For the first time, coffee giant Starbucks is entering the energy drink segment with the rollout of Starbucks BAYA Energy, a beverage comprised of caffeine naturally found in coffee fruit and antioxidant vitamin C for immune support.
The line-up has three flavours—Mango Guava, Raspberry Lime, and Pineapple Passionfruit—with each containing 90 calories and 160 milligrams of caffeine per 12-ounce can.
The innovation was developed through the North American Coffee Partnership, a joint venture between Starbucks and PepsiCo to create ready-to-drink coffee and energy products.
“We’re thrilled to introduce Starbucks BAYA Energy to our customers, providing them with a refreshing, fruit-flavored boost of feel-good energy, in a way only Starbucks can deliver,” Chanda Beppu, Starbucks' vice president of channel development Americas, said in a statement.
“Over the years, we’ve continued to identify new and exciting ways to expand our ready-to-drink portfolio and saw an opportunity to complement our existing coffee beverage lineup with Starbucks BAYA Energy, the brand’s first beverage to launch in the energy category.”
Total energy drink sales rose 9.2 percent in 2020, and that was up 37.4 percent from 2015, according to information from Mintel, a market research firm. The company projects energy drink sales will reach nearly $20 billion by 2025, and that they are "one of the strongest performing and consistent categories in the wider non-alcoholic beverage industry."
Starbucks isn't the only coffee chain cashing in on this growing segment. Dutch Bros Coffee's energy drink, Dutch Bros Blue Rebel, is the chain's best-selling product, with a 24 percent mix. The beverage is available in 34 flavors, according to the brand's website, including Electric Berry, Aftershock, Shark Attack, Double Rainbro, and Peach.
