Lift energy drink concept from Naturex, designed to appeal to women and mature consumers.

New energy drink concept to 'lift' sales with new demographics

By Targeting women and mature consumers with natural energy drink concept | 14 November 2012

Naturex has created a new energy drink concept that will enable beverage companies to develop products that appeal to the kinds of consumers who do not usually buy energy drinks.

‘Lift’, which is being unveiled at Health Ingredients Europe 2012, is a natural and refreshing fruit-flavoured, carbonated drink formulated with ginger and ginseng extracts, two botanical ingredients associated with energy- boosting properties.

Coloured with paprika extract, and packaged in a chic 250ml can, Lift has been designed to resonate with women and consumers aged over 35. These demographics have traditionally been overlooked by the energy drinks sector, even though together they represent more than half of all consumers.

Antoine Dauby, marketing director at France-based Naturex, said that despite the global energy drink market being worth around €26.5 billion (AUD$32.3 billion) a year, there are still large numbers of people not engaging with the market because they don't identify with existing brands and don’t like the chemical-sounding ingredients.

"Our new Lift concept addresses these barriers to purchase directly by creating an alternative to traditional energy drinks, using only natural ingredients, that will appeal to female consumers and more mature demographic groups,” said Dauby. “We believe Lift will act as a platform to inspire beverage companies to create innovative energy drink brands that score more highly on naturalness and healthiness than current energy drinks, thereby attracting new consumers to the category.”

The ginger and ginseng extracts used to create Lift are part of Naturex’s NAT healthy range of botanical extracts. Examples of other natural energy-boosting ingredients in the range include maca, rhodiola, guarana, yerba mate, and rosehip. Naturex claims these extracts provide manufacturers with the opportunity to formulate innovative natural energy beverages that appeal to a broad cross-section of consumers.

“Everybody needs a boost in energy now and again, whatever their age or gender,” said Dauby. “But most of the energy drinks on the market today lack appeal for large numbers of people.

“Our new Lift concept will show companies how it is possible to tap into female and more mature shopper groups to gain an edge in what is a very competitive market.”