The maker of Carabao energy drink Carabao Group Public Co Ltd announced in mid-June 2018 that it would launch Carabao Can Green Apple in Thailand at 7-Eleven for THB 25 from 14 June 2018, reported The Nation. The launch also ties in with the “Sawasdee World Cup, Get Lucky with Carabao” campaign.

First launched in the UK, the company describes the carbonated energy drink as “a new great tasting energy drink from the UK.”

Targeting Gen Y

Carabao, the number two energy drink maker in Thailand with a 24% volume share in 2017 (Nielsen data), is actively recruiting new generation of consumers and youngsters (Generation Y consumers) to the Carabao brand. The goal is to cover all segments of the market including the core working class consumers.

The company sees an opportunity in meeting the taste of young consumers where few domestic players have modernised their energy drinks.

Caraban Can Green Apple was launched under the concept “Don’t Say Can’t, Carabao CAN” to help young consumers channel their positive energy to tackle new challenging experiences.

Sathien Setthasit, chief executive officer of Carabao, said the concept underscores “the millennials’ courage, challenges, fearless practicality and love of living life in style.”

Challenging market

Nielsen data shows the energy drink market in Thailand posted an average sales volume per year at 0.6% between 2014-2016 then it turned south with a 2.7% decline in 2017. The market dived further by 3.6% year-on-year in the first three months of 2018, according to Nielsen. Traditional trade accounted for 73% of sales in 2017.

This further deterioration of the market suggests a slowdown in demand from the core 26-45-year-old user base who is earning basic to medium wages and who prefer non-carbonated energy sweetened drink in bottled, not canned.

Moving in the same direction as Warrior

TC Pharma, the maker of Krating Daeng, has something similar albeit not the green apple taste for the Malaysia and Vietnam markets. The Warrior sparkling energy drink plays the same role as Carabao Can Green Apple of reconnecting the energy drink with a younger demographic through flavour and the sparkling taste.

What Mini Me thinks

The new Carabao Can Green Apple could set in motion the momentum to revitalise the Thai energy drink market and repositioning the category back on the growth track.

Another thing that energy drink has not been done well in the past is embracing healthy attributes. One thing that it can learn from China is how to harness natural ingredients to roll out natural energy drinks to recruit non-drinkers.