When beverage distributors hear that Jerry Rice is on the other line, often they don’t believe it is actually the San Francisco 49ers legend.
Indeed, it really is the former wide receiver, who is considered the greatest of all time, because he is no mere figurehead for G.O.A.T. Fuel sports energy drink.
“My thing is,” Rice exclusively shared, “to get on the phone and just harass them until they call me back.”
Rice not only calls distributors, but he also meets with retailers, attends board meetings, raises capital, is part of the research and development process and helped come up with the brand’s name.
“His work ethic is legendary,” said daughter Jaqui Rice Gold. “I have witnessed it firsthand.”
Rice Gold is the CEO, and her husband, Trevion Gold, is the chief brand officer for the caffeinated, sports energy beverage with functional mushrooms — but not guarana — that comes in a variety of fruit flavors.
It truly is a family business, and Rice, the co-founder and chairman, appreciates the opportunity to work with his oldest daughter on a daily basis.
“This is really amazing,” he said before joking. “Sometimes we fight a little bit, all of that, but I just feel that’s just part of business.”
Rice Gold, who grew up in Silicon Valley, studied government at Georgetown University and enrolled at Fordham School of Law before starting a peer-to-peer hair extension platform.
“She was always an entrepreneur,” Rice said before laughing. “She didn’t get the smarts from me.”
The daughter of Rice’s first wife Jackie Mitchell, Jaqui and her then-boyfriend Trevion were working out in Los Angeles, looking for something to fuel their body but not give them the jitters or cause them to crash like so many energy drinks.
She reached out to her father who previously partnered with Muscle Milk.
“My body is like my engine, and I’m not going to put anything crazy into my body,” Rice said. “I need an energy drink that has my core values.”
After input from Rice, G.O.A.T. Fuel was launched in January 2020 in the competitive energy sports drink market that also features Red Bull, Celsius, Monster and Throne Sport Coffee. Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes is a leading investor in the latter.
But G.O.A.T. Fuel has raised about $22 million, is the official energy drink of the Los Angeles Lakers and is in more than 16,000 stores, including 7-Eleven, Walmart, QuikTrip, Crunch Fitness and Gold’s Gym.
Former Pro Bowl tight end Vernon Davis, who played with the 49ers for 10 years, started drinking it, not realizing that Rice was the co-founder.
Davis liked it so much that he became an investor in late August, becoming one of a few dozen investors on the G.O.A.T. Fuel capitalization table and giving the beverage some 49ers synergy.
“I support my brothers,” Davis exclusively shared. “It’s only right that I come and be a part of it.”
The two pass catchers have known each other since the 49ers drafted the tight end sixth overall in the 2006 NFL Draft. Rice was a frequent presence in the locker room.
The 49ers great was a 13-time Pro Bowler. He leads all players in NFL history in career receptions (1,549), receiving yards, (22,895), receiving touchdowns (197) and yards from scrimmage (23,540).
So it’s appropriate that he’s featured on some cans, and others are emblazoned with the greatest of all time in baseball (Babe Ruth) or boxing (Muhammad Ali).
It’s all part of an exciting, father/daughter initiative for the G.O.A.T. wide receiver.
“I’ve been on the big stage and played in big games,” he said. “I want to get this done for her.”