Energy Buzz
The energy drink trend gives you entrepreneurial wings-that’s no Red Bull.
Opinions expressed by Entrepreneur contributors are their own.
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It’s energy, and you need it. But do you need it in an 8 oz.can? The answer is yes, if consumers swilling Red Bull-type energydrinks by the gallon are any indication. Typically filled withnatural additives like ginseng and taurine, plus a healthysprinkling of caffeine, these drinks are aimed at the groovy youngcrowd-who might use them to wake up for an all-night study sessionor to kick-start a night on the town. The latest craze is to mixthe concoctions with vodka for an added wallop. According to theBeverage Marketing Corp., the energy drink market is expected toexceed $150 million in 2001.
Wanting a piece of that pie is J. Darius Bikoff, founder andpresident of Energy Brands Inc., who launched his Go-Go line ofenergy drinks in 1996. Being one of the first American companies toget into the game, Bikoff, 39, focused on building an image andidentity for Go-Go and differentiating Go-Go from the other energydrinks on the shelves. The market is so hot, even the big boys wantto play-Anheuser-Busch and Coca-Cola entered the market with 180and KMX.
For Bikoff, 2001 brought a revamp to Energy Brands’packaging and message-including the super-hip animated Go-Go girl,complete with go-go boots, a hot red dress and lots of attitude.”She’s got a tremendous amount of self-confidence andcharacter-and great things to say,” says Bikoff. With revenuesincreasing 300 percent annually over the past three years, whowouldn’t?
Contact Sources
- Beverage Marketing Corp., www.beveragemarketing.com
- Energy Brands Inc., www.go-go.com
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It’s energy, and you need it. But do you need it in an 8 oz.can? The answer is yes, if consumers swilling Red Bull-type energydrinks by the gallon are any indication. Typically filled withnatural additives like ginseng and taurine, plus a healthysprinkling of caffeine, these drinks are aimed at the groovy youngcrowd-who might use them to wake up for an all-night study sessionor to kick-start a night on the town. The latest craze is to mixthe concoctions with vodka for an added wallop. According to theBeverage Marketing Corp., the energy drink market is expected toexceed $150 million in 2001.
Wanting a piece of that pie is J. Darius Bikoff, founder andpresident of Energy Brands Inc., who launched his Go-Go line ofenergy drinks in 1996. Being one of the first American companies toget into the game, Bikoff, 39, focused on building an image andidentity for Go-Go and differentiating Go-Go from the other energydrinks on the shelves. The market is so hot, even the big boys wantto play-Anheuser-Busch and Coca-Cola entered the market with 180and KMX.
For Bikoff, 2001 brought a revamp to Energy Brands’packaging and message-including the super-hip animated Go-Go girl,complete with go-go boots, a hot red dress and lots of attitude.”She’s got a tremendous amount of self-confidence andcharacter-and great things to say,” says Bikoff. With revenuesincreasing 300 percent annually over the past three years, whowouldn’t?
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