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Hansen’s volume grew 6.5% to the equivalent of 28.7 million 192oz (5.68-litre) cases in the three months to 30 June, while net sales were 15.3% up at $282.2m.

Sales of Monster and Java Monster drinks increased 22.3%, although Lost Energy and other Hansen energy drinks were down.

The California-based company’s sales outside the US jumped 45.5% to $19.5m, including about $1.9m in the UK, where Monster Energy was launched earlier this year. Since then, the drink has also been launched in Spain and Sweden.

Hansen’s operating income for Q2 increased 27.3% to $78.2m, while net earnings jumped 31.1% to $50.2m or $0.51 per diluted share.

Over the first half of 2008, Hansen’s volume grew 10% to 51 million equivalent 192oz cases, with net sales up 20.4% to $494.4m.

H1 operating income grew 29.7% to $121m, while net earnings grew 35.1% to $79m or $0.80 per diluted share.

Strong performance

"We're proud of the continued strong performance of the Monster brand at a time when almost all categories of ready-to-drink beverages in the US are experiencing weakness,” said Rodney Sacks, Hansen’s chairman and CEO.

“This weakness is most pronounced in convenience store cold drink channels, where the vast majority of energy drinks are sold.

“We continue to believe that the moderating growth we have seen in energy drinks appears, in part, to be due to the challenging macro-economic environment, and the resulting decline in store traffic primarily in the convenience and gas sector, especially in Southern California.”

In a subsequent conference call to discuss the results, Sacks told analysts he was encouraged by the successful introduction of Monster in Europe.

“Rome wasn’t built in a day,” he said. “We believe we’ll get there.”

Sacks also said Hansen would be launching a new “shooter” energy drink called Hitman in a 3oz (89ml) can later in the present quarter.