DUBAI ?" Austrian-based Red Bull group reported last week that it sold 4.2 billion cans of its energy drink globally last year, a 7.6 percent increase from 2009, GulfNews.com reports.

It was the company's best year ever since its 1987 founding, the company said, and revenue climbed 15.8 percent to ??3.78 billion ($5.14 billion U.S.).

Sales in Turkey, Japan, Brazil, Germany and the U.S. recorded the strongest numbers, while Turkey alone realized sales growth of 86 percent compared to 2009, followed by Japan with 80 percent.

Red Bull has been aggressively marketing its drinks through sports and event sponsorships. It owns two Formula One teams, a NASCAR team, and several soccer teams in Brazil, the U.S. and Germany.

As for the future, the company said that it is focusing expansion plans on Western Europe and the U.S., as well as Brazil, Japan, India and China.

The company estimates that its global share of the energy drink category is roughly 70 percent.