How Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson developed an energy drink business venture during the pandemic

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson isn’t letting a global pandemic knock him down.

The 10-time world wrestling champion, actor and businessman suffered the loss of his father, professional wrestler Rocky Johnson, who died suddenly at 75 years of age roughly a year ago. Then, months later, he and his family contracted COVID-19.

Johnson, 48, said it was “one of the most challenging and difficult” things his family ever had to experience.

“My dad suddenly died on Jan. 15. When you start off the year like that, and a few weeks later you’re hearing about COVID … that immediately gave me a perspective of, ‘Oh, life is so fragile,’ as we all know. We lose loved ones, and it’s a part of life, and it sucks, and it's always the great equalizer for us. And [it] lets us know how we need to live life to the fullest. But when it's close to you like that, and you join that club, it automatically shifted my perspective,” Johnson told FOX Business in a Zoom interview last week.

“I could easily wake up and think about the alternative. The alternative is, I’m not here, and I don’t have the opportunity to live today to the fullest as I possibly can. I don’t have my babies around me. I don’t have my wife. I don’t have my family. I don't have a world that I can try to find these silver linings in, and be grateful for. That’s a lot of stuff that goes through my head  however, it allows me to stay energized,” Johnson said.

The “Jumanji” actor certainly needs the energy, with the number of projects he has under his belt. The entertainer and entrepreneur’s new NBC comedy series “Young Rock,” based on his life, launches next month, and his Netflix comedy thriller “Red Notice'' alongside Gal Gadot and Ryan Reynolds is slated to debut this year.

He’s also launched a number of business ventures during the pandemic, including his tequila label, Teremana, and his natural energy drink company ZOA Energy. He co-founded ZOA Energy with business partner Dany Garcia, strength coach Dave Rienzi and John Shulman, the founder of Juggernaut Capital Partners private equity firm.

Johnson’s personal experience with COVID-19 fueled him and his partners to “make the best immunity package,” he said of ZOA, which is made with caffeine from green tea and green coffee beans, 100% Vitamin C, Vitamin D, Vitamin B, essential amino acids, antioxidants and superfoods like camu camu and acerola.

The drinks will go on sale in March, positioned as the better-for-you alternative to competitors in the market space like Monster and Red Bull.

"We're getting into a very successful category, but it's an opportunity to expand the category to reach consumers who wouldn't otherwise touch an energy drink — [it's] very clean, with a very strong immunity package," Johnson said.

DWAYNE 'THE ROCK' JOHNSON TO LAUNCH ZOA ENERGY DRINK LINE 

When it comes to staying motivated to build his brands, the star, like many Americans, learned he had to find a routine to create a sense of normalcy during the pandemic uncertainty.

“I would say it took me about two to three weeks to realize, ‘Oh I really need to stop waking up every day and trying to conduct my entire day in my pajamas.’ So what I decided to do was say, ‘I’m going to get up; I’m going to have my morning routine; I’m going to keep it the same as if I had to leave and go to work; and I continued to do that every day – got up, showered, caffeine, whatever kind of physical activity I could manage to do at that time, put on my clothes and I would go nowhere. I would be in the house, but that allowed a certain energetic approach to my day,” he added.

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When Johnson isn’t flexing his business muscles, he’s helping his fans stay strong and positive during difficult times. The actor surprised a young woman who lost her father around the time he lost his last year, by popping up in her living room in a video chat with a heartfelt message before the holidays.

"During this time there’s a lot of noise right now, a lot of unrest, a lot of uncertainty, but we’re going to get on the other end of it for sure," he said.