<p>Coca-Cola is preparing to take full control of the sports drink group BodyArmor in a deal worth $5.6 billion, <em>The Wall Street Journal </em>reported Sunday.</p>.<p>Coca-Cola already holds a 30 per cent stake in the sports drink group.</p>.<p>The buyout, which would value BodyArmor at about $8 billion, would see the soda giant buy the remaining 70 per cent from BodyArmor's founders and investors, as well as a group of professional athletes who have invested in the company.</p>.<p>BodyArmor was backed at its founding in 2011 by basketball star Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash in early 2020 and had invested $6 million in the company.</p>.<p>The Journal reported that Bryant's estate should collect about $400 million from the deal, citing people close to the case.</p>.<p>Coca-Cola declined to comment when contacted by AFP.</p>.<p>BodyArmor is a competitor to industry giant Gatorade, which is owned by PepsiCo, Coca-Cola's main business rival.</p>.<p>BodyArmor expects sales to reach $1.4 billion this year, compared to $250 billion in 2018 when Coca-Cola first invested in the company.</p>.<p><strong>Check out latest videos from <i data-stringify-type="italic">DH</i>:</strong></p>
<p>Coca-Cola is preparing to take full control of the sports drink group BodyArmor in a deal worth $5.6 billion, <em>The Wall Street Journal </em>reported Sunday.</p>.<p>Coca-Cola already holds a 30 per cent stake in the sports drink group.</p>.<p>The buyout, which would value BodyArmor at about $8 billion, would see the soda giant buy the remaining 70 per cent from BodyArmor's founders and investors, as well as a group of professional athletes who have invested in the company.</p>.<p>BodyArmor was backed at its founding in 2011 by basketball star Kobe Bryant, who died in a helicopter crash in early 2020 and had invested $6 million in the company.</p>.<p>The Journal reported that Bryant's estate should collect about $400 million from the deal, citing people close to the case.</p>.<p>Coca-Cola declined to comment when contacted by AFP.</p>.<p>BodyArmor is a competitor to industry giant Gatorade, which is owned by PepsiCo, Coca-Cola's main business rival.</p>.<p>BodyArmor expects sales to reach $1.4 billion this year, compared to $250 billion in 2018 when Coca-Cola first invested in the company.</p>.<p><strong>Check out latest videos from <i data-stringify-type="italic">DH</i>:</strong></p>