You may sell your energy drinks through vending machines, restaurants, grocery stores, and even bars. Branding it in such a way as to emphasize your home town or state can help foster community spirit (similar to how the name of Gatorade helps honor the University of Florida where it was developed), and your choice of ingredients may allow you to emphasize the healthy effects this drink has on its consumers.
Ready to turn your business idea into a reality? We recommend forming an LLC as it is the most affordable way to protect your personal assets. You can do this yourself or with our trusted partner for a small fee.
Northwest ($29 + State Fees)
DIY: How to Start an LLC
Start an energy drink business by following these 10 steps:
- Plan your Energy Drink Business
- Form your Energy Drink Business into a Legal Entity
- Register your Energy Drink Business for Taxes
- Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
- Set up Accounting for your Energy Drink Business
- Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Energy Drink Business
- Get Energy Drink Business Insurance
- Define your Energy Drink Business Brand
- Create your Energy Drink Business Website
- Set up your Business Phone System
We have put together this simple guide to starting your energy drink business. These steps will ensure that your new business is well planned out, registered properly and legally compliant.
Exploring your options? Check out other small business ideas.
STEP 1: Plan your business
A clear plan is essential for success as an entrepreneur. It will help you map out the specifics of your business and discover some unknowns. A few important topics to consider are:
- What will you name your business?
- What are the startup and ongoing costs?
- Who is your target market?
- How much can you charge customers?
Luckily we have done a lot of this research for you.
What will you name your business?
Choosing the right name is important and challenging. If you don’t already have a name in mind, visit our How to Name a Business guide or get help brainstorming a name with our Energy Drink Business Name Generator
If you operate a sole proprietorship, you might want to operate under a business name other than your own name. Visit our DBA guide to learn more.
When registering a business name, we recommend researching your business name by checking:
- Your state’s business records
- Federal and state trademark records
- Social media platforms
- Web domain availability
It’s very important to secure your domain name before someone else does.
What are the costs involved in opening an energy drink business?
The costs involved in opening an energy drink business can vary. A Bloomberg report from 2012 estimated that it may cost $100,000 or more to break into this business. A quarter of that money may go to a beverage development company in order to get your drink to a prototype stage. It may cost another $25,000 to get the raw ingredients and other materials necessary to begin production, including the labels and packaging. You must then pay for the labor, inventory, and distribution of your initial products: depending on how many units you are producing, this could cost up to $40,000. Finally, it is worth investing at least $10,000 or more into your initial advertising push: you are entering into a crowded market, and it’s important to let customers know how and why your product stands out.
What are the ongoing expenses for an energy drink business?
If you are working with a beverage distribution company, your ongoing expenses are something of a double-edged sword: you will not have to separately manage aspects such as production, storage, and shipping on your own, and you won’t have to personally pay for pricey business leases. However, all of these things factor into your production costs: if it costs $40,000 to produce, store, and ship a certain number of drinks in your first month, it will cost the same to ship that same amount next month. This cost will go up or down depending on the quantity of drinks produced.
Who is the target market?
The typical demographic for energy drinks is young men between the ages of 16 and 24. This is the legacy of the original marketing for companies such as Monster, although you can tweak your ingredients, branding, and marketing to target a less-served demographic and develop a better niche.
How does an energy drink business make money?
An energy drink company makes money through the distribution and sale of its own brand of energy drinks.
How much can you charge customers?
As a product, energy drinks have a wide range of price points. For a 16-ounce drink, prices typically range from $1.99 for something like Full Throttle to $4.00 for something like Red Bull. Your own price will likely fall in-between these, though you want to be competitive within your region.
How much profit can an energy drink business make?
The exact profit you can make is hard to determine, but things look pretty good: the energy drink industry has seen a five percent boost since 2013 and is overtaking soda as the drink of choice for many consumers. Sales of Red Bull amount to over $3.4 million each year and Monster Energy Drink sells over $3 million. While it will take your own drink longer to establish itself, there is great potential for profit.
How can you make your business more profitable?
Be sure to price your drinks competitively, but don’t be afraid to increases the price as need be: even a small bump can lead to a big shift in profits. Use your social media to advertise the other potential uses of your energy drink: a good model is Red Bull, who helped make Red Bull and vodka a preferred drink for many club goers. Finally, make sure your advertisements always highlight your community roots. This helps establish you within your region but also positively distinguishes you from bigger companies, making your drink look more artisinal and, therefore, more appealing.
Want a more guided approach? Access TRUiC’s free Small Business Startup Guide – a step-by-step course for turning your business idea into reality. Get started today!
STEP 2: Form a legal entity
One crucial aspect that cannot be overlooked when starting your energy drink business is the importance of establishing a solid business foundation. While sole proprietorships and partnerships are the most common entity types for small businesses, they’re a far less stable and advantageous option than LLCs.
This is because unincorporated business structures (i.e., sole proprietorships and partnerships) expose you as an owner to personal liability for your business’s debts and legal actions, while LLCs protect you by keeping your personal assets separate from your business’s liabilities.
In practice, this means that if your energy drink business were to face a lawsuit or incur any debts, your savings, home, and other personal assets could not be used to cover these costs. On top of this, forming your business as an LLC also helps it to appear more legitimate and trustworthy.
More than 84% of our readers opt to collaborate with a professional LLC formation service to kickstart their venture. We’ve negotiated a tailored discount for our readers, bringing the total down to just $29.
Note: If you’re interested in more information before getting started, we recommend having a look at our state-specific How to Start an LLC guide (DIY) or our in-depth Best LLC Services review (for those opting for a professional service).
STEP 3: Register for taxes
You will need to register for a variety of state and federal taxes before you can open for business.
In order to register for taxes you will need to apply for an EIN. It’s really easy and free!
You can acquire your EIN through the IRS website. If you would like to learn more about EINs, read our article, What is an EIN?
There are specific state taxes that might apply to your business. Learn more about state sales tax and franchise taxes in our state sales tax guides.
STEP 4: Open a business bank account & credit card
Using dedicated business banking and credit accounts is essential for personal asset protection.
When your personal and business accounts are mixed, your personal assets (your home, car, and other valuables) are at risk in the event your business is sued. In business law, this is referred to as piercing your corporate veil.
Open a business bank account
Besides being a requirement when applying for business loans, opening a business bank account:
- Separates your personal assets from your company’s assets, which is necessary for personal asset protection.
- Makes accounting and tax filing easier.
Recommended: Read our Best Banks for Small Business review to find the best national bank or credit union.
Get a business credit card
Getting a business credit card helps you:
- Separate personal and business expenses by putting your business’ expenses all in one place.
- Build your company’s credit history, which can be useful to raise money later on.
Recommended: Apply for an easy approval business credit card from BILL and build your business credit quickly.
STEP 5: Set up business accounting
Recording your various expenses and sources of income is critical to understanding the financial performance of your business. Keeping accurate and detailed accounts also greatly simplifies your annual tax filing.
Make LLC accounting easy with our LLC Expenses Cheat Sheet.
STEP 6: Obtain necessary permits and licenses
Failure to acquire necessary permits and licenses can result in hefty fines, or even cause your business to be shut down.
Federal Business Licensing Requirements
There are federal regulations regarding what can and cannot be added to, sold as, and processed with food. Attached is a resource from the Food and Drug Administration detailing the process of starting a food business: How to Start a Food Business
State & Local Business Licensing Requirements
Certain state permits and licenses may be needed to operate an energy drink business. Learn more about licensing requirements in your state by visiting SBA’s reference to state licenses and permits.
Most businesses are required to collect sales tax on the goods or services they provide. To learn more about how sales tax will affect your business, read our article, Sales Tax for Small Businesses.
Certificate of Occupancy
An energy drink business is generally run out of a factory. Businesses operating out of a physical location typically require a Certificate of Occupancy (CO). A CO confirms that all building codes, zoning laws and government regulations have been met.
- If you plan to lease a location:
- It is generally the landlord’s responsibility to obtain a CO.
- Before leasing, confirm that your landlord has or can obtain a valid CO that is applicable to an energy drink business.
- After a major renovation, a new CO often needs to be issued. If your place of business will be renovated before opening, it is recommended to include language in your lease agreement stating that lease payments will not commence until a valid CO is issued.
- If you plan to purchase or build a location:
- You will be responsible for obtaining a valid CO from a local government authority.
- Review all building codes and zoning requirements for your business’ location to ensure your energy drink business will be in compliance and able to obtain a CO.
Food Regulations
When selling food, you will need licensing from a local health department; all establishments serving food are required to pass a health inspection. Tips for faring well on a health inspections
STEP 7: Get business insurance
Just as with licenses and permits, your business needs insurance in order to operate safely and lawfully. Business Insurance protects your company’s financial wellbeing in the event of a covered loss.
There are several types of insurance policies created for different types of businesses with different risks. If you’re unsure of the types of risks that your business may face, begin with General Liability Insurance. This is the most common coverage that small businesses need, so it’s a great place to start for your business.
Another notable insurance policy that many businesses need is Workers’ Compensation Insurance. If your business will have employees, it’s a good chance that your state will require you to carry Workers’ Compensation Coverage.
Find out what types of insurance your Energy Drink Business needs and how much it will cost you by reading our guide Business Insurance for Energy Drink Business.
STEP 8: Define your brand
Your brand is what your company stands for, as well as how your business is perceived by the public. A strong brand will help your business stand out from competitors.
If you already have a logo, you can also add it to a QR code with our Free QR Code Generator. Choose from 13 QR code types to create a code for your business cards and publications, or to help spread awareness for your new website.
How to promote & market an energy drink business
Within your budget, it is wise to embrace multiple channels of communication. Regional advertising through radio and newspapers can help to initially establish your product in the eyes of different distributors as well as local consumers. Social media provides a very cheap way of engaging with your customers and further establishing your particular niche, and it remains the single best way to highlight the part you play within your community. Partnering with local businesses can also allow you to sell your drinks to your particular demographic via selected restaurants and bars.
How to keep customers coming back
You may consider handing out free samples of your product at concerts or other events in order to literally give consumers a taste of what you have to offer. If possible, offering different flavors or formulas of your energy drink can give you a more diverse appeal to wider audiences. Retaining those customers is primarily a function of your drink delivering on its promise and enhancing energy and awareness in consumers.
STEP 9: Create your business website
After defining your brand and creating your logo the next step is to create a website for your business.
While creating a website is an essential step, some may fear that it’s out of their reach because they don’t have any website-building experience. While this may have been a reasonable fear back in 2015, web technology has seen huge advancements in the past few years that makes the lives of small business owners much simpler.
Here are the main reasons why you shouldn’t delay building your website:
- All legitimate businesses have websites – full stop. The size or industry of your business does not matter when it comes to getting your business online.
- Social media accounts like Facebook pages or LinkedIn business profiles are not a replacement for a business website that you own.
- Website builder tools like the GoDaddy Website Builder have made creating a basic website extremely simple. You don’t need to hire a web developer or designer to create a website that you can be proud of.
Recommended: Get started today using our recommended website builder or check out our review of the Best Website Builders.
Other popular website builders are: WordPress, WIX, Weebly, Squarespace, and Shopify.
STEP 10: Set up your business phone system
Getting a phone set up for your business is one of the best ways to help keep your personal life and business life separate and private. That’s not the only benefit; it also helps you make your business more automated, gives your business legitimacy, and makes it easier for potential customers to find and contact you.
There are many services available to entrepreneurs who want to set up a business phone system. We’ve reviewed the top companies and rated them based on price, features, and ease of use. Check out our review of the Best Business Phone Systems 2024 to find the best phone service for your small business.
Recommended Business Phone Service: Phone.com
Phone.com is our top choice for small business phone numbers because of all the features it offers for small businesses and it’s fair pricing.
Is this Business Right For You?
If you have a background (or outright skill) in fields such as chemistry or health, it may help you to develop an energy drink that is tasty, safe, and helpful for consumers needing extra energy. Any past sales experience may also help you sell your new product to the various distributors in your region and, eventually, at an international level.
Want to know if you are cut out to be an entrepreneur?
Take our Entrepreneurship Quiz to find out!
What happens during a typical day at an energy drink business?
Your exact daily activities will vary depending on how you start your business. If you work with a beverage development company, you will spend much of your days raising funds and collaborating with various professionals on everything from the exact ingredients of your drink to its logo, brand name, and marketing. You will also help facilitate practical details such as the inventory and shipment of your products. If you want to maintain more direct control over your product, you may decide to work with a co-packer that emphasizes research and development rather than a larger consulting company.
What are some skills and experiences that will help you build a successful energy drink business?
A formal education in fields such as health or chemistry can aid you in creating the energy drink itself. Prior sales experience can help you set up the various distribution deals needed for your energy drink to thrive. While less likely, any direct experience you may have working with an energy drink manufacturer will be invaluable.
What is the growth potential for an energy drink business?
The growth potential for this business is modest. The Monster Energy Drink company recently experienced a lower sales bump than expected (8.9% rather than double digits) even after being bought out by marketing juggernaut Coca-Cola. However, it should be noted that the sales bump they received is still a good indicator of market health and, as mentioned earlier, the market certainly has room for more energy drinks catering to different demographics than Monster.
Take the Next Step
Find a business mentor
One of the greatest resources an entrepreneur can have is quality mentorship. As you start planning your business, connect with a free business resource near you to get the help you need.
Having a support network in place to turn to during tough times is a major factor of success for new business owners.
Learn from other business owners
Want to learn more about starting a business from entrepreneurs themselves? Visit Startup Savant’s startup founder series to gain entrepreneurial insights, lessons, and advice from founders themselves.
Resources to Help Women in Business
There are many resources out there specifically for women entrepreneurs. We’ve gathered necessary and useful information to help you succeed both professionally and personally:
- Funding
- Events
- Guides
- Support
If you’re a woman looking for some guidance in entrepreneurship, check out this great new series Women in Business created by the women of our partner Startup Savant.
What are some insider tips for jump starting an energy drink business?
Stand out from the competition by developing a specific niche. For instance, marketing towards those thirty and up can instantly distinguish you from the Monster demographic. Some form of community branding and community-based advertising can also help your drink take root in a specific region, with positive word of mouth allowing you to later expand. Finally, be very selective about the development of a logo: this will be the first thing customers see when they view your drink in a vending machine, and it must be vivid and distinctive.
How and when to build a team
Unlike some jobs, this will require a team very early on. Whether you are working with a beverage consulting company or a co-packing company, it will take a large team to bring your energy drink from concept to market.