NEW YORK —Energy drinks are growing amid the pandemic, up 7.6% in dollar sales and 11.1% year-over-year in volume in all markets for the 52 weeks ending on Nov. 28.
Red Bull, Fuschl, Austria, has continued to gain shares in the category, although Monster Energy, from Corona, Calif.-based Monster Beverage Corp., takes most shares, an analysis from Bonnie Herzog, managing director at New York-based Goldman Sachs, said. The analysis was based on Nielsen data.
Monster’s share was largely unchanged year-over-year at 40.4% for the two weeks ending on Nov. 28, Herzog said, and Red Bull increased its share to 37.7% during the same time frame.
There are two factors Herzog attributed to Red Bulls success. First, it historically had a strong on-premise business, which has likely shifted to take-home channels that Nielsen tracks as on-premise remains broadly closed amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Second, it has benefitted from the success of its recent flavor innovations—but Monster is catching up in this area.
Goldman Sachs continues to expect Monster to launch a hard seltzer, which the company has yet to announce.
Bang Energy’s share, from Weston, Fla.-based VPX Sports, declined to 7.4% and the brand's sales decline 4% compared to last year for the two-week period. Purchase, N.Y.-based PepsiCo’s energy sales, including Rockstar, were down 34% for the two weeks, according to the report.
Celsius Holdings Inc.'s, Boca Raton, Fla., sales were strong, Herzog said, up 75.9%. The beverage also has significant exposure in channels that Nielsen doesn’t track, like fitness and e-commerce.
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