Whether it’s after a workout, powering through a study session, or just a midday revival, Sport/Energy Drinks are a favourite of Irish consumers.
The category has been on an upward trajectory on the Checkout Top 100 Brands category list over the past few years, leaping from 16th position in 2018 to 12th in 2019.
Sport/Energy Drinks retained that 12th position in 2020, moving up by six places, to sixth position, in 2021.
It held that spot the following year, stepping up one place again, to reach number five in 2023’s rankings.
The climb has been an incredible reversal for a category that had been slipping down the rankings for nearly a decade, starting in 2010.
The top five brands hold a huge portion of market share, at 93.5%, proving that it is not just the category that is popular, it’s these brands in particular.
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, NIQ Ireland measured the sales performance of over 5,000 brands from over 200 product classes.
Top Five Sport/Energy Drinks
1. Lucozade
Lucozade is the top Sport/Energy Drink in Ireland and the number-two brand overall, only behind Coca-Cola.
Moving up from third place in 2022, a series of marketing decisions and creative partnerships seem to have given the UK drink a nudge into Irish baskets.
As Lucozade Zero sponsored the popular show First Dates Ireland and the brand secured a position as the IRFU’s Official Hydration Partner, consumers couldn’t look away from the drink, and it prompted them to reach for more.
2. Monster
Monster broke into the top ten brands in 2021 and has held strong ever since, coming in at number two in its category and number seven overall.
As well as engaging in clever marketing strategies, like Lucozade, it has also been expanding its offering to include sugar-free options, ensuring that there is something for everyone under the Monster brand.
3. Red Bull
Another contender holding its place in the Sport/Energy Drink category ranking, Red Bull also held the eighth spot in overall brands.
Founded in 1987, the popular drink has been creeping its way up the Top 100 Brands list over the past three years.
4. Energise Sport
Holding on to its number-four spot in category rankings this year, Energise Sport saw the biggest single-brand leap on the list. The Britvic Ireland brand jumped from 85 in the Top 100 Brands in 2022 to 57 in 2023 – an incredible 28-place ascent.
This was thanks to renewed brand architecture, increased distribution, and being widely accessible to customers.
Speaking about the brand’s success in 2023, Energise Sports’ marketing manager, Brian Greer, said, “This feeling of being unique plays an essential role in Energise Sport’s marketing, and we have built an emotional connection with our community of loyal fans across new social platforms, such as TikTok and Instagram.”
5. BPM
BPM is the only change to 2022’s list.
The brand held this position in 2021, but it was pushed off the list by the Boost brand in 2022. In 2023, BPM reclaimed its number-five ranking, though it wasn’t enough to break into the Top 100 Brands for 2023.
Although, with the enduring popularity of Sport/Energy Drinks, who knows what could happen this year?
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