Energy Brands

Energy Brands, operating under the trade name Glacéau (pronounced glah-see-oh), was founded in 1996 by J. Darius Bikoff from a modest 2,000-square-foot facility in Whitestone, Queens. The company's first product, Smartwater, was an electrolyte-enhanced vapor-distilled water initially distributed to health food stores and independent retailers in the New York metropolitan area. By 2002, Glacéau had become the top-selling enhanced water brand in the United States, with Vitaminwater launching in 2000 as a direct competitor to PepsiCo's Propel.

The company grew rapidly, achieving $100 million in sales by 2003 and $355 million by 2004. In 2007, The Coca-Cola Company acquired Energy Brands for $4.1 billion in cash, keeping it as an independent subsidiary. Today, Glacéau products are sold in over 20 countries, including the United Kingdom, Australia, France, Germany, Argentina, Brazil, Mexico, Canada, Japan, and South Korea. The brand's portfolio includes Smartwater, Vitaminwater, Fruitwater, and Glacéau vitaminwater zero, all centered on the concept of functional hydration.

Glacéau's marketing has historically included celebrity endorsements, most notably from rapper 50 Cent who acquired a minority stake in Vitaminwater in 2004 and reportedly earned $100 million from the Coca-Cola acquisition. The brand has faced controversies over sugar content and health claims, leading to a 2014 settlement where Coca-Cola agreed to reduce sugar and change labeling. In 2023, Vitaminwater was reformulated to reduce sugar by 33% across all flavors, using stevia leaf extract. Recent developments include the 2024 launch of Smartwater Alkaline with a pH of 9+ and the 2025 introduction of Smartwater + Caffeine in select U.S. markets.[edit]