Kona Gold Beverage

What Kona Gold Beverage does

Kona Gold Beverage, Inc. is a U.S. functional lifestyle and alternative beverage company headquartered in Rockledge, Florida, and traded on the OTC Pink market under KGKG. The company develops and markets hemp-derived CBD energy drinks, CBD-infused energy waters (under the HighDrate sub-brand), and the Ooh La Lemin sparkling lemonade line. Through acquisitions completed in 2024, it has expanded into high-potency cannabis products (Delta-8, THCa, THC-P, and Kratom) via Covert LLC and into beverage distribution via Surge Distribution LLC.

The company's revenue model rests on two streams: one-time product sales of branded beverages and ancillary cannabis SKUs through retail and distribution channels, plus transaction-fee revenue from distribution subsidiaries (Gold Leaf Distribution, S&S Beverage, Surge Distribution). Products are sold primarily through Anheuser-Busch-affiliated distributors, independent wholesalers, regional convenience chains (Plaid Pantry, Hucks), and a national retail partnership with Walmart for Ooh La Lemin sparkling lemonades, with distribution reach across 14+ states. E-commerce operates as a secondary direct-to-consumer channel.

Customer segments are health-conscious consumers seeking functional, zero-calorie beverages with CBD benefits, cannabis consumers accessing the Covert LLC high-potency line, and retail/convenience buyers sourcing differentiated specialty SKUs. Growth is being pursued through a roll-up strategy: the company raised $3 million in equity in August 2021 and secured a $5 million non-dilutive credit line in January 2024 to fund production scaling and acquisitions, and is pursuing a strategic reorganization and reverse merger as of late 2024 to reposition its public profile.

Name

Kona Gold Beverage

Legal name

Kona Gold Beverage, Inc.

Website

https://konagoldbeverage.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Kona Gold Beverage is a U.S. functional lifestyle beverage company that develops hemp-derived CBD energy drinks, CBD-infused waters, and sparkling lemonades, distributing through Anheuser-Busch affiliates, convenience chains, and Walmart across 14+ states.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Functional Beverages

NAICS

Beverage Manufacturing (3121), Soft Drink Manufacturing (312111), Bottled Water Manufacturing (312112)

SIC

Beverages (2080), Bottled & Canned Soft Drinks & Carbonated Waters (2086)

akta.pro primary industry

Non-Carbonated Soft Drinks (Juice Drinks, Lemonades, Fruit Drinks) (CRADAHAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Functional Foods & Wellness Beverage Retail (Kombucha, Adaptogens, CBD where legal) (CRAHAEAH)

Keywords

• Hemp energy drinks
• Cbd infused beverages
• Functional beverages
• Cannabis beverage products
• Beverage distribution services

Headquarters

HQ city

Melbourne

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Hardware or Manufacturing

Cost components

Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Personnel, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Beverage Product Sales: Revenue from selling alternative beverages including hemp energy drinks, CBD energy waters, and lemonades through retail and distribution channels
2. Distribution Services: Revenue from distribution operations through subsidiaries like Gold Leaf Distribution and Surge Distribution LLC

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels9 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Kona Gold Beverage develops, manufactures, and distributes hemp-derived CBD energy drinks, CBD-infused zero-calorie energy waters, and lemonades under multiple brands including Kona Gold, HighDrate, and Ooh La Lemin. The company also sells high-potency cannabis products (Delta-8, THCa, THC-P, Kratom) acquired through Covert LLC, and operates beverage distribution subsidiaries that place its products in major retail and convenience store chains nationwide.

Product overview

Kona Gold Beverage is a functional lifestyle and alternative beverage company with a diversified portfolio of products including Hemp Energy Drinks, CBD Energy Waters (HighDrate brand), and Ooh La Lemin Lemonades. The company operates distribution subsidiaries (Gold Leaf Distribution, Surge Distribution) and has expanded into cannabis products through Covert LLC acquisition. Products are distributed through various Anheuser-Busch distributors and retail partners including Walmart. The company has positioned itself in the hemp/cannabis sector with both functional beverages and THC/cannabis product lines.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HighDrate: CBD-Infused Energy Water brand
• Ooh La Lemin
• Gold Leaf Distribution

Products and services

• HighDrate CBD-Infused Energy Water HighDrate is a CBD-infused, vitamin-fortified, zero-calorie energy water brand marketed to health-conscious adult consumers seeking functional beverage alternatives.
• Hemp Energy Drinks Award-winning line of hemp-derived energy drinks with innovative flavors sold under the Kona Gold brand to adult consumers seeking functional energy alternatives.
• CBD Energy Waters Vitamin-fortified, zero-calorie CBD-infused energy waters sold to adult consumers as a functional, healthier alternative to mainstream energy drinks.
• Ooh La Lemin Lemonades Acquired lemonade brand rebranded as Ooh La Lemin, including sparkling lemonade variants, distributed nationally through Walmart, convenience stores, and Anheuser-Busch distributor partners.
• Storm CBD Water CBD-infused water product launched in September 2019 as part of the company's functional CBD beverage portfolio.
• Kona Pink Hemp Energy Drink A pink-flavor variant of the Kona Gold hemp energy drink line targeting adult consumers seeking alternative functional beverages.
• Covert LLC Cannabis Products (Delta-8, THCa, THC-P, Kratom) High-potency cannabis-derived products including Delta-8, THCa, THC-P, and Kratom offerings acquired via Covert LLC and sold to adult cannabis consumers.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1,845% year-over-year revenue growth
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

17 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Surge Distribution LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 April 2024Acquisition of Surge Distribution LLC from Loud Beverage Group, Inc. for $1.5 million in preferred stock. Surge on track to generate $5 million in annual revenue in 2024.
• Covert LLCcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 March 2024Successful acquisition of Covert LLC, a cannabis company specializing in high-potency Delta-8, THCa, THC-P, and Kratom products. Covert LLC projects sales of $1 million per month.
• WalmartcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 7 March 2022Major retail partnership for Ooh La Lemin Lemonades to be sold in Walmart stores nationwide.
• Central City Distribution CompanycoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 13 July 2021Wisconsin-based distribution partnership for expanded midwestern distribution.
• Lipman BrotherscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 9 February 2021Distribution agreement with Lipman Brothers to distribute OOH LA Lemin products in Tennessee.
• Odom CorporationcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 2 February 2021Distribution expansion partnership with Odom Corporation for OOH LA Lemin product distribution.
• Ooh La Lemin (LEMIN Lemonade)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 January 2021Acquired and rebranded LEMIN Lemonade to Ooh La Lemin, a key brand extension into the lemonade market.
• Carolina CannatechcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 3 September 2020Distribution partnership with Carolina Cannatech for cannabis and CBD beverage distribution.
• AlaBevcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 5 November 2019Distribution agreement with AlaBev for beverage distribution services.
• Imperial BeveragecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 23 August 2019Distribution agreement with Imperial Beverage for expanded distribution coverage.
• American Breast Cancer FoundationminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 13 August 2019Charitable partnership with American Breast Cancer Foundation for cause marketing and community engagement.
• Ryan DoddminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 2 May 2019Sponsorship of world champion and world record ski jumper Ryan Dodd for athlete marketing.
• Sixteen New DistributorscoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 29 April 2019Partnership with sixteen new distributors across fourteen states, significantly expanding national distribution network.
• Anheuser-Busch Distributors in MissouricoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 20 February 2019Distribution agreements with three Anheuser-Busch distributors in Missouri, expanding the company's midwestern distribution footprint.
• New York Distribution PartnercoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 12 February 2019New distribution partnership established in New York state for expanding northeastern market presence.
• Dylan FulkminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 31 January 2019Title sponsorship of pro bass angler Dylan Fulk for athlete marketing and brand exposure.
• Kentucky EaglecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ Distributor · 16 January 2019Distribution agreement with Kentucky Eagle, an Anheuser Busch distributor, representing one of Kona Gold's initial major distribution partnerships for expanding retail presence.

Scale indicators13 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• cbdMD: cbdMD is a CBD wellness brand offering tinctures, topicals, and CBD-infused beverages. Comparable in CBD product portfolio and consumer target, with similar regulatory exposure to hemp-derived cannabinoids.
• Charlotte's Web Holdings: Charlotte's Web is a leading hemp-CBD wellness brand producing tinctures, gummies, and topicals. Comparable as a public hemp-CBD consumer products company with similar regulatory and consumer profile.
• NewAge, Inc. NewAge was a CBD-infused functional beverage company (formerly Morinda Bioactives/Noni) that also distributed health and wellness drinks. Highly comparable as a CBD beverage peer with similar regulatory exposure.

Broad incumbents

• Celsius Holdings: Celsius is a leading functional fitness-energy beverage company with national distribution including major retail and convenience chains. Comparable as a functional energy drink brand targeting health-conscious consumers.
• Monster Beverage: Monster Beverage is one of the largest energy drink companies in the world with extensive retail and convenience-store distribution. Comparable as an energy drink peer with overlapping distribution channels and convenience-store customer base.
• Canopy Growth Corporation: Canopy Growth is a major Canadian cannabis company with CBD wellness products and beverage partnerships (e.g., Constellation-backed). Comparable via cannabis and CBD-infused beverage exposure.
• Coca-Cola: Coca-Cola is the largest beverage company globally and has entered functional/wellness categories (BodyArmor, fairlife). Comparable as a broad incumbent whose distribution scale dwarfs small-cap beverage peers.
• Molson Coors Beverage Company: Molson Coors launched and later wound down Truss CBD beverages, providing a relevant comparable for a large incumbent experimenting with hemp/CBD beverages. Useful benchmark for CBD beverage go-to-market challenges.
• Tilray Brands: Tilray is a major cannabis consumer products company with beverage, edible, and wellness product lines. Comparable via cannabis-adjacent consumer products portfolio, especially through high-THC product exposure.

Emerging players

• Vivera Pharmaceuticals / Tabacalera: Emerging cannabis-adjacent consumer products company with CBD wellness exposure. Comparable as a smaller-scale player with overlapping CBD and wellness product positioning.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks7 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/kona-gold-beverage
• Xx.com/robertclarkceo

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles1 record

Subsidiaries5 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds1 record

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A2 records

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Kona Gold Beverage