Investment in Unconsolidated Subsidiaries
The Company has an investment in a 50% owned Mexican joint venture with Acqua Minerale San Benedetto which gives it the ability to exercise significant influence over operating and financial policies of the investee. The joint venture is not a variable interest entity and the investment represents a noncontrolling ownership interest and is accounted for under the equity method of accounting. The carrying value of the investment was $14 million and $12 million as of December 31, 2013 and 2012, respectively.
The Company also has a 40.4% investment in Hydrive Energy, LLC ("Hydrive") after the company contributed $2 million during the fourth quarter of 2011. On November 16, 2012, Hydrive sold its intellectual property rights to Big Red Holdings, Inc. in exchange for earn-out payments to Hydrive based on the earnings associated with Hydrive functional beverages over the next fifteen years. The carrying value of the investment was $1 million as of December 31, 2013 and 2012.
The Company's equity investments do not have a readily determinable fair value as the entities are not publicly traded. The Company's proportionate share of the net income (loss) resulting from these investments are reported under the line item captioned equity in earnings of unconsolidated subsidiaries, net of tax, in the Consolidated Statements of Income.
Additionally, the Company maintains an investment accounted for under the cost method of accounting. This investment has a zero cost basis and is not within the Company's control nor does the Company have the ability to exercise significant influence over operating and financial policies. This cost method investment does not have a readily determinable fair value as the entity is not publicly traded.
