Hansen Natural

Health nuts know Hansen Natural Corp. (HANS ) as a maker of wholesome beverages such as preservative-free natural sodas and low-carb peach smoothies. But these days Hansen is blowing through beverage aisles with an entirely different product. Hansen's Monster Energy drinks offer giant doses of caffeine and sugar in big black cans adorned with neon-colored claw marks. The scary packaging, plus a bevy of extreme-sports sponsorships, positions Monster as an edgy alternative to Red Bull in the fast-growing, $2 billion a year energy-drink market. Monster's slogan: ``Unleash the beast.''

Monster has certainly energized Hansen. The company has seen its sales more than double since it introduced the brand in April, 2002. Last year, Hansen earned $20 million on sales of $180 million, up from just $3 million of profits on sales of $80 million in 2001. Sales nearly doubled, while profits quadrupled, in this year's first quarter. Those results helped Hansen earn the No. 26 spot on BusinessWeek's annual ranking of Hot Growth Companies.