Heineken has taken a minority stake in Tenzing, a rapidly expanding natural energy drink brand rooted in London that draws inspiration from Sherpas.

The specifics of the investment are not publicly disclosed; however, it involves a minority share exceeding 25 percent. Tenzing, which achieved sales totaling £15 million last year, counts Tesco, Sainsbury’s, and Waitrose among its retail partners and employs a team of 15 individuals.

This partnership will enable Tenzing to leverage Heineken’s vast distribution network. Although Tenzing has managed to secure shelf space in major supermarkets, it has struggled to penetrate the market for smaller retail establishments.

“In the UK, there are 45,000 independent stores, including numerous corner shops, which makes it challenging for a startup to gain access,” remarked Huib van Bockel, the 51-year-old founder of Tenzing.

Van Bockel launched the brand after feeling disenchanted with the energy drink landscape, which is largely dominated by major players like Red Bull, where he previously held the position of marketing director, and Monster.

While trekking in Nepal, he discovered natural teas traditionally consumed by Sherpas in the Himalayas. He subsequently connected with the family of Tenzing Norgay, the renowned Sherpa who summited Everest alongside Sir Edmund Hillary in 1953, and received their endorsement to use the Tenzing name over a shared cup of Sherpa tea.

Tenzing has successfully sold over 40 million cans, positioning itself as the third most popular energy drink in Tesco, trailing only behind Red Bull and Monster. Van Bockel attributes this success to a growing consumer demand for more “natural” alternatives to traditional energy drinks.

Last summer, Tenzing introduced what it claims to be the world’s strongest natural energy drink, named Fiery Mango. This beverage boasts 160mg of caffeine derived from green coffee and green tea, is infused with 500mg of lion’s mane mushrooms, and is sweetened using beet and fruit sugars.

Van Bockel revealed that he approached numerous investors—“too many,” as he put it—before finalizing the deal with Heineken. He cited positive testimonials about Heineken’s investment approach from his friend Logan Plant, son of Led Zeppelin’s Robert Plant and the founder of Beavertown Brewery. Plant sold a minority stake in Beavertown to Heineken in 2018, which culminated with the multinational acquiring the remaining 51 percent stake in 2022.

“He consistently shared that Heineken was a reliable partner and a family-run business on a huge scale. The stories were always very encouraging, which increased my interest,” van Bockel noted.