![]() “We’ve been embraced by everyone from investment bankers, delivery drivers and nurses so far,” she added. While Grant set out to target young women looking to replace their afternoon coffee, she said the flavors and packaging is attracting a wider appeal. ![]() For example, Gorgie meets Whole Foods’ criteria of being non-GMO Project Verified. Grant said that the ingredients have also been a key to getting into natural and organic grocery chains, giving it an edge over traditional energy drinks. ![]() Since launching earlier this year, Gorgie is now available at Whole Foods in the Northeast, along with other regional chains like Fairway and Shoprite The beverage is also set to roll out at national locations this summer. Grant said the company was also conscious of the branding, steering away from the loud and dark packaging of most legacy energy drinks. Gorgie contains popular supplements like L-Theanine, B6, B12 and biotin - with 150 mg of caffeine, zero sugar and five calories per can. “A year ago I noticed Red Bull is still the number one selling energy drink, and thought ‘what if I combined energy and wellness to make a clean, better-for-you version?’” she said. Michelle Cordeiro Grant, founder of DTC lingerie brand Lively, started formulating the brand last August by using TikTok to taste test recipes with followers. In January, functional energy drink Gorgie hit the market after months of building buzz on social media. Furthermore, energy drinks are the most popular supplements for teens and young adults in the U.S., with the majority of the demographic between men between ages 18 and 34.Ĭoinciding with the interest in better-for-you beverages, new energy drink brands are trying to make a name for themselves in the space by touting what they believe is their own, superior combination of supplements, benefits and taste. Interest in energy drinks was renewed amid the pandemic - with Nielsen reporting in April 2021 that energy beverage sales were up 12% year-over-year to $14.8 billion. The digitally-native energy drink entrants In February, the startup raised $2 million in venture capital after two years of development. Format innovations are also occurring, with VAE Labs touting a spray device that promises to deliver the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee. In March, the mushroom-based functional energy drink Odyssey Elixir raised $6.3 million in Series A funding, following a $1.3 million investment the previous year. “There’s a rise in people looking for healthier options that still deliver energy, but without extreme levels of caffeine.”Īs a result, these startups are attracting more capital. Until now, this category has been dominated by big brands using a lot of artificial ingredients and sugar, said Ashley Selman, co-founder of functional beverage brand Heywell. With cleaner ingredient labels and more modern branding, these new brands are trying to bring a wellness flair to the energy drink sector. But younger startups are also trying to disrupt the space with more premium formulas and packaging. Despite all of this, many of the products responsible are still on the market, and you might even be surprised to find your favorite beverage on this list of the most dangerous energy drinks.In turn, more established beverage companies like Zevia and Buchi are now trying to get into energy drinks. Energy drinks have been linked to insomnia, mental health issues, elevated heart rate, hepatitis, and even death by cardiac arrest. ![]() These supplement rules leave consumers with little information about what is actually in their drinks.Īs you might expect, this lack of clarity has led to some dangerous situations. Energy drinks are also allowed to contain a proprietary blend of substances, and while manufacturers must list the blend's contents, they do not have to list how much extra caffeine they contain or what amount of each additional stimulant is included. While sodas have a legal caffeine cap, energy drinks do not. This means that they are held to a different set of rules than conventional food products. Rather, they are classified as supplements. Some energy drinks, like Monster and 5-Hour Energy, are not (legally) beverages at all.
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