Energy drinks have
been popular for years in Asian and European countries. One of the
first commercially available drinks, Red Bull Energy Drink entered
the U.S. beverage scene about
four years ago, although it was originally introduced in Austria
in 1987. With ingredients such as B-vitamins, taurine, and caffeine,
Red Bull boasts a variety of energizing additives.
At InterBev 2000 last
December in New Orleans, wide-eyed attendees bounced down the aisles
energized by the array of energy elixirs. Energy drinks were cited
as one of the five fastest growing products in the functional beverage
segment, according to "U.S. Functional Beverage Markets," a new
report from Frost & Sullivan, San Jose, Calif.