OZOP Energy Solutions, Inc. Highlights Ballislife HYDRO Expansion into North Texas with 125-Store Retail Commitment

WARWICK, NY, Aug. 18, 2026 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- OZOP Energy Solutions, Inc. (OTC: OZSC) today announced the continued retail expansion of Ballislife HYDRO Sports Drink, with a commitment secured for placement across 125 convenience retail locations in the Dallas-Fort Worth market. The expansion marks Ballislife HYDRO's entry into Texas and extends the brand's growing relationship with the same major national convenience retailer that has been stocking and selling products in other U.S. markets. Ballislife Drink Inc. is a joint venture between Varon Corp.'s U.S. subsidiary, Varon USA, and Ballislife, Inc. Ozop Energy Solutions, Inc. and Varon Corp. are currently completing customary pre-closing conditions in connection with the previously announced transaction.

The North Texas rollout is scheduled to begin before the end of October 2026 and will initially feature Ballislife HYDRO's three core flavors across participating locations. The 125-store commitment builds upon Ballislife HYDRO's existing presence with the national convenience retailer and expands that relationship into one of the largest metropolitan markets in the United States.

The expansion represents another step in Ballislife HYDRO's market-by-market retail strategy. Rather than establishing an entirely new retail relationship with each geographic launch, the brand is increasingly able to expand within an established national retail network while building the distribution and market-level infrastructure required to support each new region. The North Texas launch will be supported by a coordinated market activation program, including point-of-sale materials, retailer communications and promotional programming designed to support the introduction of Ballislife HYDRO throughout the market.

“North Texas has been one of our targets to our expansion roadmap, and with 125 committed locations gives Ballislife HYDRO an immediate and meaningful presence,” said Benjamin Schubert, Chief Executive Officer of Varon Corp. “What excites us is seeing the footprint continue to take shape across major U.S. markets. Southern California, Chicago, Central Florida and now North Texas are important building blocks as we continue establishing Ballislife HYDRO beyond its home market.”

“This is much more meaningful to us than simply adding another 125 stores,” said Ty Gilmore, Chief Revenue Officer of Varon Corp. “We’re expanding Ballislife HYDRO into another major market with the same national retail network we’ve been building with in other regions. That gives our team an opportunity to use the experiences from previous launches and execute in North Texas and continue building a stronger retail presence market by market.”

The Company continues to pursue a disciplined regional expansion strategy centered on strong retail execution, established distribution infrastructure and leveraging Ballislife's basketball audience and cultural relevance to support the brand as it enters new markets.

About Ballislife Drink, Inc.

Ballislife Drink, Inc., formed in December 2025, is a joint venture between Varon USA and Ballislife, Inc. focused on developing and commercializing performance-driven beverages at the intersection of sports, media and basketball culture. Its flagship product, Ballislife HYDRO, is a non-carbonated, caffeine-free sports hydration drink formulated with electrolytes, B vitamins, beet root, L-theanine and beta-alanine to support hydration, endurance, focus and recovery. The company combines Ballislife's deeply established basketball ecosystem with Varon USA's beverage development, operational and distribution capabilities to build a culturally relevant performance brand at scale. Ballislife HYDRO's growth strategy integrates long-term NBA athlete partnerships and expanding retail distribution with Ballislife's media, live events, creating a differentiated platform for consumer engagement and brand growth.

About Ballislife Inc.

Founded in 2005, Ballislife is a leading digital media and lifestyle brand dedicated to the culture of basketball at every level of the game. Based in Southern California, the company has grown from a grassroots "mixtape" platform into a trusted authority in high school and grassroots basketball coverage, amplifying the stories of emerging talent and the communities that shape the sport. Ballislife reaches millions of fans worldwide through premium video, editorial content and nationally recognized live events. Its content has generated hundreds of millions of views across platforms and has been featured by major outlets including The New York Times and on broadcasts such as ESPN's SportsCenter. Ballislife is home to the long-standing FAB 50 National Team Rankings and produces marquee events including the Ballislife All-American Game, Ballislife Jr. All-American Camp and the Nesquik Creator Court. Through storytelling, competition and community engagement, Ballislife continues to influence and elevate the next generation of basketball culture.

About Varon Corp

Varon Corp (Varon) is the holding Company of its’ wholly owned subsidiaries Varon Wellness, Varon USA and Varon Spirits. Varon through Varon Wellness and Varon USA develops and operates brands across hydration, energy, recovery and sports- nutrition categories. Through Varon Spirits, the Company offers a limited premium spirits business that provides brand optionality and experiential reach.

About Varon Wellness

Varon Wellness operates established, high-velocity functional and performance beverage brands with proven, repeat consumer demand and meaningful national retail presence in Canada, with a focused mandate across functional wellness, performance, and sports hydration. The division includes Canadian distribution rights to Bucked Up, a recognized, culturally relevant performance energy and protein brand with deeply established traction in fitness, athletic, and performance-driven communities. Bucked Up (https://www.buckedup.com/; https://ca.buckedup.com/) is a sports nutrition and lifestyle brand focused on helping all athletes and individuals achieve their health and fitness goals. Offering over 500 different products ranging from supplements and energy drinks to apparel and accessories, Bucked Up is committed to providing customers with the best products available. Dedicated to using high-quality ingredients and non-proprietary blends, Bucked Up's pre-workout is the #1 best-selling product in its class. The brand's products are now offered in over 75,000 stores worldwide.

Varon Wellness also owns a 60% equity ownership in Vitagua, utilizing Varon’s proprietary, zero-sugar sparkling vitamin water brand purpose-built for modern, health-conscious consumers at scale. The division operates under Varon’s Elevated Wellness approach, prioritizing flavor-first, consumer-led formulations that deliver meaningful, credible functional benefits, supported by disciplined execution, operational rigor, and scalable commercialization across expanding channels.

About Varon USA

Varon USA builds truly healthy, performance-driven functional beverages, not “better for you” alternatives. Combining cultural relevance at scale, best-in-class marketing infrastructure, and products that taste exceptional while delivering real, measurable health benefits, Varon USA represents the Company’s primary growth engine in the United States.

The division is focused on operating and partnership platforms supporting functional wellness, performance, and sports hydration brands that are deeply embedded within high-engagement, culture-defining ecosystems. The division includes Ballislife Drink, Inc., a joint venture in which Varon USA holds approximately 35% ownership interest, featuring Ballislife Functional Sports Drink, and is aligned with Ballislife, one of the largest and most influential basketball media platforms globally. Varon USA is also aligned with SG Revive, a functional wellness beverage developed in partnership with ASA Entertainment, a leader in youth culture and sports media.

Collectively, these platforms reach tens of millions of highly loyal, deeply engaged consumers annually through dominant digital media channels, large-scale live events, broadcast exposure, and expansive youth initiatives, enabling Varon to systematically convert authentic cultural engagement into repeat consumer demand, while maintaining discipline, scalability, and long-term brand equity across a rapidly expanding national footprint.

About Varon Spirits

Varon Spirits is a boutique importer and agency representing a select roster of premium spirits brands. The business focuses on curating and distributing distinctive spirits rooted in heritage, craftsmanship, and cultural relevance, including ultra-premium tequilas, vodkas, and select rare offerings. Varon Spirits operates under a focused, capital-light model aligned with the Company’s broader lifestyle-driven beverage strategy.

About Ozop Energy Solutions.

Ozop Energy Solutions (Ozop Energy Solutions (http://ozopenergy.com/) is the parent company that oversees a wide variety of products in the renewable energy sector. Our strategy focuses on capturing a share of the rapidly growing renewable energy market as a provider of assets and infrastructure needed to store energy.

This press release should be read in conjunction with the Company’s public filings which can be found at www.sec.gov

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