Rockstar Energy founder builds Celsius stake, wants to take over as CEO

Russ Savage built Rockstar Energy into a category-defining brand, sold it to PepsiCo for $3.85 billion, and now he is quietly assembling a position in Celsius Holdings. The move is not a passive bet. Savage controls roughly 4.7% of the company and has made clear he wants the chief executive seat.

Celsius has spent the past several years riding the functional beverage wave, but the market has cooled and the stock has taken on water. A founder with a track record of scaling a direct competitor is not buying in for the dividend. He is signaling that the current leadership has left value on the table.

The play is straightforward. Accumulate a meaningful stake, pressure the board, and position yourself as the obvious alternative. Savage has the credibility, the capital, and the operating history to make that argument stick. Whether the board agrees is another matter, but the message is already on the record.

For the energy drink sector, this is a reminder that consolidation and founder-led activism are not confined to tech. The category is mature enough that operational discipline matters more than novelty. Savage's move suggests he believes Celsius has grown complacent and that he can run it better.

Nothing is guaranteed. A 4.7% stake is not control, and boards do not hand over the CEO title to outsiders without a fight. But Savage has been here before. He knows how to build a brand, and he knows how to apply pressure. The next few quarters will show whether Celsius is listening.