’s marketing, retail and direct-to-consumer sales and development, and is expected to position Zoa for a step change in growth. The deal follows new packaging, a new visual identity and the first national marketing campaign (featuring Johnson) for Zoa. The two entities first partnered when Zoa first launched in 2021, and Molson Coors increased its stake in Zoa last September. At that time, it also assumed a presence on Zoa’s board of directors.

The current upgrade to a majority stake in Zoa demonstrates Molson Coors’ commitment to a portfolio meeting the needs of multiple occasions — including non-alcoholic beverages — and a doorway to carry products that are consumed at other times of the day than its current portfolio, according to chief commercial officer Michelle St. Jacques. “We’ve built a strong foundation with Zoa over the past three years and we see a ton of opportunity for this brand to achieve its next stage of growth and scale,” she said.

Johnson will remain a visible face of the brand through the “Big Dwayne Energy” campaign, the release noted. He said that “Molson Coors’ commitment to the brand will give it an enormous amount of firepower in the next phase of growth.”