The leading brand in energy shots is finally looking to give consumers something to savor.
Living Essentials, LLC announced today its first push outside of shots into the full size energy drink category with the launch of 5-Hour Energy in a 16 oz. can format. The new line is debuting simultaneously this week at the National Beer Wholesalers Association (NBWA) convention in Las Vegas and the National Association of Convenience Stores (NACS) show in Chicago.
The drinks are available in Berry, Grape and Watermelon flavors. Each can contains zero calories and is sweetened with sucralose and features the brand’s signature energy blend of 230 mg of caffeine, taurine, Glucuronic acid, Malic acid, L-Phenylalanine, N-Acetyl L-Tyrosine and Citicoline.
In a press release, CEO and founder Manoh Bhargava said the drinks have a “refreshing, lighter taste compared to Red Bull and Monster.”
“5-hour ENERGY is already a top three energy brand, so the addition of the 16-oz carbonated beverage product is a natural progression,” he said, noting that the launch flavors are among the brand’s most popular SKUs in the 1.93 oz. shot format.
The drinks are available now online via the brand’s website and cost $13.40 per 4-pack. According to the release, the drinks will be distributed nationwide by independent beverage distributors.
The 5-Hour Energy brand has long dominated the energy shot category, commanding nearly 90% market share, and its innovation has typically focused on new flavors and additional functionalities (such as immunity) within the shot format. According to IRI, the brand was up 1.6% to over $841 million in dollar sales in tracked retail channels for the 52-week period ending August 8, while the next closest competitor listed was Tweaker, which fell -3.1% to $24.5 million.
According to Nielsen, dollar sales of the U.S. energy drink category were up 10.3% to $15.7 billion in the two-week period ending September 11, with volume rising 6.1%.
Living Essentials’ launch into the space also comes as the category has experienced an upheaval in recent years via the emergence of PepsiCo (Rockstar and MTN Dew, plus an exclusive distribution partnership with Bang) and the emergence of supplement brands like CELSIUS and Nutrabolt’s C4 into the better-for-you performance energy space. Meanwhile, category leader Monster is working to expand its reach within the space, announcing earlier this year smaller 12 oz. cans and most recently True North, a new brand of energy seltzers that debuted last month at Natural Products Expo East 2021.