Energy Drink ingredients: what will be the next big hit?

[Fry]

I am doing some research into the different energydrink on the market and was wondering which ingredients make the drinks work and if there are any new drinks out there that use something completely new.

So far I have seen a lot of these drinks use:
</font> Sugar</font> Taurine</font> Caffeine</font> Guarana Extract</font> Riboflavin (Vitamin B2)</font> Niacin (Vitamin B3)</font> Pantothenic Acid (Vitamin B5)</font> Pyridoxine (Vitamin B6)</font> Cobalamin (Vitamin B12)</font>
I have also seen more exotic drinks with:
</font> Ginseng</font> Ginko Biloba</font> Kefir</font> Kombucha</font> Aloe Vera</font> Kombucha</font> Milk Thistle Herb</font> L-Carnithine</font>
If I have missed any ingredients, let me know so I can add them to the list. So far I think most drink work because of the sugar (energy) and the caffeine (keeps you up). But this is my opinion, which ingredients do you think really work for you?

I guess everyone knows Red Bull and the 1000's of clones that imitate this brand, what do you think will be the next big hit / revolution in the whole energy drinks market?

[ 06-13-2005, 03:33 PM: Message edited by: Fry ]

[HomeGrown]

I think ginseng is a very powerfull ingredient. The reason it's not used in most energy drinks is that it's more expenseve then sugar. so many sugar and caffine energy drinks pick you up for an hour or two then drop you like a rock. But more natrale energy drinks that contain ingredients like ginseng pick you up for 4-6 hours and let you down very slowly.


a drink that uses it own mix would be ZipFizz
its based on the vitamin B-12

[Fry]

Red Bull had launched a new productline with more "natural ingredients" like Kombucha, Ginko Biloba and Kefir called "Carpe Diem": http://www.carpediem.com/eng/Produkte.html

I tasted them and the Ginko flavour was okay, the Kefir a bit weird yet drinkable, but the Kombucha flavour was horrible! Allthough I am quite the critic when it comes to taste I have seldom had a drink that took me over an hour to finish. (I have a rule where I have to drink atleast one single serving before I am allowed to "pass judgement" on a drink) To be honest, I don't see this becoming a big hit.

Perhaps if someone manages to take the advantages of these natural products and create a unique but great taste, it will truly be a hit.

[POP]

I think something as simple like a "Jolt" type cola will be big again.

I was reading that taurine is also used in cat food.