The energy drinks 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
bottles 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 include Red Bull Zero and Red Bull Sugarfree, which
are made with 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,
maltodextrin 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 a 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 carbonate, 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, carbon dioxide, 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 packaging. 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 include
taurine, ginseng, and herb extract. Consumers attested to the drinks’
effectiveness for stimulating the mind and increasing stamina. Climax Herbal
Power Drink has a high caffeine constitution, which people with caffeine sensitivity
may avoid.
SUPAKOMANDO
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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