The energy drinks market in Nigeria is growing by the day. Nearly every year now since about four years ago, there has been a new entrant. This can simply be traced to the innovation to challenge the status quo by an indigenous company, Rite Foods. The company owner has a trademark of challenging foreign companies and beating them to their own game but that’s not the gist for today.
In June 2020, Predator Energy Drinks from the stable of the Nigerian Bottling Company, NBC entered the fray and has been digging it out with the top market players. Firstly, it followed the idea of repackaging energy drinks in pet bottless and also made use of indigenous brand promoters to gain acceptability in the market. This positioned it as one of the top contenders in the market so far.
The latest entrant was launched in March 2021 and that is SupaKomando energy drinks owned by Seven-Up bottling company. SupaKomandocame into the market with the price slash strategy. This brand had studied and realized that there is no brand that sells energy drinks for less than NGN200, so it played the price slash game. That aside, it also offers more for less. It sells at the rate of NGN50, NGN100 and NGN150 respectively. An unprecedented move that appears more consumer-friendly than what other brands have to offer.
These activities and many more only prove one thing, Nigerians are crazy about energy drinks. They are buying it every day which is the reason for the obvious and systematic growth of the market despite the COVID-19 pandemic. City People’s Brands & Products takes a look at how the market has fared so far, enjoy.
THE BATTLE FOR THE MOST ACCEPTABLE BRAND
As energy drinks continue to fight for popularity and acceptability in the Nigerian market, one thing that unified these arch-rivals is that all the drinks are spiked with caffeine, such that they are used as alternatives to other caffeinated drinks like coffee and not all manufacturers do well to inform consumers of this on the products’ package. While energy drinks are normally carbonated beverages that provide energy throughout the day, there is the possibility of getting less than you bargained for with some brands. Apart from packaging and marketing which have helped brands position in this market; Ingredients, flavoring, and nutritional offering are other determiners which put a brand’s product before others. Red Bull, Power Horse, Lucozade Boost, Monster, Fearless, and Climax Herbal energy drinks are popular products in the country. All of them with the exception of Lucozade Boost contain caffeine and are not recommended for consumption by children, pregnant and breastfeeding women, diabetics and persons generally sensitive to caffeine. Most energy drinks contain taurine – known to boost short-term energy, B vitamins, and sugar.
THE IMPACTS OF COVID-19 ON THE NIGERIAN ENERGY DRINKS MARKET
The COVID-19 pandemic and lockdown restrictions hampered on-trade marketing activities and led to temporary outlet closures in the first half of 2020, which has contributed to a drastic slowdown in the on-trade volume growth rate in the year overall. These products are used in nightclubs as mixers, and the temporary closure of such outlets had the effect of hampering growth.
Sun Mark has remained the leading player in energy drinks in off-trade value terms in 2020. The company is strongest in southeast Nigeria, where it has built a strong presence and share for its Bullet brand through competitive pricing and wide distribution.
Nevertheless, Rite Foods has seen by far the strongest increase in off-trade volume and value sales in energy drinks in 2020. Its Fearless brand has maintained a dynamic performance through ensuring ubiquity, good pricing and a strong route to market, and uses catchphrases to advertise the brand via social media platforms.
DIFFERENT BRANDS OF ENERGY DRINKS IN NIGERIA RED BULL
Manufactured by Red Bull GmbH in Austria. It is marketed as a booster for physical performance and mental alertness. The 250ml size is sold at N350, and expires after 2 years. Red Bull contains sucrose, carbonated water, baking soda, citric acid, magnesium carbonate, pantothenic acid, caffeine and flavoring. This drink is also high in vitamin B, including thiamine (B1), riboflavin (B2), niacin (B3), B6, and B12, essential for building blood cells in the body. Red Bull has sugar-free options, which includes Red Bull Zero and Red Bull Sugarfree, which are made with the artificial sweeteners instead of sugar. Even though sugar-free Red Bull is lower in calories and sugar, it has the same amount of caffeine as regular Red Bull and therefore has the same potential side effects.
BULLET
Manufactured by Sun Mark, bullet energy drink became a household name in Nigeria after giving red bull a big fight. It has both alcoholic and products. Bullet Energy Drink Nigeria is a franchise of the Bullet Energy Drink worldwide parent company whose creed is to provide anyone anywhere with bullish strength to carry out their daily activities.
MONSTER ENERGY DRINK
Manufactured by Monster Beverage Corporation, marketed by Coca-Cola. Monster’s 440ml size is sold at N350, and expires after 2 years. It contains ginseng extract, caffeine, maltodextrine and L-carnitine, which may also increase energy levels, in addition to other energy boosting ingredients. There are two common variants of the product – Monster Energy and Monster Fury, both sold at the same price. There is a unique camo designed logo on its can package. Many consumers opined that the alcohol in it is appropriate unlike many rival products, with higher alcohol content.
LUCOZADE BOOST
Manufactured in Nigeria by Suntory beverage and food Nigeria Limited. There are the 1 liter and 250 ml sizes in plastic package, and the 330ml size in a can. The 330ml product size is sold at N250, and does not last up to a year according to information on the product’s package.Many people remarked they like the drink because of its taste and due to its no caffeine content. It contains glucose syrup, sugar, dextrose, citric acid, lactic acid, potassium sorbonate, ascorbic acid, citrus blend and sunset yellow. This drink is not recommended for people who are lactose intolerant.
POWER HORSE ENERGY DRINK
Manufactured in Austria by Power Horse Energy Drinks GmbH. Both the 250ml and 335ml sizes are common. It has other variants – Power Horse Energy Zero Sugar, Power Horse Limited Edition and Power Horse Energy with malt extracts. The 335ml size is sold at N250, and expires after 2 years. Many consumers confirmed that the product actually revitalizes the body quickly within a short period of time. Its ingredients include sugar, dextrose, citric acid, taurine, caffeine, inositol, sodium citrate, carbondioxide, caramel, vitamins B6, B12, niacin and pantothenic acid. Some persons complained about the high caffeine content in the product.
FEARLESS ENERGY DRINK
Product of Rites Foods Limited. There are two variants – Red Berry and Classic. The drink comes in 500ml plastic container size and is sold at N250. Its ingredients comprise citric acid, sodium benzoate, sodium citrate, taurine, caffeine, inositol, niacin, sunset yellow, ginseng extract, Vitamins B6, B12 and others. Fearless Energy Drink is tamper-proof packaged. Many consumers believe that the caffeine content in the Red Berry flavour is less than in the Classic variant.
CLIMAX HERBAL POWER DRINK
Manufactured by Nigeria Breweries Plc. Marketed as a herbal energy drink. It comes in 33cl size, sells at N250, and expires after 2 years. The product contents includes taurine, ginseng, and herb extract. Consumers attested to the drinks’ effectiveness for stimulating the mind and increasing stamina. Climax Herbal Power Drink has high caffeine constitution, people with caffeine sensitivity may avoid.
SUPA KOMANDO
Manufactured in Nigeria by Seven-Up Bottling Company. SupaKomando is available in can, pet, and bottle, at N150, N100, and N50.
AMBER
Amber contains a herbal blend of the guarana plant which is a natural source of caffeine with vast benefits to the health. It also contains B-group vitamins like niacinamide (vitamin B3), pantothenic acid (vitamin B5), vitamin B6 and vitamin B12, taurine and sugar.
Predator
Predator Energy Drink stormed Nigeria in June 2020 and took off on a high. The drink is produced by the Nigerian Bottling Company, NBC to also fight for a slice of the growing energy drink market in Nigeria. It contains water, sugar, carbon dioxide, acid: citric acid, tartaric acid, acidity regulator: sodium citrate, flavors, taurine (019%), preservative potassium sorbate, sodium benzoate, caffeine (0,03%), vitamins: B6, B12 sweetener sucralose, inositol, colours: E102, E129, Å133.
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