A US-listed energy drink group worth $10.3bn (€9bn) is building an international hub in Dublin as it explores the market for a drinks manufacturing partner.

Celsius, an energy drink brand focused on the health and fitness market, said its Dublin office will have 45 staff by the end of the year, up from 12 currently. The company – which recorded sales of $329.3m in the first quarter of 2025 – has been quietly building out its Irish team since September.

John Fieldly, CEO of Celsius, told the Sunday Independent that the Irish office would focus on the international expansion of its energy drinks. He claimed the company had already attracted employees from some of its rivals in Ireland, with the breadth of talent a big draw for the business.

Fieldly said Celsius is not currently manufacturing in Ireland but was “looking at opportunities” to white label.

“Right now, we are evaluating all the key local markets for production,” he said.

“Historically, we have been producing out of Germany, fulfilling orders into Sweden and Finland. But we are looking at, with volume increasing, getting production more localised.

“We will be producing in France. As we gain scale in Ireland, we will produce in Ireland. We don’t want to be shipping heavy liquids around.”

Tapping into the growing health and fitness trend has paid off for Celsius, Fieldly claims.

The brand recently launched its “live.fit.go” campaign. Last month, Irish Olympic sprinter Rhasidat Adeleke and Arsenal midfielder Declan Rice were added as global ambassadors.

Competition is tough, with energy drink giants Red Bull and Monster holding huge market shares. In its recent results, Celsius claimed it had captured a 16.2pc market share in the US market, falling to just 1.2pc in Ireland.

Trying to be different from the larger brands will be key to growth, Fieldly said.

“The competition is fierce,” he said. “The good news is the category continues to grow and scale. New consumers are coming into the category. We are seeing more females... than ever before.

“We are not trying to be a ‘me too’ product or go head-to-head. We are different. We are better for you and are expanding the category.”

Source: The Irish Independent.