There's Always Diet

We’re not all Michael Phelps.

While a quick glance at the lack of Speedo is, possibly, the leading indicator of that particular insight, on paper, one thing we occasionally do have in common with the Olympic medalist is our Olympian energy drink consumption. While we don’t do it every day, for sure, on occasion, we’ve all consumed about 1,000 calories of energy drinks. (Although Phelps did it – gasp – twice a day).

Still, it doesn’t necessarily take a couple of Big Gulps of Venom or Rockstar to cross into Phelps territory. With many 16-ouncers coming in near 350 or 400 calories, it isn’t too much of a stretch to imagine the gold medalist – and his now-famous 12,000-calorie per day training diet – getting matched sip for sip by some of the country’s most average desk jockeys.

Of course, those desk jockeys aren’t really hitting the lanes as much as Phelps, and that probably accounts for the continued popularity and growth of the diet energy subcategory. We all need the energy, but the dedicated energy drink consumer is coming to understand that their fuel of choice need not carry the extra calories.

The overall energy category remains strong – up 29 percent last year, according to Beverage Marketing Corp. – but with obesity concerns a constant drumbeat, reduced-calorie products may be the key to keeping things growing. While most new brands are not coming to market without a zero-calorie, artificially sweetened sub-brand, there’s more going on than just the usual aspartame/Ace K mix. Monster and Rockstar are trying to keep calories down by throwing artificial sweeteners into their full-calorie energy juice blends. The majority of energy shots are also made without sugar, the main calorie culprit, and those that aren’t are so small that the count is well under 100. That indicates that reduced-calorie is growing in lockstep with zero calorie. Witness that recently the newly-formed Dr Pepper Snapple Group added a stake in Hydrive, an “energy water” that has minimal calories but still features some sugar in the mix.

So if there’s no clear winner in the race to find the perfect diet energy drink, remember – there’s always going to be a diet (or, at 17 percent of the category, a diet or TWO) in the mix.

Unless you’re training for, like, 19 big races.

BRAND NEWS

HER Enterprises, Inc.

Her – an energy drink with women in mind – is now available in 12-packs and 4-packs, and has gained distribution at Kowalski stores in Minnesota and Wisconsin.

The CL-ONE Corporation

CL-ONE recently added the 8.3 oz. ‘Sugar Free’ to its line-up, and the product will be available in 15 states including California, New Jersey and Minnesota.

The Healthy Beverage Company

Promoted this summer with bicycle and skateboard giveaways at Whole Foods, Diet Steaz is both organic and fair trade certified.

Hoborama LLC

BAWLS Guarana is now the official energy drink of the National Bicycle League and the American Bicycle Association. This summer, BAWLS launched a BAWLS BMX Contest. Five percent of the proceeds of every BMX can sold will be donated to the NBL and to the ABA to support the building of new BMX tracks and racer sponsorship programs.

Elite FX

Celsius recently launched Green Tea Calorie Burners. Celsius Green Tea Peach Mango and Celsius Green Tea Raspberry Acai offer the same benefits as sparkling Celsius. Each can burns up to 100 calories or more by raising metabolism over a 3-hour period, generating increased energy and alertness.

Source Beverages

Sugar-Free BURN has been selling extremely well online, on par with original BURN, providing customers outside of the brand’s distribution areas with an easy and ?convenient way to get home-delivery. More info at www.burnenergydrink.com.

Whey UP

WheyUP, the Original Protein Drink with Energy, announced that the company is introducing a new flavor, Grape Punch.

Slump Buster Energy

Slump Buster recently launched their sugar free variant, Youk’s Signature with an image of Red Sox first baseman Kevin Youkilis on the front of the can. With zero carbs, MBSB Holdings pledges to donate a portion of proceeds to Kevin Youkilis Hits For Kids charitable organization.

XO-2 Energy Beverage Corp.

The new, reformulated XO-2 boasts a 20-24 month shelf life. XO is best consumed at room temperature giving consumers choices of drier, sweeter and more aromatic blends.

Fluid Motion Beverage Inc.

Fluid Motion Beverage launched in August a new sugar-free line extension to its Vixen Energy brand: Vixen Fox Lemonade. The Vixen Fox Lemonade is a pink sparkling lemonade sweetened with Splenda (Sucralose) and Ace K.

Fuze Beverage, LLC

Available in Sugar-free 16oz cans, NOS can be found nationally in speed shops, grocery and convenience stores. NOS combines ingredients like Taurine, Caffeine and Ginseng to ensure extreme performance.

Ardea Beverage

Nutrisoda recently released five of their most popular varieties – including Energize in 12 oz. glass bottles. With Taurine to help recharge, Energize is packed with 10 mg of the nutrient CoQ10 and the amino acids L-Tyrosine and ?L-Carnitine, herbs such as Ginseng and Guarana seed extract combined with B-Vitamins, and Magnesium.

Power Trip Beverages, Inc.

Power Trip “0” diet energy beverage boasts great taste and no sugar, no HFCS and no carbs.

Wet Planet Beverages

Jolt Ultra: Sugar Free is now available in 16 oz. resealable aluminum cap cans.

Ronin, LLC

Ronin Positive Liquid Synergy, the sugar free alternative to original Ronin, now enjoys direct store distribution in Wisconsin, Minnesota in Northern Illinois as that company has 350 trucks at its disposal.

Nutrition Resource Services, Inc.

Krank’d 7-in-1 Body Fuel will be available in 16.9 oz. plastic bottles with a new look. At 37 calories per serving, Krank’d will initially be available in three flavors in the plastic, followed with the production of other popular flavors and a unique new line of teas.

Brain-Twist, Inc.

Slap had a heavy summer marketing & promotional calendar: we including radio spots during Mets games, and sponsorship and sampling at many NY area concerts; handball tournaments, Summerball basketball tournaments, the LI Balloon Festival and Village Voice Siren ?Musical festival.