Monster Energy is eyeing a move into seltzer-style drinks, after registering its name with the IPO.
The brand has applied for a trademark under class 32, covering drinking water, sparkling water and water beverages.
While Monster distributor Coca-Cola Europacific Partners GB declined to comment, expansion into fizzy water would make sense given the brand’s other trademark activity recently.
In August 2022, it registered the name of The Beast Unleashed, its 6% abv, non-caffeinated hard seltzer spinoff.
A companion ‘soft seltzer’ offer would also be commercially astute. Take-home value sales of flavoured sparkling water grew 14.8% last year to £135m, with branded sales rocketing 17.8% [Kantar 52 w/e 27 November 2022].
Monster’s entry would only further benefit the market, according to soft drink suppliers.
It would certainly be a “great thing” for health-conscious shoppers, said Dash Water co-founder Alex Wright. “Seltzer category growth is driven by the war on sugar and sweeteners, which are now at the centre of consumers’ minds when making purchasing decisions”.
Freya Twigden, founder of Fibe, said Monster’s plans showed how traditional energy brands were “feeling the pressure to reduce sugar and calories, and offer lighter, healthier options.”
It comes as Monster this week added Juiced Aussie Lemonade (rsp: £1.49) and Ultra Rosa (rsp: £1.39) to its core energy drinks portfolio of 500ml cans.
Juiced Aussie Lemonade is billed as “a classic twist on lemonade”, while Ultra Rosa is a red berry-flavoured drink containing no sugar or calories.
“Monster has led the diversification of the energy sector in recent years, with innovation covering a variety of flavours, juice blends and functional benefits, that have helped to make energy drinks a mainstream choice for shoppers,” said CCEP GB associate director for commercial development Pippa Collins.
“We’re confident the new nationwide arrivals will drive sustained growth for the Monster brand, bringing even more excitement to the energy fixture.”
It comes after value sales of Monster rose by 20.8% to £475.7m last year [NielsenIQ, 52 w/e 10 September 2022].
No comments yet