Celsius Holdings Strategy: Alani Nu Up, Celsius Down
Celsius Holdings reported record second-quarter 2026 revenue of $817.9 million, up 10.6%, as Alani Nu sales rose 21% to $364.4 million while the namesake Celsius brand fell about 12%. Alani Nu moved into PepsiCo's distribution system, and Rockstar joined the portfolio. Shares fell as much as 18% on a revenue miss and a lower gross margin.
Celsius Holdings is the Boca Raton, Florida energy drink company that owns the Celsius, Alani Nu and Rockstar Energy brands. Alani Nu is the women-focused energy brand Celsius Holdings acquired on April 1, 2025. DSD means direct store delivery, where a distributor delivers drinks straight to stores instead of through a retailer's warehouse.
What did Celsius Holdings report in the second quarter of 2026?
Celsius Holdings reported revenue of $817.9 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, up from $739.3 million a year earlier, per its SEC filing.
Revenue missed the $872.6 million average analyst estimate, per Bloomberg as cited by Yahoo Finance.
Why is the Celsius brand shrinking?
The Celsius brand shrank because Celsius Holdings cut products and shipped less to distributors, not only because shoppers bought less. Brand Celsius net sales fell about 12% while retail sales in tracked channels fell 2%, per Yahoo Finance's earnings call summary.
On the call, management said the company had moved through the most active phase of its SKU optimization on the Celsius brand, and expected third-quarter Celsius brand sales to look like the second quarter before returning to growth by year-end, per the earnings call transcript. International revenue for the Celsius brand was $27.2 million, up 10%, per the Business Wire release.
How did Alani Nu and Rockstar change the company?
Alani Nu and Rockstar turned Celsius Holdings from a single-brand company into a three-brand portfolio, with Alani Nu now the largest piece. Alani Nu's $364.4 million is about 45% of second-quarter revenue, by EPR's calculation from the filing.
Alani Nu retail sales rose 55.7% in the 13 weeks ended June 28, 2026, and the brand passed $1 billion in tracked retail sales in the first half, per the Business Wire release and call transcript. Celsius Holdings said Alani Nu orders rose as it moved into PepsiCo's distribution system. Rockstar, acquired in August 2025, contributed $66.5 million, but its tracked retail sales fell 13% year over year, per Yahoo Finance. EPR's Pepsi PR analysis covers PepsiCo's investment in Celsius.
What risks does Celsius Holdings' strategy carry?
Celsius Holdings' strategy carries three risks that its own numbers show: margin pressure, reliance on one brand, and a namesake brand that is still shrinking.
Per Yahoo Finance, gross margin fell 3.4 points to 48.1%, which the company tied to higher promotional and incentive spending and a shift in channel mix. The SEC filing also said a higher share of DSD sales raises trade investments and billbacks that reduce reported net revenue. Nearly half of revenue now rests on Alani Nu. EPR's read: a portfolio can grow while its flagship loses ground, and investors will judge both numbers.
What can brand teams learn from Celsius Holdings?
Brand teams can learn three moves from Celsius Holdings: buy a second growth brand, move it into a bigger distribution system, and clean up the old line while the new one grows.
Move
What Celsius Holdings reports
Check before copying
Buy a second growth brand
Alani Nu added $364.4 million in one quarter
Whether the new brand's growth covers the flagship's decline
Move into a bigger distribution system
Alani Nu orders rose after the PepsiCo move
Whether distribution adds trade costs that cut margin
Clean up the old line while the new one grows
SKU cuts on the Celsius brand; recovery expected by year-end
Whether shoppers follow the cuts or switch brands
Report the flagship and the portfolio separately, as Celsius Holdings does, before telling investors the strategy is working. For a rival's energy brand, see EPR's research on Red Bull and Celsius in AI answers.
What did Celsius Holdings report in the second quarter of 2026?
Celsius Holdings reported revenue of $817.9 million for the quarter ended June 30, 2026, up from $739.3 million a year earlier, per its SEC filing. MeasureQ2 2026 resultSource Total revenue$817.9 million, up 10.6%SEC filing First-half revenue$1,600.5 million, up from $1,068.5 millionBusiness Wire release Alani Nu revenueAbout $364.4 million, up 21%Earnings call Rockstar Energy revenueAbout $66.5 millionBusiness Wire release Celsius brand revenueDown about 11.7%Yahoo Finance Gross profit margin48.1%, down from 51.5%Yahoo Finance Net income$55.3 million, down 45% from $99.9 millionYahoo Finance Revenue missed the $872.6 million average analyst estimate, per Bloomberg as cited by Yahoo Finance.
Why is the Celsius brand shrinking?
The Celsius brand shrank because Celsius Holdings cut products and shipped less to distributors, not only because shoppers bought less. Brand Celsius net sales fell about 12% while retail sales in tracked channels fell 2%, per Yahoo Finance's earnings call summary. On the call, management said the company had moved through the most active phase of its SKU optimization on the Celsius brand, and expected third-quarter Celsius brand sales to look like the second quarter before returning to growth by year-end, per the earnings call transcript. International revenue for the Celsius brand was $27.2 million, up 10%, per the Business Wire release.
How did Alani Nu and Rockstar change the company?
Alani Nu and Rockstar turned Celsius Holdings from a single-brand company into a three-brand portfolio, with Alani Nu now the largest piece. Alani Nu's $364.4 million is about 45% of second-quarter revenue, by EPR's calculation from the filing. Alani Nu retail sales rose 55.7% in the 13 weeks ended June 28, 2026, and the brand passed $1 billion in tracked retail sales in the first half, per the Business Wire release and call transcript. Celsius Holdings said Alani Nu orders rose as it moved into PepsiCo's distribution system. Rockstar, acquired in August 2025, contributed $66.5 million, but its tracked retail sales fell 13% year over year, per Yahoo Finance. EPR's Pepsi PR analysis covers PepsiCo's investment in Celsius.
What risks does Celsius Holdings' strategy carry?
Celsius Holdings' strategy carries three risks that its own numbers show: margin pressure, reliance on one brand, and a namesake brand that is still shrinking. Per Yahoo Finance, gross margin fell 3.4 points to 48.1%, which the company tied to higher promotional and incentive spending and a shift in channel mix. The SEC filing also said a higher share of DSD sales raises trade investments and billbacks that reduce reported net revenue. Nearly half of revenue now rests on Alani Nu. EPR's read: a portfolio can grow while its flagship loses ground, and investors will judge both numbers.
What can brand teams learn from Celsius Holdings?
Brand teams can learn three moves from Celsius Holdings: buy a second growth brand, move it into a bigger distribution system, and clean up the old line while the new one grows. MoveWhat Celsius Holdings reportsCheck before copying Buy a second growth brandAlani Nu added $364.4 million in one quarterWhether the new brand's growth covers the flagship's decline Move into a bigger distribution systemAlani Nu orders rose after the PepsiCo moveWhether distribution adds trade costs that cut margin Clean up the old line while the new one growsSKU cuts on the Celsius brand; recovery expected by year-endWhether shoppers follow the cuts or switch brands Report the flagship and the portfolio separately, as Celsius Holdings does, before telling investors the strategy is working. For a rival's energy brand, see EPR's research on Red Bull and Celsius in AI answers.
Who is the CEO of Celsius Holdings?
John Fieldly is Chairman and CEO of Celsius Holdings, per the company's second quarter 2026 release.
How much revenue did Celsius report in Q2 2026?
Celsius Holdings reported $817.9 million, up 10.6%, per its SEC filing.
How much did Alani Nu sell?
Alani Nu generated about $364.4 million in the second quarter of 2026, up 21%, per the earnings call transcript.
Why did Celsius Holdings stock fall?
Shares dropped as much as 18% after revenue missed estimates and Celsius brand sales fell, per Yahoo Finance.
When did Celsius Holdings acquire Alani Nu?
Celsius Holdings acquired Alani Nu on April 1, 2025, per its second quarter 2025 SEC filing. Last updated October 10, 2026.
Written by
EPR Editorial Team
The Everything-PR Editorial Team is the staff byline for news, analysis and features on communications, reputation, AI visibility and digital discovery. Everything-PR has published since 2009. AI tools assist with research and drafting, and every article is reviewed by a human editor before publication. Coverage follows the Editorial Policy, and substantive corrections are noted on the article under the Corrections Policy.
