(Washington) The American soda giant Coca-Cola is preparing to take full control of the sports drinks group BodyArmor, in which it already owns a 30% stake, in a transaction worth $ 5.6 billion, the Wall understands. Street Journal Sunday.
BodyArmor was supported at its creation by basketball player Kobe Bryant, who died in 2020, who had invested $ 6 million in it. According to people familiar with the matter, quoted by the newspaper, his estate is expected to raise around $ 400 million for his participation.
Coca-Cola already owns 30% of BodyArmor and would buy the remaining 70% from the founders and investors of the company as well as a group of professional athletes who have invested in the group.
The buyout deal would value the brand $ 8 billion, according to the newspaper.
The industry-leading Gatorade-owned beverage brand owned by Pepsico expects sales of $ 1.4 billion this year compared to $ 250 billion in 2018 when Coca-Cola invested in the start-up.