Pepsi Tweet Explained: Street King Nabs Honickman Distribution

Maybe 140 characters isn’t enough to explain the vagaries of the independent vs. in-house Pepsi bottler network, but that’s why we’re here.

Pure Growth Partners’ co-founder Chris Clarke has lent some context to business partner Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson’s Twitter message that his company had signed a deal for Pepsi to distribute Street King energy shots.

According to Clarke, Street King has landed a key independent Pepsi distributor, the Honickman Group, which is known for its powerful execution in the New York and Mid-Atlantic regions through component companies Pepsi Bottling Co. of New York, Canada Dry of the Delaware Valley and Canada Dry of Potomac.

The arrangement goes into effect immediately, according to Clarke, but does not portend any deal with PepsiCo or its in-house distribution arm, Pepsi Beverages Co.

Street King, which is trying to offer itself as a younger, philanthropic alternative to 5-Hour Energy, is currently in 30,000 stores, including 7-Eleven and GNC. According to Clarke, it is on target to add two major drug chains by February and could be in as many as 80,000 stores in the next 90 days.

Both Jackson and Clarke are committing another $10 million to the company, with the hopes of raising another $10 million from outside investors in that same span.

As part of the brand message, the company says it will “feed a hungry child” with a donation to the United Nations World Food Program with the sale of every shot. According to Clarke, the company has already donated 3.5 million meals.