80% of the body weight is water. But admit it, how many percent in it is made up of Coca Cola, Pepsi, Red Bull or Number one...? Nowaday, people don’t just drink water. There are a lot more beverage products in the market for you to choose from soda, beer to energy drinks. Without a dominating presence by the big brothers Coca-Cola or Pepsi , makers of so-called energy drinks like Red Bull (Austria), Samurai (Japan), Lipovitan (japan)… have been quietly, without much fanfare, slipped into the beverage market.
The emerged leader Austria-based Red Bull incidentally was first coming to Vietnam. Inspired by the success of RedBull, there goes Lipovitan (Japan), Samurai (Coca Cola)… and numerous local brands like Saigon Ice, Number One, Energy , M150 … Even in the North, where Bia Hơi (draft beer) is strictly a must-drink, energy drinks have stolen the spotlight, staging publicity stunts. Containing large doses of caffeine and other legal stimulants like guarana and ginseng, it’s believed to be the solution for those who "improved performance and concentration" (but this claim has been misleading). Due to my own experience, the high season for energy drinks should be around May to July, when the national final exam takes places. It keeps students stay awake as long as they want.Surprisingly, not only male teenagers and 20s(the target consumers), kids also love it because “It tastes like sirup and I don’t feel tired anymore after drinking” – said Minh, a 10 year old boy.
(A young man enjoy energy drink after hiking in Hà Nội)
Globally, energy drinks are aimed at the hip nightclub crowd which is increasingly becoming a major market for energy drinks. But in the North of Vietnam, those drinks can be also easily found in the sidewalk tea shop, coffee shop, food shop, supermarket and grocery store, from 5.000 – 6.000 VND/can. People can either drink it straight or combine with alcohol (in the club). Talking to some small suppliers/distributors and shop owners, it looks like Sting (Pepsi), Red Bull, Number one (Tân Hiệp Phát) are taking over the Hanoi market. While in some Northern smaller cities (Hải Phòng, Vinh, Nghệ An...), Samurai (Coca Cola) and local ones called Gold Cow, Red Tiger, Buffalo (a copy cat of Red Bull but cheaper price, 4.000VND/can) get the game.
(RedBull 's copy-cat)
The term “energy drink” has become more and more popular in Vietnam. Specially when skipping normal TV ads, local energy-drink companies are pursuing increasingly marketing tactics. They have been aimed at consumers interested in extreme sports (Super Horse with "Sea Game 22", Number one with "Conquer the Everest" and "Binh Duong television football cup)...And so it’s hard to say the international brands like Red Bull or Sting really beat the small local ones off. Watch out big boys!
(Sponsored by Number One, they were the first Vietnamese reaching the top of Everest in 2008)