As the world continues to grapple with the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s not surprising that consumers are looking for products that promise health benefits in addition to great taste—particularly when it comes to beverages.
According to the Hartman Group’s Modern Beverage Report, 62 percent of customers say that beverages play an important role in their health and wellness. Furthermore, almost half of those customers report a desire for their beverages to provide an added benefit, like a burst of energy or nutrients. Energy Boost, a new beverage enhancer from global beverage manufacturer Monin, offers quick caffeination to any beverage without adding dubious ingredients or extra sugars, effectively meeting the specific beverage needs of today’s consumers.
“Energy drink dollar sales are just skyrocketing,” says Brian Loukmas, vice president of innovation at Monin. “(With Energy Boost), you’re combining that nation-wide interest level with desired form and function and serving up a unique product. It’s a triple threat.”
Two pumps of Energy Boost contain 55 milligrams of natural caffeine, more than the average diet soda and as much as an 8-ounce latte or espresso-based beverage. And with five natural ingredients in the energy blend, the product plays to the health-conscious consumer by offering an energy boost that isn’t bad for you. Containing guarana, green coffee extract, ashwagandha, ginseng, and Coffeeberry Whole Coffee Fruit Extract—this impactful and on-trend ingredient list packs a clean caffeine punch.
But even more than its health-consciousness, what differentiates Energy Boost from other energy drink products is its incredible flexibility. While its natural ingredients offer a powerful energy boost, they don’t have a major impact on taste, and the product can be added to any beverage type. Energy Boost has soft flavor notes of tea and honey, making it very mixable and perfect for endless applications.
“Energy Boost is an incredibly unique product for the on-premise category,” Stasha Johnston, Monin’s senior vice president of marketing, says. “It can be added to any drink listed on a menu, so it gives operators freedom to customize where and how they want, all while taking up less space behind the bar, allowing for greater profits and creating much less waste than the typical canned energy products.”
The product can amp up the caffeine in coffees and tea, and it also mixes nicely in smoothies and cocktails, all without adding sugars or having any major impact on the original beverage’s flavor profile. For instance, in the bar space, operators in search of a caffeinated cocktail are typically forced to devise new recipes involving separate energy drink products. This involves spending cash on cases of expensive energy drinks, finding the space to stow said drinks, and training staff on how to make a specific, new cocktail. Energy Boost—which contains 67 servings in just one bottle—not only saves money and space, it also allows bartenders to simply add in a couple pumps of Energy Boost rather than having to learn how to mix an entirely new recipe.
“If you wanted a Red Bull margarita, you’d have to tweak the recipe to create a new drink,” Loukmas says. “(Or) you can take your existing signature drink and add Energy Boost and not affect color or taste. Nothing in the entire process is changed.”
And not only does the product simplify the process of adding a caffeinated drink to a menu, it also boasts upsell potential. Without changing the prices of beverages already on offer, operators can bulk up revenues by giving consumers the option to add on a boost of Energy for a minimal fee.
As weary operators and consumers power through the remaining stages of a global pandemic, products that save time, training, and funds will continue to be in high demand. It doesn’t hurt if, like Energy Boost, those versatile products are also health-conscious. And, besides, as Loukmas says, “Who doesn’t want a beverage with a little extra energy boost?”
To learn more about how Energy Boost can diversify your beverage menu, visit the Monin website.
By Rachel Pittman
