Red Bull Energy Drink
צילום: אורן אגמון
Red Bull importer stops Israel sales
Biggest Israel importer of energy drink stops selling it, claims political discrimination. Red Bull denies accusations, says origin of dispute financial
Tymko Beer Ltd. has stopped selling the world-famous Red Bull energy drink in Israel in response to what it called discrimination by Red Bull GmbH.
Red Bull’s Israeli importer made a one-sided decision to stop marketing the drink, claiming that Red Bull GmbH was harming its image by trying to hide the fact that the drink was sold in Israel.
Red Bull GmbH claims that the reason behind the decision was a business dispute. More and more importers have started selling Red Bull in Israel, and Tymko sales have suffered as a result.
In April, Red Bull GmbH held its opening Red Bull Air Race for 2007 in Abu Dhabi. Despite being invited by local representatives in Abu Dhabi, Israeli press members who were supposed to cover the event were not allowed to do so by Red Bull GmbH; a written appeal by Tymko officials to went unanswered.
In addition, Red Bull GmbH declined Tymko’s request that Tel Aviv host the Red Bull Air Race in 2009 as part of the city’s centennial celebrations. It also refused to add an Israeli pilot to the event’s crew.
“An Israeli pilot – not in the foreseeable future,” the company replied.
Red Bull GmbH vehemently denied claims that its dispute with Tymko originated from political discrimination.
“This is about a financial dispute that started many months ago, when Tymko began making baseless financial demands. Claims regarding discrimination, boycotting, or anti-Semitism are unfounded, and an attempt by Tymko to pressure Red Bull into accepting their financial demands,” a company representative said.
Tymko, the first company to introduce energy drinks to Israel, has been marketing Red Bull in the country since 1999. The company sold dozens of millions of cans of Red Bull each year.
The company controls 45 percent of Israel’s energy drink market segment, and Red Bull sales constitute 85 percent of its revenue.
Red Bull GmbH, based in Austria, began marketing the drink in 1987. It is now sold in over 80 countries, and dominates 70 percent of the world’s energy drink market.
Initial information received by Red Email
