A Florida gas station owner reveals why he finally installed a retail cooler specifically reserved for Celsius products after previously refusing to give the popular energy drink more shelf space.

Gas station owner (@corner_store_storey), Cam, explained why he finally decided to work with PepsiCo and dedicate more space to Celsius.

The People Want Celsius

In the TikTok, Cam admits that he cannot deny that Celsius is a popular product.

“I did it and I caved in. I bent over and I let Pepsi spank my little booty,” the gas station owner begins.

He mentions his previous hesitance to give the energy drink more shelf space caused contract issues with PepsiCo, the primary distributor of the popular energy drink. 

He goes on to explain why this caused tension between the distributors. 

“When they dropped my contract all the way down to the lowest tier, it was mostly because I wouldn’t give them more shelving space for Celsius. They wanted like four shelves for Celsius because Celsius has like 30,000 flavors,” he says. 

He explains that this was a key reason why Pepsi dropped his contract to the lowest tier. In response, Cam decided to work with another distribution company, IBC. 

“After IBC saved my [expletive] on my Pepsi costs. I decided to take it down even further and instead of having two shells of Celsius, I went down to one,” he says.

He admits in this video that he made this decision out of spite. “I didn’t like Pepsi, and I wanted to hurt them, which ultimately ended up hurting me,” he says. 

However, he said that he has changed his mind. He now has even installed an entire retail cooler specifically for Celsius. 

“I’ve realized the error of my ways and I understand that people want Celsius, they want variety,” he reveals. 

Don’t Mess With Celsius’s Shelf Space

PepsiCo’s national direct-store-delivery network gives it enormous leverage in negotiating the placement of products and retail cooler space. The company can promise bigger sales and faster turnover thanks to its scale and promotional muscle. 

Celsius, in particular, has seen explosive growth in the convenience channel and has been working closely with PepsiCo to aggressively increase its shelf presence. Celsius expanded its shelf space by more than 35% at partner retailers in 2024. This gained placement in hundreds of thousands of outlets nationwide thanks to the PepsiCo deal. 

When a store operator refuses to allocate more coolers or shelf space to a high-growth brand like Celsius, distributors such as PepsiCo will respond accordingly. Usually distributors will respond by moving that account to a lower service tier or limiting promotional support.

This will often results in driven-up costs, reduced delivery frequency, or a reduction in the breadth of products offered.

As a result, smaller store owners will frequently feel pressured to highlight certain products that they would otherwise not be as interested in. 

Why Are So Many Celsius-Specific Retail Coolers Popping Up Everywhere?

Cam decided to finally embrace the rising popularity of Celsius. His decision to showcase a retail cooler specifically for the in-demand energy drink is not an isolated incident. It’s in line with the popularity of the beverage across the country. 

The proliferation of dedicated Celsius coolers, often branded with the logo and stocked predominantly with Celsius products, is tied to how beverage companies and distributors fight for eyeballs and impulse purchases in the convenience channel. 

Energy drinks are one of the key categories in convenience stores, where roughly 65% of energy drink purchases happen. Products that are cold and front-of-store are far more likely to be picked up on impulse than ones stuck in a warm shelf or deep in the back. 

PepsiCo’s distribution partnership with Celsius has been pivotal in expanding Celsius’s presence in retail coolers. such as the brand-specific cooler highlighted in Cam’s TikTok. 

Retailers are increasingly willing to install branded coolers like the one highlighted in Cam’s TikTok because Celsius has shown strong velocity and category growth. Celsius pulls lots of energy drink buyers into the store and often increases overall ticket value. 

In fact, recent data shows that the brand accounted for a substantial share of energy drink growth. Retailers have taken note and have been increasing Celsius placements by double-digit rates.

Motor Biscuit requested statements from @corner_store_storey via TikTok direct message and PepsiCo and Celsius via email. 

@corner_store_story An update from the gas station! Do you like Celsius? #gasstation #cornerstore #celsius #energydrinks #pepsi ♬ original sound – CornerStoreCam