Drinks are no stronger: companies are massively introducing new energy products to the market

Companies are expanding the range of energy products in the market due to the growing demand, Izvestia has learned. In January, three players at once — Baltika, PepsiCo and Magnit — applied for brand registration in this category. Business interest in launching new products in this segment is linked to the shift of some consumers to soft drinks, as well as the growing demand for energy drinks from zoomers. In 2025, they became one of the best-selling brands in the non-alcoholic retail segment, Nielsen estimates. About how the demand for such products is changing and what the market can expect is in the Izvestia article.

Why is business interested in energy companies

In January, three companies at once — Baltika, PepsiCo and Magnit — applied for registration of Zvonko and Zvonko play brands, Mystic Energy, as well as My Rules according to the 32nd class of the International Classification of Goods and Services (ICTS) - "non—alcoholic energy drinks". This is stated in the materials of Rospatent, which were reviewed by Izvestia.

The launch will allow Baltika to strengthen its presence in the category and offer consumers a wider range of such products, its representative told Izvestia. According to him, Zvonko's new product lines will be a logical addition to the existing portfolio, where the company already has a successful brand, FlashUp Energy.

Magnit is considering launching its own brand (STM) in this segment of soft drinks, its representative told Izvestia, without revealing other details. Lenta also reported that they are ready to consider such proposals from beverage manufacturers, if they arrive. A PepsiCo representative did not respond to a request for comment. X5 (Pyaterochka, Perekrestok, etc.) and Ochakovo (Ochakovsky kvass, CoolCola, etc.) did the same.

Other companies are also considering launching new brands in the energy segment. For example, Beverages Together (formerly AB InBev Efes) plans to launch about five new Volt Energy flavors on the market, said Nadezhda Shirokikh, Director of Marketing Strategy and Innovation at the company. According to her, the new product line will reflect "global consumer trends and experimental solutions." The Rust Group of Companies (the manufacturer of Russian Standard vodka, Gancia sparkling wine, Bravo cocktail, etc.) said they were not considering the category of energy drinks.

The rules for the turnover of energy products in Russia have been tightened since March 1, 2025, when a ban on their sale to minors was introduced. These restrictions have led to a decrease in the number of beverage distribution channels — it has become impossible to sell them through marketplaces and vending machines. Energy drinks contain not only caffeine, but also other substances with a stimulating effect (taurine, guarana, ginseng), which, when consumed in large quantities, can be extremely harmful to consumers, especially in the presence of concomitant somatic diseases, a senior researcher at the Federal State Budgetary Institution of the National Research Center for Psychiatry and Neurology told Izvestia earlier. V.M. Bekhtereva Oleg Goncharov. Some of the energy drinks contain up to 100 mg of caffeine per serving, which is eight times more than a regular serving of coffee (12 mg). For adults, it is recommended to consume no more than 400 mg of caffeine per day.

However, the imposed bans did not affect consumer demand. In January – September 2025, sales of non—alcoholic energy drinks increased by 4% in liters and by 19% in money, the analytical company NTech estimated. The absolute figures were not disclosed there.

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What kind of products are we talking about and how does the business feel about it?

The most active consumers are zoomers

The interest in the launch is related to the trend of switching some consumers to soft drinks, said a representative of Baltika. By the end of 2025, sales of energy drinks in physical terms were second only to cold tea, a representative of the Nielsen research company told Izvestia. According to him, the growth of the category of tonic drinks is actively developing. The range of drinks also continues to expand: in 2023, an average of 28.2 SKUs (number of items) per store were presented, and in 2025 it was already 33.5, they calculated.

This trend is due to the popularity of this product among zoomers (people born between 1997 and 2012) and the widespread culture of "high productivity" among them, a source in a large beverage manufacturer told Izvestia. About 40% of Russian zoom buyers purchase energy products at least once every two weeks, Nielsen estimates. Most of the trend launches are aimed at them - limited-edition lines in partnership with celebrities, drinks with unusual tastes and energy drinks as attributes of a certain lifestyle, for gamers or athletes, said a company representative.

The growth of this category is associated with a change in the motives of energy consumption, said Alexey Andreev, vice president of the Association of Branding Companies of Russia (ABCR), managing partner of Depot. According to him, if they used to be used in clubs and discos, now the main motive for buzzers is to maintain a high tone. Young people are not as committed to brands as older consumers, so they easily switch to new products, the expert noted.

Given the fast pace of life in large cities, these drinks are becoming an "attractive solution" for staying awake and increasing concentration, a source at a major beverage manufacturer told Izvestia. Against the background of an accelerating pace of life, consumer interest in the ready-to-eat segment is also driving demand for energy, Ilya Bereznyuk, Managing partner of Agro and Food Communications, agrees. According to him, this category is interesting for manufacturers as a way to diversify their product range, and it also turns out to be high-margin for sale.

The demand for energy will continue to grow this year, the expert predicts. The situation is good for Russian companies due to a reduction in the activity of Western brands, he said. There is also a potential for the growth of exports of such beverages to the EAEU countries, the expert added. In the medium term, the market may grow in money by 25-30%, to 280-290 billion rubles, Ilya Bereznyuk believes.

By the end of 2024, the global energy market amounted to about $79 billion, according to Grand View Research. They predict that by 2030 it will increase to $125 billion with an average annual growth of 8%.