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More and more shoppers have bought into energy this year. An additional 400,000 energy shoppers have come into the category the last 12 months, generating an extra £15 million for retailers (Kantar).

Now worth £1.7bn and growing at +13%, the energy drinks market is the biggest and most profitable drink-now segment (IRI).

Over 1 in 3 soft drinks sold in convenience stores are an Energy drink, with Big Can Energy driving growth at 18% (IRI).

“Flavoured Energy accounts for over half of all volume sold (IRI), so it’s important to offer a wide range to cater for all tastes,” comments Adrian Troy, Marketing Director at AG Barr. “Shoppers are demanding an exciting and varied category so flavours are crucial to success. Over £131m of category sales were generated from flavoured NPD last year (IRI).”

Rubicon RAW has quickly established itself as an important part of the category. Launched just 18 months ago, it is already the third largest flavoured big can energy brand in the market (IRI) and has sold over 20 million cans.

60% of the brand’s sales have been incremental by recruiting new and lapsed energy consumers (IRI) and current consumers are also buying Rubicon RAW more frequently than other brands in the market.

In May 2022 Barr launched its fourth flavour into the Rubicon RAW range, Rubicon RAW Apple & Guava.

The new flavour exceeded expectations in research with 90% of shoppers saying that they would buy it again and 87% rating it as good or excellent (JVA).

“Flavours drive growth in the Energy category and you won’t find a much more iconic flavour than IRN-BRU Energy. The energy drink from the UK’s No. 1 flavoured carbonate brand (IRI) combines the flavour of BRU’s top secret essence with taurine, caffeine and B vitamins,” adds Troy. “IRN-BRU Energy is growing at +20%, six times faster than the total energy market (IRI) and we know it delivers incremental sales as half of IRN-BRU Energy shoppers buy it in addition to their normal energy product.”

In December 2021 Barr added a 500ml format offering retailers another pack format to allow them to build on these incremental sales. IRN-BRU Energy 500ml is available in full sugar and no sugar and Barr recommends stocking both variants as each attracts a different type of shopper.

Big Can Energy plays an important role in the category driving growth of 22% (IRI). It delivers against many consumer needs – shoppers see it as better value, the range of flavours in Big Can tick the box for those looking for taste and refreshment and of course the bigger the can, the bigger the boost.

Barr launched Rubicon RAW as a 500ml Big Can and in December 2021 introduced a 500ml IRN-BRU Energy to provide shoppers with more Big Can flavour choices.

The company also launched a 4x 500ml multipack for Rubicon RAW which met the needs of those consumers who adapted their shopping behaviour during the pandemic. The format continues to perform well now restrictions have eased.

“The energy market is changing, and consumer needs have changed, says Troy. “Energy is no longer the preserve of the traditional young gamers. Innovation has seen the consumer base shift. Because of this shift in demographic over the years, brands need to appeal to a wide range of consumers with a wide range of interests. TGI research highlighted that energy drinkers have interests ranging from music, theatre, photography and experimenting with food. Whilst some are gamers, they’re also adventurous and career driven.”

The growth in flavoured energy is linked to consumer needs changing and shoppers are looking to the category to be exciting and varied to keep them engaged.

Barr launched levy-free Rubicon RAW range last year to meet the needs of this new energy audience. It’s really captured consumer attention, growing ahead of total mainstream energy (IRI). 60% of sales have been incremental by recruiting new and lapsed energy consumers (IRI).

“Rubicon RAW appeals to existing energy shoppers who are looking for great taste or something that meets their needs better as they mature,” Troy continues. “It is also bringing in new shoppers who have that energy need, but just haven’t yet found the brand that’s right for them.”

The No. 1 reason consumers like Rubicon RAW is that it’s made with 20% real fruit juice (JVA), which together with caffeine from green coffee beans and B-vitamins provides a big energy hit that is full of flavour.

Adrian Hipkiss, Marketing and International Business Director at Boost Drinks, comments: “Energy is the largest soft drink category in the independent channel (IRI) and with £1 in every £3 spent on soft drinks being spent on an energy drink (IRI), it is an incredibly exciting space to operate in. When taking a closer look into the energy sub-categories, it’s the Energy Stimulation drinks which play a significant role in contributing to the growth of the soft drinks category, growing +14% YoY (IRI), and accounting for 26% of all Soft Drink value sales (IRI).”

The past two years of restrictions has seen a shift in energy drink shopping habits. As the nation travelled less and stayed home more, on-the-go consumption became ever so prominent, resulting in a growing consumer demand for 1litre and multi-pack take home formats.

Despite restrictions now easing and footfall rising, take home products continue to be a huge growth opportunity for retailers as shoppers continuously seek ready-to-drink, on-the-go energy quality options at everyday value prices (Cousins Davis). Boost is the only brand operating in 4 functional drink categories – Energy Stimulation, Sports Drinks, RTD Iced Coffee and Protein Shakes (IRI) and within the energy stimulation category, it’s the third largest brand (IRI). Boost Original is available in 1litre, 500ml and Boost’s leading SKU, the 250ml Original Energy.

To boost this growth even further, flavours in energy now account for 38% of Stimulation sales (IRI) and have increased 48% vs. 2020 (IRI), showing that there’s a significant thirst for a range of flavour variants to suit all tastes. Boost Red Berry is the largest selling 250ml Stimulation Flavour SKU (IRI), however considering the fact that 39% of Stimulation shoppers actually make their purchase based on flavour (Cousins Davis) alone, it’s important to stock a variety of flavours rather than relying on one or two.

“Overall, to maximise on profits retailers should prioritise stocking Boost as a leading brand within the soft drink growth category, especially as a brand that provides a diverse range of pack formats, flavours and take-home offerings, ensuring retailers can meet the needs of their core consumer groups,” adds Hipkiss.

Amy Burgess, Senior Trade Communications Manager at Coca-Cola Europacific Partners (CCEP), comments: “The energy drinks segment is worth more than £840 million (Nielsen) in convenience and the growth it’s shown over the past year shows no signs of slowing. This is what we mean by the Energising Break growth driver in our Refresh Tomorrow soft drinks category vision, which identifies an opportunity for further sales growth in the next three years.”

Monster is the no.1 deliverer of value growth in the whole of the GB soft drinks market, worth £455m and adding more than £100m of value in the past year alone (Nielsen).

CCEP recently launched Monster Khaotic – a shake-up of one of the original Monster Juiced variants – and Ultra Gold, which blends a juicy pineapple taste with the renowned Monster energy blend, giving consumers a refreshing energy boost with no calories and no sugar. The introduction of new flavours helps to maintain momentum behind the Monster brand.

In addition to a strong core range, Monster Ultra is now the No.1 zero sugar energy drinks range in GB (Nielsen) and the Monster Juiced range continues to grow, highlighting shopper demand for great tasting products and zero sugar options.

Relentless Zero Sugar Peach and Relentless Zero Sugar Raspberry boast a light and refreshing energy blend without the sugar.

“Healthier lifestyles continue to be a priority for consumers, and shoppers are increasingly looking for food and drink with functional qualities that can help them achieve maximum results during sports or workouts,” adds Burgess. “This has meant the performance energy drinks segment has grown in popularity. Healthier Choices is another key growth driver in our Refresh Tomorrow soft drinks category vision.”

CCEP’s Reign Total Body Fuel range is in 20% growth and worth over half of this subsector (Nielsen).

The Reign Total Body Fuel range also contains a range of flavours, including Peach Fizz and Orange Dreamsicle. Reign Total Body Fuel Peach Fizz is packed with the flavours of succulent peach and a hint of citrus fruits, while Orange Dreamsicle is inspired by the classic frozen treat with orange citrus and vanilla bean flavours.

Recently CCEP announced the #ReadyToReign campaign, which has seen Reign Total Body Fuel become the official partner of the England Rugby League.

A Red Bull spokesperson comments: “For a long time now, sugar has played a key role in the Sports & Energy category as consumers increasingly pick up Sugarfree and Zero formats that appeal to the more health-conscious shopper. Sugarfree variants have been growing penetration by 48.8% (Kantar) and, in independent markets, Low or No Sugar variants have seen faster growth than Full Sugar, with 21.8% growth vs Full Sugar 16.9% (Nielsen).”’

Flavours are a proven way of bringing new shoppers to the Energy Drinks category and are driving 83% incremental growth (Kantar). Stocking Red Bull Editions, such as the Red, Apricot and Tropical Editions, will ensure your store appeals to a wider shopper demographic.

Within Sports & Energy, flavoured variants have grown by 19.9% (Nielsen) and Red Bull Editions have grown by 165.3% (Kantar). With tropical and exotic flavours growing 23% more than all other mainstream flavours on offer (Nielsen), now is the perfect time for retailers to stock up on the Red Bull Editions 250ml range to capitalise on the demand for flavoured variants and maximise sales.

“Larger formats have driven more than £233m in value to the category, seeing significant growth of +17.3% vs YA (Nielsen), with 49.7% more shoppers purchasing these larger formats compared to last year (Kantar),” adds the spokesperson. “It is therefore vital to stock these larger variants so consumers can enjoy a longer-lasting functional boost.”

Red Bull Energy Drink 250ml is not only Red Bull’s most familiar and best-selling SKU but it’s also the single most valuable soft drink in the UK. Red Bull Energy Drink 250ml 4pk is the no.1 bestselling multipack in the Sports & Energy category (Nielsen). With a variety of flavour and pack sizes to meet consumer needs, Red Bull multipacks make the perfect functional option for shoppers to enjoy on-the-go no matter their individual need state.

Multipacks have shown a strong double-digit increase of +12.4% MAT (Nielsen), driving 47% incremental growth (Kantar), with 8.7% more multipack shoppers in the last 52 weeks (Kantar) in addition to existing shoppers trading up from single cans to multipacks (Kantar). Now is the perfect time for retailers to stock up on multipacks. With Energy Drink 250ml 4-pack being the No.1 bestselling multipack in the Sports & Energy category (Nielsen) and a variety of flavours and pack sizes to meet consumer needs, Red Bull multipacks make the perfect functional option for shoppers to stock up on for at home consumption.

Red Bull launched its Apricot-Strawberry flavour 2022 Summer Edition last March. After a successful launch it is the best NPD so far for Red Bull, amassing over £2.2m in the first 6 months of launching (Nielsen), and will now become a permanent flavour.

With the performance of the Red Bull Editions portfolio growing across all metrics and achieving a +83.5% uplift in sales, now totalling £11.2million (Nielsen), the new SKU delivers all of the functional benefits of Red Bull Energy Drink, along with a juicy surge of apricot and strawberry that combine to deliver a sweet, refreshing flavour.

The latest Red Bull Summer Edition is also available in a Sugarfree option. Insight has shown that Sugarfree variants have grown spend by 30.5% (Kantar), and this new Edition will appeal to health-conscious shoppers who increasingly opt for low- or no-sugar variants.

Energy drink brand, Rockstar, fuelled fans’ thirst for gaming with a new Xbox partnership, which includes bespoke limited edition cans, unmissable Xbox prizes, and a trail 1-month Xbox Game Pass Ultimate membership.

Limited-edition cans featured bold artwork from the three iconic games: Halo Infinite, Fallout and Elder Scrolls Online. Each limited-edition can includes a QR code that gives players a one-month membership to Xbox Game Pass Ultimate (RRP: £10.99) and also gives fans a chance to win a range of Xbox prizes, including the next generation Xbox Series S console.

Ben Parker, Great Britain Retail Commercial Director at Britvic says: “Stimulant energy is the largest category in impulse (Nielsen), with stimulant shoppers spending 80.3% more than soft drink shoppers in OOH on average (Kantar). Our latest partnership and on-pack promotion with Xbox is sure to boost sales even further for retailers.”

Matt Gouldsmith, Channel Director, Wholesale, Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I, comments: “Energy drinks have grown 50% (Nielsen) in value in the past five years, with consumer choice and a strong range of relevant flavours crucial to the category’s success. In fact, new flavours are also important for retailers to drive excitement and target different shopper demographics.

“To capitalise on this profitable category, retailers should stock up on both on-the-go and drink-later formats of the biggest energy brands like Lucozade Energy, which has a seen 10% (Nielsen) year-on-year growth and is now worth over £318M (Nielsen).”

The stimulation energy drinks category is worth over £1BN (IRI) and is experiencing strong growth, increasing by +57% in the last five years, with a further +20% (Nielsen) predicted growth in the next few years.

The sports drinks segment is also incredibly buoyant. Sports drink shoppers are loyal, and if retailers don’t have the brand, format or flavour they’re looking for, they may go elsewhere. This means leading brands like Lucozade Sport, which has seen year-on-year growth of almost 38% (Nielsen) in the convenience channel, are an incredibly important part of any chiller.

We’ve been seeing a long-term trend towards drinks with lower sugar, with 57% of shoppers making or considering diet changes to make healthier choices (IGD). The low- or no-calorie segment continues to outperform regular soft drinks, with almost 70% (BSDA) of total soft drink sales, and sugar-free carbonates in particular have grown by over 5% (Nielsen) in the last year.

“We advise retailers to stock up on lower-sugar drinks such as Lucozade Zero, which is seeing recent growth of almost 20% (Nielsen), to make the most of this ongoing trend,” adds Gouldsmith.

With the recent implementation of HFSS regulations, there is a big opportunity for retailers to maximise sales in zero-sugar soft drinks all year round through new additions like Ribena Sparkling Zero Sugar. Beyond this new addition, all of SBF GB&I’s favourite soft drinks – that’s every single bottle and can of Lucozade and Ribena in all flavours and variants – are exempt from all HFSS restrictions, meaning retailers can continue to stock them wherever they choose to place them in store.

“We know that soft drinks are a key impulse purchase, so ranging non-HFSS drinks in high-traffic areas will really help drive sales this year, says Gouldsmith.

 

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