News Release
HANSEN NATURAL CORPORATION AND THE COCA-COLA SYSTEM ANNOUNCE AGREEMENTS FOR DISTRIBUTION OF MONSTER ENERGY® DRINKS IN WESTERN EUROPE, CANADA AND SELECTED U.S. TERRITORIES
Long-Term Agreements Expand Monster Energy® Distribution in Key Territories; Anheuser-Busch Agreements to Continue
CORONA, CA, October 6, 2008 -
Hansen Natural Corporation ("Hansen") (NASDAQ:HANS), The
Coca-Cola Company ("TCCC") (NYSE:KO) and Coca-Cola Enterprises,
Inc. ("CCE") (NYSE:CCE) today announced that they have completed
agreements for distribution of the category-leading Monster Energy®
drinks line in six Western European countries, Canada and selected
territories in the U.S. These agreements will complement Hansen's
existing relationship with Anheuser-Busch ("AB") and will
not affect Hansen's agreement with AB for the on-premise channel nationwide.
The agreements will take effect beginning in November 2008 in the
United States and parts of Western Europe, and in early 2009 in Canada.
As part of the agreement with TCCC, Hansen has the right to negotiate
distribution agreements with additional Coca-Cola bottlers to service
the TCCC territory not covered by CCE.
"We are pleased to be partnering with the world's leading beverage
system to expand the retail presence and penetration of our Monster
Energy® drinks," said Rodney Sacks, chairman and chief executive
officer of Hansen. "We believe the relationship with The Coca-Cola Company and Coca-Cola Enterprises will enable us to build on
the success of our Monster Energy® brand in North America and
expand into fertile new international markets. In the United States,
the relationship will complement our existing long-term arrangements
with Anheuser-Busch distributors, which have been and we expect will
continue to be very important to Hansen. We believe that the combination
of these two leading distribution systems will provide us with an
unrivaled distribution network in North America."
Under the agreements, a significant portion of Monster Energy®'s
current North American Direct Store Delivery ("DSD") volume
will be serviced by Coca-Cola bottlers, primarily CCE.
The agreements in North America include all Monster Energy® trademark
beverages including Monster Energy® and Java Monster as
well as the Lost® Energy brand.
According to A.C. Nielsen data, Monster Energy® is the #1energy
drink by volume in the United States.
"The Coca-Cola System has taken a multi-faceted approach to
becoming one of the key players in the fast-growing energy drink category,"
said Sandy Douglas, president, Coca-Cola North America. "We are
pleased that our bottlers are now able to distribute this brand as
part of our diverse portfolio of leading sparkling and still beverage
brands in North America and Europe."
In Western Europe, the agreement includes the distribution of Monster
Energy® in all CCE European countries - Great Britain, France,
Belgium, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Monaco.
"Monster Energy® drinks are strong additions to our energy
portfolio, reinforcing our strategic priority of being #1 or a strong
#2 in every category in which we choose to compete," said John
Brock, chairman and chief executive officer, Coca-Cola Enterprises.
"Monster Energy® continues to outperform the energy category
in the United States, and we look forward to bringing another proven
brand to our territories in Western Europe."
About Hansen Natural Corporation
Based in Corona, California, Hansen Natural Corporation markets and
distributes Hansen's® natural sodas, sparkling beverages, apple
juice and juice blends, fruit juice smoothies, multi-vitamin juice
drinks in aseptic packaging, iced teas, energy drinks, Junior Juice®
juices and water beverages Energade® energy sports drinks, Blue
Sky® brand beverages, Monster Energy® brand energy drinks,
Monster Hitman energy shooters, Java Monster brand non-carbonated
dairy based coffee drinks, Lost® Energy brand energy drinks,
Joker Mad Energy, Unbound® Energy and Ace Energy brand
energy drinks and Rumba®, Samba and Tango brand energy juices.
For more information visit www.hansens.com and www.monsterenergy.com.
About The Coca-Cola Company
The Coca-Cola Company is the world's largest beverage
company, refreshing consumers with more than 450 sparkling and still
brands. Along with Coca-Cola®, recognized as the
world's most valuable brand, the Company's portfolio includes 12 other
billion dollar brands, including Diet Coke®, Fanta®, Sprite®,
Coca-Cola Zero®, vitaminwater, POWERade®, Minute
Maid® and Georgia® Coffee. Globally, we are the No. 1 provider
of sparkling beverages, juices and juice drinks and ready-to-drink
teas and coffees. Through the world's largest beverage distribution
system, consumers in more than 200 countries enjoy the Company's beverages
at a rate of 1.5 billion servings a day. With an enduring commitment
to building sustainable communities, our Company is focused on initiatives
that protect the environment, conserve resources and enhance the economic
development of the communities where we operate. For more information
about our Company, please visit our website at www.thecoca-colacompany.com.
About Coca-Cola Enterprises
Coca-Cola Enterprises is the world's largest marketer, distributor,
and producer of bottle and can liquid nonalcoholic refreshment. Coca-Cola Enterprises sells approximately 80 percent of The Coca-Cola Company's
bottle and can volume in North America and is the sole licensed bottler
for products of The Coca-Cola Company in Belgium, continental France,
Great Britain, Luxembourg, Monaco, and the Netherlands. For more information,
please visit www.cokecce.com.
Certain statements made in this announcement may constitute "forward-looking
statements" within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities
Act of 1933, as amended, and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange
Act of 1934, as amended. Hansen's management cautions that these statements
are qualified by their terms or important factors, many of which are
outside of the control of Hansen, that could cause actual results
and events to differ materially from the forward-looking statements
made herein, including, but not limited to, the following: actual
performance of the parties under the new agreements; disruptions arising
out of the transition of certain territories to new distributors;
changes in consumer preferences; changes in demand due to economic
conditions; activities and strategies of competitors, including the
introduction of new products and competitive pricing and/or marketing
of similar products; changes in the price and/or availability of raw
materials; other supply issues, including the availability of products
and/or suitable production facilities; product distribution and placement
decisions by retailers; political, legislative or other governmental
actions or events in one or more regions; and other risks detailed
from time to time in Hansen's reports filed with the Securities and
Exchange Commission. Hansen assumes no obligation to update any forward-looking
statements.
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