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When used in this Annual Report on Form 10-K (this “Report”), unless otherwise indicated, the terms “the Company,” “Celsius,” “we,” “us” and “our” refers to Celsius Holdings, Inc. and its subsidiaries.
NOTE REGARDING FORWARD-LOOKING STATEMENTS
This Report contains forward-looking statements that reflect our current views about future events. We use the words “anticipate,” “assume,” “believe,” “estimate,” “expect,” “will,” “intend,” “may,” “plan,” “project,” “should,” “could,” “seek,” “designed,” “potential,” “forecast,” “target,” “objective,” “goal,” or the negatives of such terms or other similar expressions. These statements relate to future events or our future financial performance and involve known and unknown risks, uncertainties and other factors that may cause our actual results, levels of activity, performance or achievements to be materially different from any future results, levels of activity, performance or achievements expressed or implied by these forward-looking statements. These risks and other factors include described in “Item 1A. Risk Factors,” “Item 7. Management’s Discussion and Analysis of Financial Condition and Results of Operations” and elsewhere in this Report.
PART I
Overview
We are engaged in the development, marketing, sale and distribution of “functional” calorie-burning fitness beverages under the Celsius® brand name. According to multiple clinical studies we funded, a single serving of Celsius® burns 100 to 140 calories by increasing a consumer’s resting metabolism an average of 12% and providing sustained energy for up to a three-hour period. Our exercise focused studies show Celsius delivers additional benefits when consumed prior to exercise. The studies show benefits such as increase in fat burn, increase in lean muscle mass and increased endurance.
We seek to combine nutritional science with mainstream beverages by using our proprietary thermogenic (calorie-burning) MetaPlus® formulation, while fostering the goal of healthier everyday refreshment by being as natural as possible without the artificial preservatives often found in many energy drinks and sodas. Celsius® has no artificial preservatives, aspartame or high fructose corn syrup and is very low in sodium. Celsius® uses good-for-you ingredients and supplements such as green tea (EGCG), ginger, calcium, chromium, B vitamins and vitamin C. The main Celsius line of products are sweetened with sucralose, a sugar-derived sweetener that is found in Splenda®, which makes our beverages low-calorie and suitable for consumers whose sugar intake is restricted.
We have undertaken significant marketing efforts aimed at building brand awareness, including a wide variety of marketing vehicles such as television, radio, digital, social media, sponsorships, and magazine advertising. We also undertake various promotions at the retail level such as coupons and other discounts in addition to in-store sampling.
We do not directly manufacture our beverages, but instead outsource the manufacturing process to established third-party co-packers. We do, however, provide our co-packers with flavors, ingredient blends, cans and other raw materials for our beverages purchased by us from various suppliers.
Recent Developments
Product Line Extension
On February 28, 2017, Celsius announced its first product line extension, which is intended to broaden its reach into the natural channel. The new line has six refreshing flavors: three sparkling - grapefruit, cucumber lime, orange pomegranate and three non-carbonated - pineapple coconut, watermelon berry and strawberries & cream. We expect our new natural line to start being available at retailers on a limited basis by April 2017.
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Private Offering
Between December 30, 2016 and March 14, 2017, the Company raised an aggregate of $15.0 million in capital through the sale of an aggregate of 4,833,329 shares of our common stock at a purchase price of $3.00 per share in a private offering to 13 accredited investors. Investors in the private placement included:
· CD Financial, LLC (533,333 Shares), an existing shareholder of record affiliated with Carl DeSantis, one of our principal shareholders and William H. Milmoe, a director;
· Charmnew Limited (800,000 Shares), an existing shareholder of record affiliated with Li Ka Shing, one of our principal shareholders;
· Grieg International Limited (533,333 Shares), an existing shareholder of record affiliated with Chau Hoi Shuen Solina, one of our principal shareholders; and
· Nu Horizons Investment Group, LLC (433,333 Shares), an existing shareholder of record affiliated with Tim Leissner, a director and one of our principal shareholders; and Russell Simmons, one of our principal shareholders.
The net proceeds from the sale of the Shares are being used for:
Retirement of our President and Chief Executive Officer
Effective March 1, 2017, Gerry David, Celsius’ President and Chief Executive Officer retired from such positions with the Company. Pending our board of directors identifying and retaining a new President and Chief Executive Officer, John Fieldly, the Company’s Chief Financial Officer will serve in such additional capacities on an interim basis. Mr. David will continue to serve as a consultant to the Company through December 31, 2017.
Corporate History
We were incorporated in Nevada on April 26, 2005 under the name “Vector Ventures, Inc.” and originally we engaged in mineral exploration. Such business was unsuccessful. On January 26, 2007, we acquired the Celsius® beverage business of Elite FX, Inc., a Florida corporation engaged in the development of “functional” beverages since 2004 in a reverse merger, and subsequently changed our name to Celsius Holdings, Inc. In addition, on March 28, 2007, the Company established Celsius Netshipments, Inc. a Florida corporation as a wholly-owned subsidiary of the Company.
The Company is an emerging growth company under the Jumpstart Our Business Startups Act of 2012 (the “Jobs Act”) and as such, may elect to comply with certain reduced public company reporting requirements for future filings.
Our Products
Celsius® calorie-burning beverages were first introduced to the marketplace in 2005.
According to multiple clinical studies we funded, a single serving (12 ounce can) of Celsius® burns 100 to 140 calories by increasing a consumer’s metabolism an average of 12% for up to a three-hour period. In addition, these studies have indicated that drinking a single serving of Celsius® prior to exercising may improve cardiovascular health and fitness and enhance the loss of fat and gain of muscle from exercise.
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We seek to combine nutritional science with mainstream beverages by using our proprietary thermogenic (calorie-burning) MetaPlus® formulation, while fostering the goal of healthier everyday refreshment by being as natural as possible without the artificial preservatives often found in many energy drinks or sodas. Celsius® has no chemical preservatives, aspartame or high fructose corn syrup and is very low in sodium. Celsius® uses good-for-you ingredients and supplements such as green tea (EGCG), ginger, calcium, chromium, B vitamins and vitamin C. Celsius is sweetened with sucralose, a sugar-derived sweetener that is found in Splenda®, which makes our beverages low-calorie and suitable for consumers whose sugar intake is restricted. Each 12 ounce can of Celsius® contains 200 milligrams of caffeine which is comparable to one 12 ounce cup of coffee from the leading coffeehouse.
Our original Celsius® product line is currently offered in seven flavors: orange, wild berry, cola, grape, and watermelon (which are carbonated), and non-carbonated green tea raspberry/acai, and green tea/peach mango. Our beverages are sold in 12 ounce cans, and we have recently begun to market the active ingredients in powdered form in individual On-The-Go packets as well as multiple serving canisters. In addition to being sugar free, our original ready-to -drink product line is non-GMO, kosher and vegan certified and soy and gluten free.
In February 2017, Celsius announced its first product line extension, which is intended to broaden its reach into the natural channel. The new line has six refreshing flavors: three sparkling - grapefruit, cucumber lime, orange pomegranate and three non-carbonated - pineapple coconut, watermelon berry and strawberries & cream. The natural line extension boasts a clean ingredient panel featuring 100% natural caffeine-from-green-coffee bean extract, and an all-natural sweetener. Like the original Celsius® products, our new natural ready-to -drink beverages are non-GMO, kosher and vegan certified and soy and gluten free. We expect our new natural line to start being available at retailers on a limited basis by April 2017.
Celsius® is packaged in a distinctive 12 ounce sleek can that uses vivid colors in abstract patterns to create a strong on-shelf impact. The cans are sold as singles or in four-packs. We have recently redesigned our packaging to provide a cleaner, crisper and more modern look.
We target a niche in the functional beverage segment of the beverage industry consisting of consumers seeking calorie-burning beverages to help them manage their weight and enhance their exercise regimen. Our target consumers are generally individuals that exercise two to five times a week and are concerned about their health.
Clinical Studies
It is our belief that clinical studies substantiating product claims will become more important as more and more beverages are marketed with health claims. Celsius® was one of the first functional beverages to be launched along with a clinical study. Celsius® is also one of very few functional beverages that has clinical research on the actual product itself. Some beverage companies that do mention studies backing their claims are referencing independent studies conducted on one or more of the ingredients in the product. We believe that it is important and will become more important to have studies on the actual product.
We have funded seven U.S. based clinical studies for Celsius®. Each was conducted by a research organization and each studied the total Celsius® formula. The first study was conducted by the Ohio Research Group of Exercise Science & Sports Nutrition. The remaining studies were conducted by the Applied Biochemistry & Molecular Physiology Laboratory of the University of Oklahoma. We funded all of the studies and provided Celsius® beverage for the studies. However, none of our directors, executive officers or principal shareholders is in any way affiliated with either of the two research organizations which conducted the studies.
The first study was conducted in 2005 by the Ohio Research Group of Exercise Science & Sports Nutrition www.ohioresearchgroup.com. The Ohio Research Group of Exercise Science & Sports Nutrition is a multidisciplinary clinical research team dedicated to exploring the relationship between exercise, nutrition, dietary supplements and health. This placebo-controlled, double-blind cross-over study compared the effects of Celsius® and the placebo on metabolic rate. Twenty-two participants were randomly assigned to ingest a 12 ounce serving of Celsius® and on a separate day a serving of twelve ounces of Diet Coke®. All subjects completed both trials using a randomized, counterbalanced design. Randomized means that subjects were selected for each group randomly to ensure that the different treatments were statistically equivalent. Counterbalancing means that individuals in one group drank the placebo on the first day and drank Celsius® on the second day. The other group did the opposite. Counterbalancing is a design method that is used to control “order effects.” In other words, this was done to make sure that the order that subjects were served does not impact the results and analysis.
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Metabolic rate (via indirect calorimetry, measurements taken from breaths into and out of calorimeter) and substrate oxidation (via respiratory exchange ratios) were measured at baseline (pre-ingestion) and for ten minutes at the end of each hour for three hours post-ingestion. The results showed an average increase of metabolism of twelve percent over the three-hour period, compared to a statistically insignificant change for the control group. Metabolic rate, or metabolism, is the rate at which the body expends energy. This is also referred to as the “caloric burn rate.” Indirect calorimetry calculates heat that living organisms produce from their production of carbon dioxide. It is called “indirect” because the caloric burn rate is calculated from a measurement of oxygen uptake. Direct calorimetry would involve the subject being placed inside the calorimeter for the measurement to determine the heat being produced. Respiratory Exchange Ratio is the ratio oxygen taken in a breath compared to the carbon dioxide breathed out in one breath or exchange. Measuring this ratio can be used for estimating which substrate (fuel such as carbohydrate or fat) is being metabolized or ‘oxidized’ to supply the body with energy.
The second study was conducted by the Applied Biochemistry & Molecular Physiology Laboratory of University of Oklahoma in 2007. This blinded, placebo-controlled study was conducted on a total of 60 men and women of normal weight. An equal number of participants were separated into two groups to compare one serving (a single 12 ounce can) of Celsius® to a placebo of the same amount. According to the study, those subjects consuming Celsius® burned significantly more calories versus those consuming the placebo, over a three-hour period. The study confirmed that over the three-hour period, subjects consuming a single serving of Celsius® burned 65% more calories than those consuming the placebo beverage and burned an average of more than 100 to 140 calories compared to the placebo. These results were statistically significant.
The third study, conducted by the Applied Biochemistry & Molecular Physiology Laboratory of University of Oklahoma in 2007, extended our second study with the same group of 60 individuals and protocol for 28 days and showed the same statistical significance of increased calorie burn (minimal attenuation). While the University of Oklahoma study did extend for 28 days, more testing would be needed for long term analysis of the Celsius® calorie-burning effects. Also, although these studies were on relatively small numbers of subjects, they have statistically significant results. Additional studies on a larger number and wider range of body compositions can be considered to further the analysis.
Our fourth study, conducted by the Applied Biochemistry & Molecular Physiology Laboratory of University of Oklahoma in 2009, combined Celsius® use with exercise. This ten-week placebo-controlled, randomized and blinded study was conducted on a total of 37 subjects. Participants were randomly assigned into one of two groups: Group 1 consumed one serving of Celsius® per day, and Group 2 consumed one serving of an identically flavored and labeled placebo beverage. Both groups participated in ten weeks of combined aerobic and weight training, following the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines of training for previously sedentary adults. The results showed that consuming a single serving of Celsius® prior to exercising may enhance the positive adaptations of exercise on body composition, cardio-respiratory fitness and endurance performance. According to the preliminary findings, subjects consuming a single serving of Celsius® lost significantly more fat mass and gained significantly more muscle mass than those subjects consuming the placebo — a 93.75% greater loss in fat and 50% greater gain in muscle mass, respectively. The study also confirmed that subjects consuming Celsius® significantly improved measures of cardio-respiratory fitness and the ability to delay the onset of fatigue when exercising to exhaustion.
Our fifth study was conducted by the Applied Biochemistry & Molecular Physiology Laboratory of University of Oklahoma in 2009. This ten-week placebo-controlled, randomized and blinded study was conducted on a total of 27 previously sedentary overweight and obese female subjects. Participants were randomly assigned into groups that consumed identically tasting treatment beverages with exercise or without exercise. All participants consumed one drink, either placebo or Celsius®, per day for 10 weeks. The exercise groups participated in ten weeks of combined aerobic and weight training, following the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines of training for previously sedentary adults. No changes were made to their diet. The results showed that consuming a single serving of Celsius® prior to exercising may improve cardiovascular health and fitness and enhance the positive adaptations of exercise on body composition. According to the preliminary findings, subjects consuming a single serving of Celsius® lost significantly more fat mass and gained significantly more muscle mass when compared to exercise alone — a 46% greater loss in fat, 27% greater gain in muscle mass, respectively. The study also confirmed that subjects consuming Celsius® significantly improved measures of cardio-respiratory fitness — 35% greater endurance performance with significant improvements to lipid profiles — total cholesterol decreases of 5 to 13% and bad LDL cholesterol 12 to 18%. Exercise alone had no effect on blood lipid levels.
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Our sixth study was conducted by the Applied Biochemistry & Molecular Physiology Laboratory of University of Oklahoma in 2009. This ten-week placebo-controlled, randomized and blinded study was conducted on a total of 37 previously sedentary male subjects. Participants were randomly assigned into groups that consumed identically tasting treatment beverages with exercise or without exercise. All participants consumed one drink, either placebo or Celsius®, per day for 10 weeks. The exercise groups participated in ten weeks of combined aerobic and weight training, following the American College of Sports Medicine guidelines of training for previously sedentary adults. No changes were made to their diet. The results showed that consuming a single serving of Celsius® prior to exercising may improve cardiovascular health and fitness and enhance the positive adaptations of exercise on body composition. Significantly greater decreases in fat mass and percentage body fat and increases in VO2 were observed in the subjects that consumed Celsius® before exercise versus those that consumed the placebo before exercise. Mood was not affected. Clinical markers for hepatic, renal, cardiovascular and immune function, as determined by pre-and post blood work revealed no adverse effects.
Our seventh study was conducted by Miami Research Institute in 2010 and demonstrated the efficacy and safety of the powders and the shots. This study allows the Company to make the same structure/function claims as the ready to drink beverages.
Manufacture and Supply of Our Products
Our beverages are produced by established third party beverage co-packers. A co-packer is a manufacturing plant that provides the service of filling bottles or cans for the brand owner. We believe one benefit of using co-packers is that we do not have to invest in the production facility and can focus our resources on brand development, sales and marketing. It also allows us produce in multiple locations strategically placed throughout the country. We purchase most of the ingredients and all packaging materials. The co-pack facility assembles our products and charges us a fee by the case. The shelf life of Celsius® is specified as 15 to 18 months.
Substantially all of the raw materials used in the preparation, bottling and packaging of our products are purchased by us or by our co-packers in accordance with our specifications. Generally, we obtain the ingredients used in our products from domestic suppliers and some ingredients have several reliable suppliers. The ingredients in Celsius® include green tea (EGCG), ginger (from the root), caffeine, B vitamins, vitamin C, taurine, guarana, chromium, calcium, glucuronolactone, sucralose, natural flavors and natural colorings. Celsius® is labeled with a supplements facts panel. We have no major supply contracts with any of our suppliers. We single-source all our ingredients for purchasing efficiency; however, we have identified a second source for our critical ingredients and there are many suppliers of flavors, colorings and sucralose. In case of a supply restriction or interruption from any of the flavor and coloring suppliers, we would have to test and qualify other suppliers that may disrupt our production schedules.
Packaging materials, except for our distinctive sleek aluminum cans, are easily available from multiple sources in the United States; however, due to efficiencies we utilize single source vendor relationships.
We believe that our co-packing arrangement and supply sources are adequate for our present needs.
Distribution
Celsius® is sold across many retail segments. They include supermarkets, convenience stores, drug stores, nutritional stores, and mass merchants. We also sell to health clubs, spas, gyms, the military, e-commerce websites and a limited number of international markets.
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We distribute our products through a hybrid of direct-store delivery (DSD) distributors and as well as sales direct to retailers (DTR).
Sales of our products to two customers, a foreign distributor of our products and a domestic retailer of vitamins and health products, accounted for 37% and 8% of our revenues for the year ended December 31, 2016, respectively and 50.0% and 11.8% of our revenues for the year ended December 31, 2015, respectively. Accordingly, if sales to either of these customers were to significantly decline or cease entirely, our business, results of operations and financial condition may be significantly harmed.
We are also seeking to expand our international sales, particularly in the Far East and elsewhere in Asia, by entering into agreements with large established distributors who service those markets.
Seasonality of Sales
As is typical in the beverage industry, sales of our beverages are seasonal, with the highest sales volumes generally occurring in the second and third fiscal quarters, which correspond to the warmer months of the year in our major markets.
Competition
We believe that we are one of the few calorie-burning fitness beverages whose effectiveness is supported by clinical studies, which gives us a unique position in the beverage market. However, our products do compete broadly with all categories of consumer beverages. The beverage market is highly competitive, and includes international, national, regional and local producers and distributors, most of whom have greater financial, management and other resources than us. Our direct competitors in the functional beverage market include, but are not limited to The Coca-Cola Company, Dr. Pepper Snapple Group, PepsiCo, Inc., Nestlé, Waters North America, Inc., Hansen Natural Corp., and Red Bull.
Proprietary Rights
We have registered the Celsius® and MetaPlus® trademarks with the United States Patent and Trademark Office, as well as a number of additional trademarks.
We have and will continue to take appropriate measures, such as entering into confidentiality agreements with our contract packers and ingredient suppliers, to maintain the secrecy and proprietary nature of our MetaPlus® formulation and product formulas.
We maintain our MetaPlus® formulation and product formulas as trade secrets. We believe that trade secrecy is a preferable method of protection for our formulas as patenting them might require their disclosure. Other than a company that is our outsourced production manager, no single member of the raw material supply chain or our co-packers has access to the complete formula.
We consider our trademarks and trade secrets to be of considerable value and importance to our business. No successful challenges to our registered trademarks have arisen and we have no reason to believe that any such challenges will arise in the future.