23 Apr 2010 --- Energy drinks are one of the fastest-growing segments worldwide in the field of non-alcoholic beverages. The booming markets are chiefly the USA and Western Europe. And nowadays these power drinks are by no means restricted to the young target groups. Market research shows that further consumer groups can be reached with suitable strategies for new products. SternVitamin assists manufacturers of energy drinks with individual premixes. These can contain a specific composition of vitamins, minerals and plant extracts as requested by the customer. The great advantage: the tailor-made premix is very easy and economical to handle.

As a rule, energy drinks contain caffeine, various B vitamins, inositol and the amino acid taurine, that has antioxidant properties and is said to heighten the effect of caffeine. Besides premixes with all the basic active ingredients, SternVitamin offers ready-to-use blends that only have to be mixed with water, processed and filled. For small companies, especially, the latter offer a simple and economical solution.

Plant extracts like guarana, ginseng, ginkgo biloba and yerba mate can be included as well, to give the drinks even more value. “Customers are completely free in their choice of nutrients. Everything is possible. We offer the whole range of vitamins and minerals that can be used to fortify drinks”, says Verena Budnick from SternVitamin’s development team. The ingredients are chosen in such a way that the end products meet all the requirements in respect of clarity, solubility, colour and taste. The raw materials used by the company all have excellent quality and stability. The substances in the premixes are dosed individually to the customer’s specifications and no longer have to be weighed in separately. The premixes are also available in halal and kosher quality.

SternVitamin cooperates very closely with its customers’ development departments to realize ideas for new products. At the modern Applications Technology Centre in Ahrensburg, near Hamburg, the production process and the end product are first simulated, then prepared for marketing together with the customer. “A premix may go through several stages of development before it is finally ready for production or the market”, Verena Budnick explains. “The formulation is finely tuned to ensure optimum results in respect of the colour, flavour and mouth feel of the end product.” But even when developing classic premixes that only contain the basic ingredients for energy drinks the vitamin and mineral specialists go into every detail carefully. “We take a close look at the product parameters and the process by which the end product is made. Then we can tell which of these factors may have a reducing effect on the individual ingredients”, Verena Budnick explains. “That makes it possible to calculate any loss of effect caused by the manufacturing process or storage of the end products and compensate for it with suitable overdosing. In this way we ensure that the substances advertised as functional really do stay effective until the end of the product’s shelf life.” The premixes themselves are protected against damaging and reducing influences too: quality packaging materials help to maintain the activity of the ingredients until they are used.

As cult products, energy drinks are much in demand among younger consumers. But for some time they have been finding their way into other target groups as energy boosters. There is a call for new, innovative product concepts that meet consumers’ wishes in respect of health and lifestyle as well as maintaining performance. Market research shows that there is great potential here for attracting new buyers. Children, for example, are a conceivable target group for special caffeine-free products. According to surveys, women and elderly people favour health-promoting lifestyle drinks with natural ingredients like plant extracts. SternVitamin’s development team helps beverage manufacturers realize creative ideas for new products. As an owner-managed enterprise, SternVitamin is able to respond fast and flexibly to customers’ individual wishes. To ensure personal contact the company is represented around the globe, either with branches of its own or through competent local partners.

The energy drinks sector continues to offer good value-added potential from which other segments can benefit. One possibility is “energy shots” based on fruit juice or fruit nectar, filled in handy little bottles and placed on the refrigerated shelves. Isotonic drinks for athletes, with additional energy ingredients, might be another new opening for the relevant industries. And energy sweets or chewing-gum are a quick, inconspicuous way of replenishing energy and attentiveness during a meeting. “And when it’s not a case of boosting energy, we are pleased to help our customers develop products for relaxing and chilling out”, Verena Budnick adds.