One of the world’s largest beverage firms — PepsiCo, Inc. (Nasdaq: PEP) — is launching a new energy drink in the U.S. that features hemp seed oil.
The company says its Rockstar Unplugged beverages are less about giving a big hit of energy and focus more on “enhancing good vibes” with ingredients like hemp seed oil and B vitamins.
PepsiCo made its debut in drinks with hemp in April 2021, with the release of Rockstar Energy + Hemp in Germany.
The new, sugar-free drinks have 80 milligrams of caffeine, compared to most other Rockstar products with 160 milligrams and the brand’s highly caffeinated 240-milligram cans.
The Unplugged line comes in a slimmer 12-ounce can, compared to the standard 16-ounce and large-format 24-ounce cans.
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PepsiCo general manager Fabiola Torres says 91 per cent of the firm’s consumers want a beverage that lifts their mood.
“Rockstar Unplugged delivers the ingredients consumers have been asking for, creating an opportunity for us to transform the category and introduce new consumers to our energy portfolio,” she said.
The products are being launched in collaboration with MTV for a three-part music series MTV Unplugged.
According to a statement, the Rockstar Unplugged beverages are available online and where PepsiCo products are sold across the country for US$1.99 a can. But at publication time, they weren’t yet available on the company’s webstore.
In March 2020, PepsiCo bought Rockstar Energy Beverages for nearly US$3.9 billion.
Company stock was up over a per cent Wednesday to around US$174.70 on the Nasdaq.
nick@mugglehead.com
