New Business Ideas No. 6: Enzyme based energy drink

This is the sixth of a series of low capital micro-business ideas

Energy drinks have been by far the fastest growing segment in beverages. Most drinks on the market are full of stimulants like caffeine and sugar, sometimes more than triple the amount in normal carbonated drinks. There are also a number of herbal based energy drinks on the market.

An interesting energy drink can be easily produced at home using a fruit based enzyme formula. You can select the most appropriate fruits you want to use and then prepare them as an enzyme. The following basic recipe below can be used and enhanced according to your own ideas and tastes.

A basic recipe may consist of mixing 6 kilograms of a combination of Banana, grape, Pineapple, apple, orange, papaya, noni, lime, kiwifruit, dragonfruit, and Mangostein, 2 kilograms of honey, and 20 kilograms of water. The procedure would require placing all the ingredients together in a sealed tank and mixing them by hand from time to time. Leave the container in a dark cool place for at least one year. This process can be sped up by placing an existing enzyme in the mixture, where the whole process may take only 3 months. The result of this fermentation will be an enzyme cocktail with natural sugars which will assist your metabolite system.

Energy drinks appear to be attractive to the younger generation. A boutique marketing strategy with viral advertising maybe the most appropriate way to go. As a "grass-roots" product, usage can be developed at the local level and through very cleverly crafted street campaigns like posters, sponsorships of local sporting events, T-shirts, and even graffiti, sales can be built up.

A local marketing campaign can compensate for strict advertising guidelines, where the benefits of the product cannot be printed on the label. Therefore a "catchy" name like "stag", "evergreen", "stamina", or "go-go-go", with individual customer testimonies can compensate for these advertising restrictions. Develop the packaging accordingly. You can visit various bottle suppliers and obtain a bottle that will be suitable for your needs and then develop some sleeve packaging to encapsulate your chosen brand name.

The good thing is you can keep it boutique with your own special fruit and herb recipe and your local marketing efforts. Slowly new 'stockists' and distributors can be developed to spread your product around the region.

One of the great pluses for this recipe is that it can be marketed as a non-caffeine energy drink.

You can develop the product as an energy shot or mixer or as a larger drink, say 250-325ml size.

One good thing about this enzyme based free of caffeine recipe, so it will have no crash or side effects.

Alternatively this product could also be produced as a general health tonic. Enzyme tonics are sold to aid digestion, slows down aging, and promotes a well balanced metabolism. There are even claims that enzyme treatments can assist in weight loss, cure liver disorders, and even prevent cancers. There are a number of enzyme based health tonics on the market that fetch very high prices. The tonic market could easily be exploited through developing a second product to satisfy this market.

It is important to check about the necessary regulations concerning beverage manufacture and claims that are allowed on packaging where you live. As an energy drink, you may not be able to label it as such, except by the brand name and colors you select for the packaging. However you might be surprised in the interest your little product develops among your select customer base.

The costs of developing this product are minimal. You will require a place to manufacture, which initially could be the kitchen for a home industry project, an initial investment in bottles and packaging, as well as some form of carton as well. You will need to do some further research and trials on the recipe before making commitments to the packaging. The final recipe you select must meet your efficacy, taste, and branding considerations. But once you get all this right, making, marketing, and selling this product will be fun.

Good luck in this new approach to a massively growing market.

Originally published in Emigem Magazine 9th March 2013

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