The Anti-Red Bull
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The success of energy drinks like Red Bull, Monster and Rockstar have proven that consumers are constantly thirsting for a boost. But will they ever want to come back down and reach for a nonalcoholic drink that will help them chill out? According to the recent sales figures from Innovative Beverage Group, a Houston-based drink distributor and maker of a "relaxation beverage" called Drank, there's strong demand for the anti–Red Bull too. The company's revenues, though small, were up 198% in 2008, to $2.2 million, and it turned a $172,000 profit last year, compared with a $320,000 loss in 2007. Peter Bianchi, founder and CEO of Innovative Beverage, says first quarter '09 revenues, fueled by Drank's success, are up 534% year over year. During the past few months, the company has signed a slew of distribution deals in places like Atlanta, St. Louis, Mo., and Grand Rapids, Mich. And at the end of April, the emerging brand scored the big one: 7-Eleven announced it would roll out Drank to stores nationwide. During the testing phase, Drank doubled 7-Eleven's sales expectations. While it takes the convenience chain five to six months to test and roll out most drinks, 7-Eleven rushed Drank to market in just 90 days.
What the heck is this stuff? On its purple cans, Drank calls itself an "Extreme Relaxation Beverage." The drink's motto: "Slow your roll." Bianchi, a former financier who started Innovative Beverage seven years ago and introduced Drank in early 2008, pitches his product as an alternative to alcohol. "We wanted to give the people on the go something to drink during the day which would help them relax, calm down, and not have to keep an old bottle of gin in their drawer," says Bianchi. You can also take a sip before bedtime and perhaps save yourself some cash the next day. "Something like this gives you a better night's sleep," says Bianchi. "You're going to wake up feeling better rested and less apt to get a double venti-venti-venti at Starbucks, then wash it down with a Red Bull just to get through your day."
The name Drank has roots in Houston's hip-hop scene; "purple drank" is a slang term for an illegal concoction that mixes codeine syrup with soft drinks or alcohol. Several Houston community leaders have protested the beverage's name, arguing that it glorifies the drug culture. Bianchi, however, insists that Drank, despite its purple can and name, is not referring to purple drank. Of course it isn't. "The word drank is celebratory slang," he says. "The name of my product is hip and fun to say: 'I'm going to get my drank on,' " Bianchi says, sounding quite un-hip. A clever marketer, Bianchi isn't exactly ducking the dustup. "We wanted something fun, something that was a healthy alternative to people for using drugs and alcohol," he says. "If there's controversy about it, it only brings attention to our product."
Drank's ingredients could stir an even bigger controversy. Melatonin, valerian root and rose hips give Drank its calming effect. Melatonin is a hormone that is sometimes used to treat insomnia and jet lag. A medicinal herb, valerian root relaxes the central nervous system and can quell anxiety. The rose hips provide antioxidants. But do I really want to buy a pharmacological mix at 7-Eleven? Is it safe to drink this cocktail over the counter? "I would not recommend it," says David DiPersio, clinical pharmacist at the Vanderbilt University Medical Center. "Valerian roots and rose hips are not really reviewed by the FDA. You can't be certain of the safety and efficacy of the drink." DiPersio adds that withdrawal from valerian root has caused seizures.
June 30, 2009
Copyright © 2009 Time
