COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Coca-Cola’s Monster Energy brand maintains overall leadership
Coca-Cola South Africa leads energy drinks in 2025, through its popular Monster Energy brand, supported by strong brand equity, expansive retail distribution and timely innovation. In 2025, Monster has introduced Ultra Wild Passion, a zero sugar variant inspired by passion fruit and aligning with rising consumer demand for healthier, functional beverages.
Low-cost Score brand soars ahead
Score (Chill Beverages International), a budget-priced energy drink known for its high sugar and caffeine content, is showing the fastest growth among brands in energy drinks in 2025. Score’s rapid rise driven by its large pack size, affordability, flavour profiles and strong penetration in informal trade and township markets.
COMPETITIVE LANDSCAPE
Supermarkets maintains distribution lead thanks to extensive reach and promotional strategies
South Africa’s energy drinks category remains highly competitive, with distribution channels playing a key role in shaping brand performance and consumer access. Supermarkets is the leading distribution channel, offering wide visibility and convenience for both premium and budget brands.
E-commerce rises through strong presence of healthy and functional variants
However, the most dynamic channel remains ecommerce, which is recording the highest percentage growth in the energy drinks category. Online platforms enable brands to target niche audiences with tailored messaging, bundle deals, and direct-to-consumer strategies.
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Overview:
Understand the latest market trends and future growth opportunities for the Energy Drinks industry in South Africa with research from Euromonitor International's team of in-country analysts – experts by industry and geographic specialisation.
Key trends are clearly and succinctly summarised alongside the most current research data available. Understand and assess competitive threats and plan corporate strategy with our qualitative analysis, insight and confident growth projections.
If you're in the Energy Drinks industry in South Africa, our research will help you to make informed, intelligent decisions; to recognise and profit from opportunity, or to offer resilience amidst market uncertainty.
The Energy Drinks in South Africa report includes:
- Analysis of key supply-side and demand trends
- Detailed segmentation of international and local products
- Historic volume and value sizes, company and brand market shares
- Five year forecasts of market trends and market growth
- Robust and transparent research methodology, conducted in-country
This report answers:
- What is the market size of Energy Drinks in South Africa?
- To what extent are health considerations impacting consumption of Energy Drinks in South Africa?
- How are changing social attitudes and legislation (eg sugar tax) reshaping demand and consumption?
- How are changing demographics (for example, an ageing or predominantly young population) determining consumption of Energy Drinks in South Africa?
- Which are the leading brands in Energy Drinks in South Africa?
- What potential exists for multinational or domestic soft drinks companies to expand in South Africa?
- How are products distributed in Energy Drinks in South Africa?
- How is the rise of e-commerce changing the retail and competitive landscape?
- How have home seclusion and social distancing measures following COVID-19 impacted sales of Energy Drinks?
- How are sustainability issues, such as environmentally-friendly packaging, legislation on recyclability, or the amount of plastic in bottles, impacting the soft drinks industry?
- Where is future growth expected to be most dynamic?
Energy Drinks in South Africa - Category analysis
KEY DATA FINDINGS
Energy drinks sees rapid rises as convenience and fitness trends strengthen
Convenience demand and rising interest in fitness support sales in energy drinks in 2025
Consumers shift towards reduced sugar options
Collaborations with sports teams will boost visibility and engagement
Smart manufacturing set to streamline production processes
Packaging will see greater investment in sustainability
Coca-Cola’s Monster Energy brand maintains overall leadership
Low-cost Score brand soars ahead
Supermarkets maintains distribution lead thanks to extensive reach and promotional strategies
E-commerce rises through strong presence of healthy and functional variants
Soft Drinks in South Africa - Industry Overview
Soft drinks sees moderate volume growth as affordability and investment shape performance
Soft drinks sees moderate volume growth as affordability and investment shape performance
Advancements in production supports growth, while consumers focus on affordability
Premiumisation and sustainability remain key trends in soft drinks
E-commerce boosts engagement, and brands respond to anticipated sugar tax
Rising sales, sugar tax and new labelling requirements
Health and wellness trends will have continued impact on development
Distribution to become increasingly digital
Coca-Cola holds on to number one spot
International players dominate while local brands gain ground
Supermarkets leads as e-commerce rises fastest
Off-trade accounts for highest proportion of volume sales
Fountain sales in South Africa
COUNTRY REPORTS DISCLAIMER
The following categories and subcategories are included:
Energy Drinks
- Regular Energy Drinks
- Reduced Sugar Energy Drinks
Energy Drinks
These are the aggregated total of regular and reduced sugar functional drinks designed to boost energy levels. Often lightly carbonated, these contain high levels of caffeine and a number of added water-soluble vitamins, most often a selection of B vitamins including niacin, pantothenic acid, vitamin B6, and vitamin B12. Ingredients can also include amino acids such as taurine and glucuronolactone, as well as herbal products such as guarana and ginseng. Can be carbonated or still. Leading brands in off-trade volume include Red Bull, Monster and RockStar. Glucose-based energy beverages such as Lucozade Energy are included here.
See all of our definitionsWhy buy this report?
- Gain competitive intelligence about market leaders
- Track key industry trends, opportunities and threats
- Inform your marketing, brand, strategy and market development, sales and supply functions
This report originates from Passport, our Energy Drinks research and analysis database.
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