Consumer
Monster, Red Bull Adapt as Energy Drinks Go Sugar-Free
- Legacy players cede market share to likes of Celsius, Ghost
- Sugar-Free Red Bull, Monster variants have yet to take off
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Once synonymous with the energy drink industry, Red Bull GmbH and Monster Beverage Corp. are losing market share in an industrywide shift toward health and wellness, where their high-octane, sugared beverages are losing appeal.
The legacy players are trying to protect their turf — they still control more than half the US market — as new sugar-free brands surge in popularity. The rise of new entrants began during the pandemic “when consumers started prioritizing their wellbeing,” said Sally Lyons Wyatt, Circana’s chief adviser on consumer goods and foodservice insights.