Monster Beverage Corp. in Corona will debut two drinks this year in new categories that line up against a main competitor.
Monster is known for energy drinks.
The new products—Mutant and Hydro—contain caffeine commensurate with its flagship drink. Mutant is a carbonated soda; Hydro isn’t carbonated.
The two new drinks also are priced lower than Monster’s energy line. Mutant is expected to compete with Mountain Dew products, according to the company. Hydro looks poised to compete with offerings from Gatorade.
Mountain Dew and Gatorade are made by PepsiCo Inc. in Purchase, N.Y.
Atlanta-based Coca-Cola Co. owns about 17% of Monster.
Monster Chief Executive Rodney Sacks said Mountain Dew is “the leading product” at convenience stores “so that is the target” of Mutant, while Hydro’s noncarbonation makes it “a different form of energy drink.”
Mutant and Hydro will be released in the third and fourth quarters.
Sacks lives in Orange County. He and Hilton Schlosberg, president of Monster, are members of the Business Journal’s annual OC’s Wealthiest list.
—Paul Hughes
