US – Molson Coors Beverage, a leading American brewing company, has launched ZOA- a new energy drink- as part of its effort to move beyond its core beer offerings.

ZOA is a nonalcoholic energy drink made with better-for-you, natural ingredients, the company said in a blog post.

The drink was founded by actor and retired professional wrestler Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, Dany Garcia, Dave Rienzi and John Shulman.

It will be the beverage giant’s first offering in the energy-drink segment, and will be available in March.

The drink which is made without preservatives, artificial ingredients or additives is positioned as an above-premium energy drink with natural ingredients such as turmeric, camu camu and acerola cherry.

ZOA which will be available in five flavors and sold in 16-ounce cans is reported to contain vitamins C, D and B, added electrolytes and amino acids.

Molson Coors further explained that the energy drink is made with caffeine derived from green tea and unroasted coffee beans.

In the last year, Molson Coors has introduced a number of new products in line with its brand turnaround strategy of moving beyond the beer aisle.

The company introduced a full-flavored seltzer with added probiotics; a plant-based diet soda with no calories, sugar or artificial ingredients; and a grain-based milk alternative packed with proteins and nutrients.

While Molson Coors is widely known for its namesake beer brands, the company is moving aggressively to move beyond these and other alcoholic offerings.

For example, it struck a distribution deal last October with La Colombe, a maker of RTD coffee drinks, and introduced a suite of better-for-you beverages that cater to consumers looking for plants, probiotics and other healthier ingredients.

Molson Coors also has purchased a minority stake in L.A. Libations, a nonalcoholic beverage incubator known for working on Bodyarmor sports drinks and Core Nutrition.

Now, Molson Coors is entering the ultra-competitive energy-drink space that is dominated by Monster and Red Bull along with PepsiCo, which purchased Rockstar for US$3.85 billion last year and partnered with Bang.

Coca-Cola, the world’s largest nonalcoholic beverage company, also has launched its own energy drink loaded with caffeine, guarana extracts and B vitamins.

In its blog post, Molson Coors acknowledged that the space is crowded, but said ZOA’s premium focus with healthy ingredients like antioxidants, vitamins and nutrients will enable it to stand out.

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