MOORESVILLE, NC. — Rowdy Energy, the energy drink manufacturer, is ceasing operations, said co-founder and race car driver Kyle Busch. He made the announcement in a post on the social media site X (formerly known as Twitter).

“… Unfortunately, I’m here to say that Rowdy Energy will be ceasing operations and closing its doors in the coming weeks,” Busch wrote. “Like many other new consumer brands, the headwinds have proven to be too strong and it makes the most sense to end the journey so I can remain focused on my family and my racing career.”

The decision to shutter the business followed a Dec. 5 filing of a notice of a law violation in California by the Environmental Research Center, San Diego, that alleged certain varieties of Rowdy Energy beverages contained contaminants in violation of California’s Proposition 65. Specifically, the notice indicated high levels of lead and mercury in the products.

Positioned in the market as a better-for-you energy drink, Rowdy Energy was co-founded in 2019 by Jeff Church, the entrepreneur behind bottled water brand NIKA Water Co. and cold pressed juice brand Suja Juice, and Busch. Made without sugar or artificial ingredients, the beverages featured 160 mg of caffeine from green tea plus the nootropic L-Theanine to boost energy without the unwanted and irritable crash, according to the company.

In 2021, the company raised $13 million in a funding round.