The Irish market for sports and energy drinks is continuing to expand at a robust pace and is increasingly becoming a more competitive category.
Products that have a notable appeal to the sports enthused and busier consumer's are undoubtably the hyper-portable and energy packed drinks, that will keep them going, when on the go has become a massive hit.
In recent years energy drink brands have diversified into different flavours and formats, giving consumers a wide range of options to choose from.
Manufacturers in the market have made a concerted effort to focus more on their offerings and make their products healthier due to an increased concern about sugar content among consumers.
Innovation has enabled growth in the flavoured drinks category of the energy drinks market, which has lead to an increased development of functional energy drinks that contain natural ingredients, antioxidants, vitamins and minerals.
Last year, the Sports/Energy Drinks category secured the number six position, in the Top 100 Categories in the Checkout Top 100 Brands 2022, in association with NielsenIQ.
Published every August, the Checkout Top 100 Brands is based on branded value sales across the Irish grocery sector, making it the most accurate barometer of the biggest-selling brands in the marketplace.
In compiling the report, NielsenIQ measures the sales performance of over 5,000 brands from over 200 product classes.
Ireland's Top 5 Sports/Energy Drinks Brands
1 Lucozade
Created in 1927, Lucozade is a British brand of soft drink manufactured and marketed by the Japanese company Suntory. Today Lucozade Zero is the offical sponsor of First Dates, the hit dating show that brings together singletons searching for romance, which airs on RTÉ 2 on and will run on a weekly basis until April 2023. Lucozade Zero, grew by over 30% to an RSV (Retail Value Sales), of over €10 million last year.
2 Monster
Monster Energy is an energy drink that was created by Hansen Natural Company in April 2002. As of March 2019, Monster Energy had a 35% share of the energy drink market, the second highest share after Red Bull.
3 Red Bull
Red Bull is a brand of energy drinks created and owned by the Austrian company Red Bull GmbH. The bubbly, carbonated, sweet drink, whose taste is described as similar to that of gummy bears, rose to become the global market leader after a difficult market entry. The group achieved a turnover of €7.8 billion in 2021 and sold 9.8 billion Red Bull cans worldwide.
4 Energise Sport
Launched in 2003, Energise Sport was formulated by the Britvic Technical Team supported by renowned Irish physiologist, Dr Liam Hennessy, former Director of Fitness with the IRFU and fitness coach to golfer Padraig Harrington. Made up of an optimum balance of water, carbohydrates and electrolytes to hydrate faster than water alone, Energise Sport has undergone clinical trials which prove it facilitates fast hydration and increases endurance during exercise.
5 Boost
Boost Drinks Limited is a British drinks company that sells primarily energy and sports drinks through convenience stores, independent retail chains and petrol forecourts. It was established in 2001 and is headquartered in Leeds.
Category Share: 94.0%
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