How to Start an Energy Drink Business

Start an energy drink business by following these 10 steps:

1. Plan your Energy Drink Business
2. Form your Energy Drink Business into a Legal Entity
3. Register your Energy Drink Business for Taxes
4. Open a Business Bank Account & Credit Card
5. Set up Accounting for your Energy Drink Business
6. Get the Necessary Permits & Licenses for your Energy Drink Business
7. Get Energy Drink Business Insurance
8. Define your Energy Drink Business Brand
9. Create your Energy Drink Business Website
10. 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.

STEP 2: Form a legal entity

The most common business structure types are the sole proprietorship, partnership, limited liability company (LLC), and corporation.

Establishing a legal business entity such as an LLC or corporation protects you from being held personally liable if your energy drink business is sued.

You can form an LLC yourself and pay only the minimal state LLC costs or hire one of the Best LLC Services for a small, additional fee.

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!

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.