18.RELATED PARTY TRANSACTIONS

TCCC controls approximately 18% of the voting interests of the Company. The TCCC Subsidiaries, the TCCC Related Parties and the TCCC Independent Bottlers, purchase and distribute certain of the Company’s products in certain domestic and international markets. The Company also pays TCCC a commission based on certain sales within the TCCC distribution network.

TCCC commissions, based on sales to the TCCC Subsidiaries and the TCCC Related Parties, for the three-months ended March 31, 2018 were $11.3 million, and are included as a reduction to net sales. TCCC commissions, based on sales to the TCCC Independent Bottlers for the three-months ended March 31, 2018 were $3.1 million, and are included in operating expenses. TCCC commissions, based on sales to the TCCC Subsidiaries, for the three-months ended March 31, 2017 were $3.6 million, and are included as a reduction to net sales. TCCC commissions, based on sales to the TCCC Related Parties and the TCCC Independent Bottlers, for the three-months ended March 31, 2017 were $7.9 million and are included in operating expenses. Upon adoption of ASC 606, commissions paid to TCCC, based on sales to the TCCC Related Parties, are included as a reduction to net sales. Prior to January 1, 2018, such commissions, based on sales to the TCCC Related Parties, were included in operating expenses.

Net sales to the TCCC Subsidiaries for the three-months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017 were $35.0 million and $255.8 million, respectively. As part of the North America Refranchising, the territories of certain TCCC Subsidiaries have been transitioned to certain independent TCCC bottlers/distributors and/or TCCC Related Parties. Accordingly, the Company’s net sales classified as sales to the TCCC Subsidiaries significantly decreased for the three-months ended March 31, 2018.

The Company also purchases concentrates from TCCC which are then sold to certain of the Company’s bottlers/distributors. Concentrate purchases from TCCC were $2.9 million and $5.9 million for the three-months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Certain TCCC Subsidiaries also contract manufacture certain of the Company’s Monster Energy® brand energy drinks. Contract manufacturing expenses were $5.4 million and $2.2 million for the three-months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017, respectively.

Accounts receivable, accounts payable and accrued promotional allowances related to the TCCC Subsidiaries are as follows at:

	March 31, 2018		December 31, 2017

Accounts receivable, net	$	29,044	$	32,607
Accounts payable	$	(25,221)	$	(45,465)
Accrued promotional allowances	$	(7,479)	$	(5,884)

Two directors and officers of the Company and their families are principal owners of a company that provides promotional materials to the Company. Expenses incurred with such company in connection with promotional materials purchased during the three-months ended March 31, 2018 and 2017 were $0.8 million and $0.2 million, respectively.