Energy Drinks… the preferred beverage for when the TPS reports are due.

A new survey being marketed by consumer trend watchers the NPD group has uncovered the sad little secret of energy drinks — the biggest use isn’t for snowboarding across flaming ski slopes while playing video games and humping everything in our path. It’s for getting enough focus to re-enter the cube and finish up our daily drudgery.

According to the survey, 36 percent of energy drink purchases are work-related; more than travel, school, mealtime and sporting evens combined.

Port Washington, NY, October 10, 2007 – By now, everyone in the food and beverage industry should be aware of the phenomenal growth experienced in the energy drink market over the past several years. According to leading research firm The NPD Group, there is more to this trend than the “cool factor,” with only four percent of energy drink buyers citing “Cool & Trendy” as a reason behind their energy drink purchase.

In looking beyond the “cool factor,” NPD found the need for an energy boost to be the number one reason for purchase across all buyer segments; however, other purchase drivers experience more variance across age groups. Taste and preference for the energy category is of greater importance for younger consumers, while older buyers are more likely to cite the need for caffeine, instant energy, and an alternative to coffee.

While consumers might not be buying energy drinks for the “cool factor,” they most definitely want their drinks cool. Approximately 70 percent of energy drink buyers reported purchasing their drinks cold, which makes sense considering over half of energy drink purchases are unplanned purchases for immediate consumption.

“The vast majority of energy drink purchases in convenience stores are single-serve cans,” states David Portalatin, director of industry analysis for The NPD Group. He adds, “A significant number of consumers in this study told us that if their energy drink wasn’t cold, they would most likely not make the purchase or they would choose a different kind of beverage that was cold.”

The convenience channel has reaped the benefits of this impulse behavior, with two-thirds of buyers citing a purchase in the convenience/retail gasoline channel within the past six months, and 50% more buyers reporting their last purchase in this channel as compared to traditional grocery stores.

So where are energy drink buyers rushing off to? Thirty-six percent of energy drink buyers reported doing something work related when they made their last energy drink purchase; more than travel, school, meal time, and sporting events combined.

Portalatin says, “You see some outrageous marketing and appeal to the edgy, alternative sports and extreme games kind of crowd. But the reality is you’ve got people in all demographic segments that are buying energy drinks. You are just as likely to find an open energy drink around an executive conference table in the afternoon as you are down at the skateboard park.”

2007 Nightclub & Bar Show Recap

The annual Nightclub & Bar show was held on March 6 and 7 in Las Vegas, Nevada at the Las Vegas Convention Center. The show permits companies whose products are sold in bars a chance to exhibit their products to bar owners and management. Exhibits at the show included products such as tasers (tested on over 100 voluntary, if not fully sober, brave souls on Tuesday alone), pool tables, video games and, of course, beverages.

BevNET's coverage of the show was sponsored exclusively by Fry Fabrications, makers of custom bar and POS/POP solutions for beverage companies. See examples of their work in our photo gallery (link at bottom of article).

The beverages at the show focused mainly on the lucrative on-premise market. Liquor brands were the largest contingent, but among non-alcoholic beverages, energy drinks were the best represented. Some of the brands present included Liquid Ice, XL Energy, Who's Your Daddy, Roaring Lion, Rock Star, Monster Energy, Nitro2Go, Pro Player, G Pure, Banzai, and SoBe.

There were some new beverages at the show, as well, including Hooters Energy Drink, in both regular and sugar-free flavors, in a 16 oz. can. Also new at the show was Grenade Energy, a new 8.4 oz. drink that features a grenade-like pull pin for removal of the tab. Private-label energy drink manufacturers were also exhibiting, including X Brand Fluids, which arranged for UFC Heavyweight Champion Randy Couture to visit for a session of photos and autographs.

Several bottled water manufacturers were also at the show, including Voss and Aspen Pure. Xing Tea, a new flavored iced tea was also introduced. Nexcite came "from Sweden with Love" to show off its cobalt blue Champaign-style bottle and its herbal love formula.

The author would also like to state for the record that he was able to pound a score of 9760 on a sledgehammer game, which helped offset his weak performance on the punching bag machine. Finally, it should also be stated that he was not among the 100+ people who were tased on Tuesday, despite the desires of the masses in attendance.

For Immediate Release:
June 26,2007

Contact: Angela Wise
angela@xbrandgroup.com

Energizing the Brand Experience

HellHouse Media Releases Pure Pain Energy Drink

SEATTLE — Specializing in BDSM and fetish production, HellHouse Media has expanded its brand with the release of Pure Pain Energy Drink. The drink is in taste testing in Seattle, New York and Los Angeles until July 1 before it’s made available in bars, clubs and adult stores nationwide.

HellHouse is in the process of finding a beverage distributor, so the company is currently selling direct through its website, HellHouseDungeon.com. A case containing 24 8.4-ounce cans retails for $49.99.

HellHouse President Ty Gonty told XBIZ that he hopes the unique energy drink, which he said tastes like “liquid candy,” would pique people’s curiosity about his company and provide additional mainstream exposure.

“I stumbled upon Jason Vigil’s XBrands Fluids after seeing them profiled on a couple B2B sites that I’m a member of,” Gonty said. “I also noticed that Arrow created its own energy drink to market the new ‘Deep Throat’ DVD. So after discussing possibilities with Jason, and examining the potential, I decided it’d be a good way to expose our products and brand to people who may not be paying attention to the porn industry."

Gonty said that he sees a great synergy between his brand, which is synonymous with sex, and an energy drink that increases stamina.

“I wanted to go a step further and create a product that can be used promotionally, but also sell on its own as a great-tasting drink that keeps you energized,” he said.

Pure Pain can be drank on its own, or mixed with an alcoholic beverage like rum or vodka for an added kick, Gonty said.

All HellHouse DVD and clothing purchases made from the company’s official site will include a free can of Pure Pain.

Adult stores interested in stocking Pure Pain Energy Drink can email Gonty at sales@hellhousedungeon.com.

For Immediate Release:
February 20,2007

"The Power of Private Label"

Las Vegas – The energy drink industry is on the rise and Las Vegas-based company Xbrand Fluids has joined in the expansion by introducing its newest venture, private label energy drinks. Xbrand, who uses its own energy-drink-formula and wraps the can with its customer’s customized label, will launch the product at the 2007 Nightclub and Bar convention taking place March 6-7 at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

“Private label challenges the position of branded products and allows companies, as well consumers, to put their own brand and their own label on our can,” states Jason Vigil, CEO of Xbrand Fluids. “We like to think of it as liquid marketing for our customers and we are looking forward to launching our product at the show.”

In addition to being a medium for adverting, Xbrand product is used for various functions, such as sporting events, hand-outs at trade shows and promoting a corporate image. In-house basic label design is available or customers can choose to have their label designed by their own artist. Depending on order quantity, cots range from $30 to $47 a case, and unlike to competition, Xbrand operates a no-minimum order policy.

Xbrand has been involved in the energy drink industry in Las Vegas, since 2005. After venturing into its own label and competing directly with large companies, Xbrand realized the challenged it faced and the opportunity they found in their private label product.

Xbrand will unveil their product at the 2007 Nightclub and Bar Convention, and Ultimate Fighting Champion hall-of-famer, Randy “The Natural” Couture, will be signing his very own private label energy drinks at the Xbrand Fluids booth. More information can be found at www.xbrandfluids.com