at the same time mateschitz and chaleo yoovidhya founded red bull gmbh; each investing $500,000 of savings and taking a stake in the new company. chaleo and dietrich each held a 49% share of the new company. they gave the remaining 2% to chaleo's son chalerm, but it was agreed that mateschitz would run the company. the product was launched in 1987, in a carbonated format.