Energy Drink Vending Machine – Growth and Popularity of Energy Drinks

Energy drinks reside in the soft drink market, so their purpose is to provide additional benefits to the well-being of an individual, with respect to their energy level. In addition, the added benefit of the energy drink should improve the physical activity of the consumer compared to a drink without energy compounds, flavorings or components. In particular, many consumers choose an energy drink to increase their mental focus and physical fitness or awareness. The addition of caffeine and a selection of vitamins and/or herbal ingredients to the beverage will provide the stimulant effects desired by the individual compared to the effect of caffeine alone.

The ingredients of energy drinks vary and offer a selection of stimulant effects. Broadly speaking, beverages include methylxanthines (like caffeine) and specific herbs or vitamins (particularly the B vitamin class). Other herbal remedies are also offered in the drinks, such as guarana, acai, and taurine. In addition to this, the drinks could contain ginseng (a stimulant often seen in Asian cultures). More classes include the additions of carnitine, creatine, glucuronolactone and ginkgo biloba. Many drinks are high in sugar, with inclusions of diet versions with artificial sweeteners. The most exciting ingredient in these drinks is caffeine, like the stimulants in coffee or tea.

There are many different effects, which are the causes of energy drinks and their related ingredients. These effects are combinations of physical and metallic reactions. Excessively moderate consumption of energy drinks could cause feelings of euphoria (extreme happiness and/or alertness), like the effects of caffeine. In addition to this, the drinks can cause agitation (reflex normality or spasms, etc.), variable levels of anxiety (fear would be the mental response and sweating would be the physical one), irritability (not being able to control anger) and insomnia (the body needs sleep, but not being able to fall asleep). In cycling tests of young adults, the energy drink was found to increase the endurance of the upper body muscles. In contrast to this, withdrawal effects linger in these symptoms when varying levels of stimulants clear naturally from the individual’s system over time. The combination of the sugars in the energy drink and the caffeine suggests certain restorative and cognition-enhancing abilities of the drink. Particular ingredients such as (caffeine, taurine, and glucuronolactone) showed that people had greater mental focus after consuming an energy drink with similar ingredients.

One of the first energy drinks on the markets, the Irn-Bru drink (a Scottish drink) is considered a drink that championed the market henceforth. This went on to have the nickname “Iron Brew” and was originally introduced in 1901. Japan since the 1960s has enjoyed the popularity of the energy drink market. In particular, the introduction of the Lipovita drink. In contrast, these drinks offered in Japan are not that similar to what we see as energy drinks in the United States. They are sold in small brown glass bottles, which resemble medicine bottles. The Japanese call these bottles “genki drinks,” which are also available in South Korea.

In the UK, during the 1920s, the Lucozade Energy drink was originally introduced. This drink was introduced in hospitals to help and assist patients in the recovery process. Later, in the 1980s, it was marketed as a drink to revitalize lost energy. Added to this, the first sports and athlete focused drinks arrived in the 1960s. This drink was created for the University of Florida and their football team, the Gators. You probably know this drink, which is called Gatorade. This drink was created to improve the hydration process and allow athletes to perform better in different conditions. It is also known as a sports drink for this reason.

Also in 1985 Jolt Cola was launched in the United States. The strategy behind this drink was the amount of caffeine it offered and it was marketed as a way to increase alertness. The marketing tagline was: “All the sugar and twice the caffeine.” In addition, in 1995 Pepsi launched Josta, the first drink of its kind marketed by a major soft drink company in the United States. You’ll probably remember the introduction of Red Bull as a widely known energy drink and a worldwide bestseller. Dietrich Mateschitz (Austrian businessman) created the drink based on the ingredients of a Thai concoction known as Krating Daeng. Red Bull remains a popular brand after its introduction in the US in 1997, with a market share of over 40%.

In 2001, the energy drink market was growing exponentially. Over the next 4 years, it had grown 50% annually, totaling around $3 billion in 2005. On top of this, diet offerings are also growing (at rates close to 100% each year), with special attention to the 16-ounce variety. The market itself reached $5.4 billion in 2007 and predictions stand that the market will rise to $10 billion by 2010.

The average consumer of an energy drink is typically a younger person. From the age group of 13 and 35 years, this represents around 65% of the market. Many young people use drinks to stay awake longer or to concentrate on writing papers or studying. In addition to this, many use them to be more attentive at work or at work.

In 2001, Powerade was introduced to the market. The attractive bullet shape and screw cap aluminum bottle is known as a popular sports drink. Similar companies have introduced attractive bottling procedures and tested various types of recyclable materials. Some companies have changed their packaging, going from a simple bottle to an aluminum bottle for example. In the UK, there are unique brands for specific supermarket chains there. For example, Tesco sells the ‘Kx’ brand and Sainsbury’s sells the ‘Blue Bolt’ brand.

In addition, since 2002, the trend to offer larger cans has increased. In many countries, there is a maximum amount of caffeine per serving in beverages. Since the stipulation is ‘per serving’, companies may provide higher amounts of caffeine based on the number of servings they provide. Many companies have increased the number of ounces (and servings) per can. In addition to this, the popular ‘energy shots’ are popularizing the concept of offering an energy punch in a small package (in this case, a shot). Finally, the introductions of powders and tablets have been introduced. These shapes allow a consumer to add power ingredients to any drink he chooses. This is for greater portability.