Pepsi signs distribution deal with Rockstar

PepsiCo said Thursday it signed a deal with Las Vegas-based Rockstar that will allow Pepsi bottlers to distribute the Rockstar energy drinks in most of the United States and all of Canada.

Coca-Cola North America and Coca-Cola Enterprises, Coke’s largest bottler, signed a distribution agreement in 2005 with Rockstar. Coca-Cola and CCE, though, announced a deal in October to distribute Monster Energy, owned by California-based Hansen Natural Corp., in parts of North America and Europe.

Monster is the top-selling energy drink in the United States in terms of volume, according to Beverage Digest. Through the first nine months of 2008, Monster accounted for 29.7 percent of sales volume in the energy drink segment. Red Bull was second at 25 percent and Rockstar third at 14 percent.