Is Alani Nu a subsidiary of Celsius Holdings?

Yes. Alani Nu is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Celsius Holdings, Inc. following the January 2025 acquisition for approximately $1.8 billion. Alani Nu retains its brand identity and Louisville commercial team. Its financial results are consolidated into Celsius Holdings' CELH filings and are not reported as a standalone public company.

Is Alani Nu publicly traded?

No. Alani Nu is not independently listed on any stock exchange. Its parent company, Celsius Holdings, Inc., is publicly traded on NASDAQ under the ticker symbol CELH. Investors seeking exposure to Alani Nu's financial performance can purchase Celsius Holdings shares, where Alani Nu's revenue contribution is reported as part of Celsius Holdings' consolidated results.

When was Alani Nu founded?

Alani Nu was founded in 2018 by Katy Hearn and Hayden Schneider in Louisville, Kentucky. The brand launched as a direct-to-consumer energy drink and supplement company, growing through social media marketing before securing retail distribution at Target, Walmart, Kroger, and Costco. By the time Celsius Holdings acquired the brand in January 2025, annual retail sales were approximately $600 million.

Who founded Alani Nu?

Alani Nu was founded by Katy Hearn and Hayden Schneider. Hearn is a certified personal trainer and fitness influencer who built a multi-million follower audience on Instagram and YouTube. Schneider co-founded the business and managed operations during the brand's early growth years. Both founders leveraged their fitness community relationships to build Alani Nu's initial consumer base before the brand expanded to mass retail.

What is Alani Nu's market position?

Alani Nu holds approximately 7.2% dollar share of the US ready-to-drink energy category as of early 2025, per Circana data, a 3.3 point gain year over year. The brand is the leading female-skewed energy drink in the United States. It competes in the mid-range price tier at approximately $2.49 to $2.99 per can, comparable to Celsius and above value energy drinks.

Has Alani Nu changed ownership?

Yes. Alani Nu was privately held from its founding in 2018 through January 2025, with no outside ownership changes. Celsius Holdings acquired the brand in January 2025 for approximately $1.8 billion. Prior to the Celsius transaction, Alani Nu had remained under the founders' control since inception.

Is Alani Nu cruelty-free?

Alani Nu's own marketing states its products are not tested on animals. However, as of May 2025, Alani Nu does not appear in the Leaping Bunny certified brand database or PETA's Beauty Without Bunnies list. Consumers seeking independently certified cruelty-free products should verify status directly through those databases.

Food & Beverage

Who Owns Alani Nu?

Alani Nu is owned by Celsius Holdings, Inc., a publicly traded American beverage company listed on NASDAQ under ticker CELH. Celsius Holdings acquired Alani Nu in January 2025 for approximately $1.8 billion. Founded in 2018 by fitness influencers Katy Hearn and Hayden Schneider in Louisville, Kentucky, Alani Nu targets health-conscious female consumers with sugar-free energy drinks, protein powders, and supplements.

Parent Company

Celsius Holdings, Inc.

Acquired

2025

Status

Publicly Traded

Headquarters

Louisville, Kentucky, USA

Alani Nu Timeline

2004

Celsius Holdings, Inc.

Parent company established in Boca Raton, Florida, USA

Company Founded

2018

Alani Nu

Founded by Katy Hearn, Hayden Schneider

Founded

2025

Acquired by Celsius Holdings, Inc.

Celsius Holdings, Inc. acquired Alani Nu

Acquired

mid rangepremiumUnited Stateswomensrecycled materialsOfficial Website

Who Owns Alani Nu?

Parent Company: Celsius Holdings, Inc.
Ownership Type: Wholly owned
Acquisition Year: 2025
Company Type: Publicly Traded
Stock Ticker: NASDAQ: CELH

Brand	Parent Company	Ownership Type
Alani Nu	Celsius Holdings, Inc.	Wholly owned

Where to Buy

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Alani Nu on Amazon

History of Alani Nu

Founded: 2018
Founders: Katy Hearn, Hayden Schneider
Acquired by Celsius Holdings, Inc.: 2025

Alani Nu was founded in 2018 by Katy Hearn and Hayden Schneider, a couple based in Louisville, Kentucky. Hearn is a certified personal trainer who had built a multi-million follower audience across Instagram and YouTube. The founders used their existing fitness community to launch Alani Nu as a direct-to-consumer brand initially selling energy drinks and supplements through the brand's own website.

The founding concept addressed a gap in the energy drink market. Legacy brands such as Monster Energy and Rockstar were built around male-skewing imagery and very high caffeine counts. Alani Nu launched with 200mg of caffeine per 12oz can, sugar-free formulations using sucralose as a sweetener, added biotin, and pastel can designs with fruit-forward flavor names. The brand was explicitly positioned for women in the fitness community.

From 2018 through 2022, growth was driven almost entirely by social media and influencer marketing. Distribution followed. Alani Nu secured retail shelf space at Target, Walmart, Kroger, and Costco, transitioning from a direct-to-consumer model to mainstream retail. The product range expanded beyond energy drinks to include pre-workout powders, whey protein, collagen, vitamins, and ready-to-drink coffee.

By 2022, Alani Nu's annual retail sales were estimated at approximately $200 million. By 2023, that figure had grown to roughly $300 million, and private equity interest in the brand accelerated. The brand was reported to have been valued at more than $1 billion by mid-2024.

In November 2024, Celsius Holdings announced a definitive agreement to acquire Alani Nu for approximately $1.8 billion in cash and stock. The deal closed in January 2025 after regulatory clearance. BevNET named Alani Nu its Brand of the Year for 2025. Circana retail scan data showed Alani Nu's 52-week sales surpassing $1 billion by April 2025, a 72% increase year over year.

Under Celsius Holdings, Alani Nu's commercial team remains in Louisville. Celsius transitioned Alani Nu from its existing beer distributor network to the PepsiCo DSD distribution system in 2025. Celsius paid approximately $246 million in distributor termination fees to enable that shift. The PepsiCo partnership covers roughly 60% of US energy drink volume by distribution reach.

About Celsius Holdings, Inc.

Is Celsius Holdings owned by another company?
No, Celsius Holdings is an independent, publicly traded company listed on NASDAQ under the ticker CELH. PepsiCo holds approximately 11% of the company through convertible preferred stock investments totaling $1.135 billion ($550 million in 2022 and $585 million in 2025), and has the right to nominate one director to the board. However, Celsius Holdings maintains operational independence with its own management team and strategic direction. The company is a component of the S&P 400 index.

Is Celsius Holdings publicly traded?
Yes, Celsius Holdings is publicly traded on the NASDAQ stock exchange under the ticker symbol CELH. The company uplisted to NASDAQ from the OTCQX Best Market on May 24, 2017, at a share price of $4.04 and a market capitalisation of approximately $170 million. As of February 23, 2026, there were 256,975,993 shares outstanding. The aggregate market value of common stock held by non affiliates was approximately $9.7 billion as of June 30, 2025.

When was Celsius Holdings founded?
Celsius Holdings was founded in 2004 in Delray Beach, Florida, as Elite FX. The Celsius beverage concept was created by nutrition industry entrepreneur Greg Horn in 2003 and licensed to Elite FX. The company was co founded by Steve Haley, a retired software company CEO, along with Irina Lorenzi and others. The first Celsius energy drink was launched in Sweden in 2009.

Who created Celsius Holdings?
The Celsius beverage concept was created by Greg Horn, a nutrition industry entrepreneur, in 2003. Horn formulated the first CELSIUS fitness drink and co founded the company that would become Celsius Holdings in 2004 with Steve Haley, who came out of retirement to lead the venture, and Irina Lorenzi. The company was originally named Elite FX and was based in Delray Beach, Florida.

What is Celsius Holdings' revenue and profit?
For full year 2025, Celsius Holdings reported record revenue of $2.52 billion, up 86% from $1.36 billion in 2024. Net income was $108.0 million, down 26% from $145.1 million, primarily due to $327 million in distributor termination costs and $60 million in acquisition related expenses. Adjusted EBITDA was $619.6 million, up 142%, and adjusted diluted EPS was $1.34, up 91%. Gross margin was 50.4%.

What brands does Celsius Holdings own?
Celsius Holdings owns three energy drink brands: CELSIUS, its flagship fitness energy brand with FY2025 revenue of $1,457.7 million; Alani Nu, a female focused better for you energy brand acquired in April 2025 for $1.8 billion, with FY2025 revenue of $1,001.9 million; and Rockstar Energy, a classic energy brand acquired from PepsiCo in August 2025 for the U.S. and Canada market, with FY2025 revenue of $55.6 million.

What is the PepsiCo relationship with Celsius Holdings?
PepsiCo is both a major shareholder and the primary distributor of Celsius Holdings. PepsiCo invested $550 million in August 2022 for approximately 8.5% ownership, and an additional $585 million in August 2025, increasing its stake to approximately 11%. PepsiCo serves as the primary U.S. distributor for all three Celsius Holdings brands through its direct store delivery network. Celsius Holdings is designated as PepsiCo's energy category captain in the U.S., managing strategic direction for CELSIUS, Alani Nu, and Rockstar Energy. Sales to PepsiCo constituted 43.2% of total revenue in 2025.

What is Celsius Holdings' market position?
Celsius Holdings reached approximately 20% dollar share of the U.S. energy drink category in Q4 2025, making it one of the top three energy drink companies in the United States by market share. The company competes directly with Red Bull and Monster Beverage. The CELSIUS brand was ranked as the third largest energy drink brand in the U.S. by sales, while the acquisition of Alani Nu and Rockstar Energy expanded the company's total energy portfolio to cover fitness, lifestyle, and classic energy segments.

Founded: 2004
Headquarters: Boca Raton, Florida, USA
Company Type: Publicly Traded
Stock: NASDAQ: CELH
Revenue: $2.52 billion (FY2025)
Employees: Approximately 800

Visit Celsius Holdings, Inc. website

View full company profile for Celsius Holdings, Inc.

Where Is Alani Nu Made / Based?

Headquarters: Louisville, Kentucky, USA
Manufacturing / Operations: United States

Alani Nu Categories & Tags

Energy Drinks Fitness Supplements Better For You Health Beverages American Brand Wellness Brand

Alani Nu Sustainability & Ethics

Celsius Holdings has published limited standalone sustainability disclosures specific to Alani Nu. The brand's energy drinks are packaged in aluminum cans, which are broadly recyclable and contain a recycled content percentage consistent with industry norms.

Alani Nu has not been independently certified as cruelty-free by Leaping Bunny or PETA as of May 2025. The brand's own marketing describes its products as not tested on animals, but independent certification from a recognized body has not been confirmed. Leaping Bunny's public database does not list Alani Nu as a certified brand. Consumers should verify current certification status directly with certifying organizations.

The product formulations use sucralose and acesulfame potassium rather than high-fructose corn syrup. This is a consumer health positioning choice, not an independently certified sustainability credential. No B Corp certification or organic certification applies to the brand.

Awards & Recognition

Alani Nu was named BevNET's Brand of the Year for 2025. BevNET is a trade publication covering the beverage industry, and the award recognized Alani Nu's growth from a social media-born brand to over $1 billion in retail sales. The brand reached a quarterly revenue record of approximately $332 million in Q3 2025, with year-over-year retail sales growth of approximately 114% in that period per Celsius Holdings earnings materials.

Alani Nu appeared on Inc. Magazine's Inc. 5000 list of fastest-growing private companies in 2022, 2023, and 2024.

Founder Katy Hearn has been profiled in several business publications including Forbes and Inc. in connection with Alani Nu's growth and the Celsius Holdings acquisition.

Alani Nu Recalls & Controversies

No product safety recalls involving Alani Nu have been documented in FDA recall databases or Consumer Product Safety Commission records as of May 2025.

Caffeine labeling regulation: In 2025, the FDA released draft guidance suggesting that beverages containing more than 200mg of caffeine per serving carry a warning label. Alani Nu energy drinks contain exactly 200mg per can. The draft guidance has not been finalized. This regulatory development affects the broader energy drink category, not Alani Nu specifically.

Canada market restriction: The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has issued warnings about certain energy drink products exceeding Canada's permissible caffeine levels. Alani Nu's 200mg per can formulation exceeds the 180mg limit permitted under Canadian regulations, restricting the brand's distribution in that market. This is a regulatory barrier rather than a recall or enforcement action.

Trademark dispute (2023): Alani Nu was named in a federal trademark lawsuit filed in the Northern District of Illinois by Ryse Up Sports Nutrition. The case was dismissed on jurisdictional grounds without prejudice. No court has determined liability, and there has been no reported refiling as of May 2025.

FTC health claim scrutiny: The FTC has increased industry-wide enforcement on health and energy claims made by supplement and functional beverage brands. No specific FTC enforcement action against Alani Nu has been announced as of May 2025.

Alani Nu Ownership: Pros & Cons

Advantages

+Celsius Holdings' PepsiCo distribution partnership covers approximately 60% of US energy drink volume by reach, accelerating retail expansion
+Female-oriented positioning in the energy drink category occupies a differentiated niche that most legacy brands do not directly compete in
+Strong DTC and social media heritage gives the brand authentic influencer marketing capabilities at relatively low cost
+NASDAQ-listed parent provides financial transparency and access to capital markets for ongoing brand investment
+Celsius Holdings' existing beverage infrastructure in regulatory compliance and co-packer management reduces scaling costs

Considerations

-The $1.8 billion acquisition price at approximately 3x trailing sales requires sustained growth to justify, which puts execution pressure on the Louisville team
-Celsius Holdings reported revenue softness in 2024 tied to PepsiCo inventory corrections, showing the distribution partnership introduces demand volatility
-Alani Nu's supplement line operates in a category subject to active FTC scrutiny over energy and metabolism-related health claims
-Growing competition from Ghost, C4, and Bloom could compress Alani Nu's share among female fitness consumers
-Brand authenticity risk: if consumers perceive the Celsius acquisition as diluting the founders' personal brand connection, engagement rates on social media could decline

Frequently Asked Questions About Alani Nu

Sources & Further Reading

Competitors to Alani Nu

These competing brands operate in the same categories and provide similar products or services. Compare key attributes to understand market positioning and competitive landscape.

Brand	Parent Company	Country	Founded	Market Position	Primary Market	Gender Target
Healthy Choice	Conagra Brands	USA	1989	Mass market	United states	All Genders
Rockstar EnergySister Brand	Celsius Holdings	USA	2001	Mass market	Global	All Genders