Monster Beverage Considers Deal with Constellation Brands

Monster Beverage is exploring a combination deal with alcohol distributor Constellation Brands, per Bloomberg.

The deal, which could be a merger or asset transaction, would require approval by the Sands family, who founded Constellation in 1945 and have turned it into a company currently valued at $44 billion.

Established as a wine producer, Constellation has become a major player in the global beverage market as a distributor of brands like Corona and Modelo, both of which have numerous sponsorships across sports.

Known for its energy drinks often used pre-workout, Monster has established a footprint in sports through sponsorships in mixed martial arts and extreme sports competitions across water, snow, and land. In 2014, Coca-Cola acquired a $2 billion majority stake in the company, which now has a market value of $48 billion.

The market for beverages with ties to sports continues to grow.

• Last year, Giannis Antetokounmpo and Aaron Donald became part-owners in sports drink startup Ready Nutrition.
• In July, sports drink and supplement company X2 Performance raised $16 million in Series D funding.
• Earlier this month, Coca-Cola paid $5.6 billion for sports drink company BodyArmor, its largest acquisition to date. 

Monster posted $1.41 billion in sales in Q3 2021, up from $1.25 billion in the same period a year prior.