After Red Bull, Monster and, more recently, Coca-Cola Energy, comes Baya, the very first energy drinks from Starbucks. For a long time chosen as the essential companion of die-hard revelers keen to last the whole night long, energy drinks have become a segment in their own right, and their success has whetted the appetite of the biggest brands. Because now, they're a drink for any time of day.
At a time when the non-alcoholic beverage sector is undergoing major transformation, with the arrival of a number of new concepts, this market is expected to grow by 8% between now and 2025, according to drinks market analysis from IWSR, and energy drinks are a fast-growing segment that many brands are now jumping into. Long gone are the days when Red Bull was criticized for containing taurine, an amino acid that can have serious consequences for people suffering from epilepsy or thyroid disorders if consumed in excess. The drink, in its original formula, was banned for 12 years in France, before finally being marketed in 2008.
Now, energy drinks have diversified by multiplying their flavors. If they maintain the cocktail that sealed their success -- based on caffeine, taurine, vitamins B and C, and plants with beneficial properties such as ginseng and guarana -- they now offer a wide range of tastes, thanks to the proliferation of brands that are speedily launching into this market. Starbucks is the latest addition to the menu, with recipes that include pineapple and passion fruit, mango and guava, and raspberry and lime. For the first time, the takeaway coffee giant is moving into the energy drink department, although currently only in the US market.
To succeed in this niche, Starbucks has partnered with the giant PepsiCo, already present on shelves with the Rockstar brand. In 2020, the American multinational shelled out $3.9 billion to buy this drink, which is one of the best-selling in the United States. In a context where consumers are sensitive to the harmful effects of sugar on their health, Rockstar stands out from competitors with a lower sugar content, of 24g per 500 ml for the blueberry flavored variety. By comparison, Red Bull contains 11g of sugar per 100 ml. And there is almost as much in Coca-Cola's energy drink (10g per 100 ml). For its part, Starbucks is betting largely on its favorite ingredient: caffeine. The chain also plays the "natural" card, specifying on its cans that the drink uses the natural compounds of the coffee bean.
But while the energy drink aisle has been modernized, consumers still choose them for the same basic reason: their "boosting" effect. "I prefer to drink Red Bull rather than coffee. It's more refreshing and I find it less heavy to digest," says Sabrina, a regular consumer of energy drinks. She continues: "I prefer to drink Red Bull in the afternoon. I avoid drinking it before 11am and after 4pm because I know it's not very good for your health, and not every day. However, sometimes I drink two cans in the afternoon. I like its particular taste, and it's true that it gives me a little boost in my day."
