Anheuser-Busch (A-B) is still gunning for a share of the energy drink segment, announcing today a new partnership with sports nutrition business 1st Phorm to launch a RTD energy line.
According to a press release, Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) CEO Dana White will be included in the partnership. White and UFC previously entered a multi-year marketing partnership with A-B which involves branded integration between the companies.
“1st Phorm brings over 20 years of category experience and deep relationships in the sports nutrition industry and fitness community,” said 1st Phorm CEO Sal Frisella in the release. “By combining our strengths with Anheuser-Busch’s experience in beverage innovation and scale, we look forward to creating a new wave of energy and other beverages.”
“Building on our commitment to consistently deliver quality and innovation, Anheuser-Busch is excited to partner with 1st Phorm, a company and brand that shares our vision and passion for creating products that meet the evolving needs of consumers,” said A-B CEO Brendan Whitworth. ‘This brings together two American manufacturers with proud St. Louis roots and complementary expertise.”
Founded in 2009, 1st Phorm produces a variety of nutrition supplements and powder mixes, and currently makes a line of zero sugar, functional RTD energy drinks available in six flavors.
A representative for A-B confirmed that the partnership will involve a new energy drink line, and is not related to 1st Phorm’s existing RTD portfolio. The forthcoming product is expected to launch by the summer.
The announcement is the first signal that A-B is still interested in carving out a stake for itself in the non-alc energy drink sector, following the $990 million acquisition of Ghost Lifestyle – in which A-B was a minority stakeholder and distributor – by Keurig Dr Pepper in October.
Finding a consistent foothold in energy has been a longtime goal for the business; in 2017 A-B acquired Hiball Inc. for an undisclosed sum, but the brand struggled in the market post-acquisition and was officially discontinued in 2023. Energy drinks and other NA offerings have become increasingly important to AB-affiliated distributors in recent years, with brands ranging from giants Monster and Bang to newer entries like yerba mater brand CLEAN Cause spending time on distributors’ trucks.
1st Phorm was founded around 2009 in Missouri by entrepreneurs Sal and Andy Frisella. Andy Frisella is the founder of several brands and previously reported earning over $100 million in sales across his business ventures, but he also recently courted controversy.