Energy Drinks – From A to Z.
Carbonated Energy Drinks… Non-carbonated Energy Drinks… and Energy Shots, if you were to take all brands and all brand flavors, you could stay fired up for months. And, when you wanted to come down from your high, you could drink one of the many stress relievers or relaxation drinks.
Seems like every time you walk into a grocery store, convenience store, nutritional supplements store, or sports store – there is a new brand or new flavor. All of which are claiming their product is the one that’s going to get you through your day with energy to spare or ridding the day of stress. In one convenience store they didn’t have a two inch Plexiglas protective barrier for the cashier. They had stacks and stacks of Energy/Relaxer Shots.
Many of the drinks boost energy by having you drink a small shovel of sugar. Some Energy drinks use vitamins. Some use caffeine… and a lot of it. Still, there are those that use other ingredients and are sugar free. Of the stress reliever drinks and shots, well, just reading the ingredients puts you to sleep.
Names! Labeling! Well, let me share just a few: Bite Me, Crunk, Beaver Buzz, Dopamine Energy Drink/Mixer, Sin, Sex Drive Energy, Endorush, Krank’d, Phat Phruit, Purple Stuff, HiJinks…etc.
Sales pitches on the sides of the packaging: “slow your roll”, “intelligent energy”, “Caution: May Be Psychologically Addictive”, “Caution: Vengence Is Best Served”, “Functional Relaxation Beverage”, “Energy With Attitude”… etc.
Packaging! Many use the typical aluminum can while others are packaged in “shampoo and perfume” bottles. Many of the “shots” use the typical small bottle – where some are packaged in tear off plastic squeeze tabs and test tubes.
Out of curiosity I wanted to see how many Energy Drinks, Energy Shots, and Stress Reliever Drinks are available. The number is almost as staggering as walking down Kroger’s three rows of wine shelves.
Now, I’m not including every flavor of every brand. Most brands have at least two flavors. Each category separates sugar free from regular – such as Red Bull. Some of these brands are not available everywhere, only regional… but believe me, they’ll be blocking the cashier’s face soon. Of the brands found in the U.S.A.:
Carbonated Energy Drinks: 56 Brands
Non-Carbonated Energy Drinks: 20 Brands
Stress Relievers/Relaxation Drinks: 16 Brands
Energy Shots: 32 Brands
But it doesn’t stop there. We have one more category and this category is becoming more popular because of it’s convenience and portability.
Tablet, Powder, and Other Energy Drinks: 15 Brands.
No matter what you’re trying to accomplish with your beverage – energy boost, stress relief, or sexual prowess, you’ll find one somewhere – in some flavor.
Your problem is going to be – finding the register.