Barr targets Red Bull with new energy drink

Barr Soft Drinks, the maker of Irn-Bru, is bringing US energy drink Rockstar to the UK later this year. It is understood that Barr hopes the drink will steal share from market leader Red Bull.

The company has signed a five-year deal with the US company to distribute Rockstar, which is the third most popular energy drink in the US. Barr will launch three of its variants, which include Energy & Guava, Zero Carb and Low Sugar.

The US owner will handle the marketing support, which will focus on sponsoring sporting events. It is already a key sponsor of the high-profile boxing match between Ricky Hatton and Floyd Mayweather in December.

Barr has admitted that sales of its existing energy drink, Irn-Bru 32, show it has failed to make an impact with consumers. In its interim results for the six months to July 28, it says sales dropped to just a quarter of the previous year’s.

The energy and sports drink sector is bucking the trend of declining sales across carbonated soft drinks.

Coca-Cola has two new products in the energy sector – a variant of its Relentless brand called Inferno, and enhanced-water brand Glaceau, which it acquired when it purchased the US drinks company.