Energy drink history really begins in Europe and Asia where these popular drinks were first developed. Although there are many different varieties in countries throughout the world, RedBull was the first to be introduced in the United States and still remains one of the most popular choices. Most energy drinks, especially the initial ones, are non-alcoholic and offer a combination of energy and vitamins, primarily B vitamins. These drinks were first accepted mostly by athletes in the United States who would use the drinks to give them extra energy before and during workouts or competitions and games. However, as word spread about the effects of energy drinks, the general public entered into the energy drink craze, as well.
Energy drinks are experiencing rapid growth and increasing in popularity: they are currently thought to be the next high-growth sector of the soft drink industry as more and more companies take advantage of the lucrative market. As people continue to seek new and better ways of achieving any kind of “high,” many people have started mixing these energy drinks with alcohol for even more excitement and fun. In fact, alcohol companies are even getting involved with the energy drink market by producing alcoholic energy drinks, such as Anheuser-Busch’s new drink 180.
Because energy drinks are still relatively new, despite being nearly twenty years old, new products are continually emerging. The choices and exact effects of energy drinks are becoming more diverse as more people seek out energy drinks for a myriad of reasons. Now, in addition to the well-known RedBull, other drinks such as Energy Fizz or Hype are becoming popular choices.
