V (drink)
Encyclopedia
V is an energy drink
brand produced by Frucor Beverages Ltd
since August 1997. In 2003, in supermarket
s and service stations
, V had a market share over 60% in New Zealand
and 53% in Australia
, making it the most popular brand of energy drink in both countries. V is made in New Zealand and Australia by Frucor. V is available in six varieties, each sold in both 250 mL cans, 350 mL glass bottles and limited edition 300 mL aluminium bottles, V has also recently released 500 mL cans. V is also exported to the United Kingdom
in cans and bottles. In 2007, Frucor also started to export its energy drink to the Netherlands
. V was introduced to Maldives
market in 2008, and is also sold in Argentina, Papua New Guinea
and in Spain
in 2011.
When released in Australia, it was marketed towards students and it was advertised as having a less acidic flavour. The campaign claimed that a tired body tends to get an upset stomach more easily, and, while Black V has twice the taurine of the other flavours, it was supposedly much gentler on the stomach. The taglines for the advertising campaign were Taste the smoothness and Release the night monkey.
Berry V was released in Australia in 2007, giving Australia the same range of V drinks as New Zealand.
samples without checking the ages of all the recipients. V apologised for the error with a phone call and a letter. V energy shots also known as "Pocket Rockets" on the labelling have been sent out to sellers as of October 1. The energy content of the pocket rocket is claimed to be similar to that of the big V can.
The V energy shots have an extremely bitter taste that, according to the V Pocket Rocket website, is to prevent young children from drinking them.
, Monster
, Rockstar
and Red Bull
, and in New Zealand are Red Bull
, Lift Plus
and Mother
(previously sold as Relentless
).
Energy drink
Energy drinks are beverages whose producers advertise that they "boost energy." These advertisements usually do not emphasize energy derived from the sugar and caffeine they contain but rather increased energy release due to a variety of stimulants and vitamins....
brand produced by Frucor Beverages Ltd
Frucor
Frucor is a private Australasian beverage company headquartered in Auckland, New Zealand. Frucor is the market leader in energy drinks throughout Australasia and the second-largest non-alcoholic drinks company in New Zealand...
since August 1997. In 2003, in supermarket
Supermarket
A supermarket, a form of grocery store, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments...
s and service stations
Rest area
A rest area, travel plaza, rest stop, or service area is a public facility, located next to a large thoroughfare such as a highway, expressway, or freeway at which drivers and passengers can rest, eat, or refuel without exiting on to secondary roads...
, V had a market share over 60% in New Zealand
New Zealand
New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...
and 53% in Australia
Australia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
, making it the most popular brand of energy drink in both countries. V is made in New Zealand and Australia by Frucor. V is available in six varieties, each sold in both 250 mL cans, 350 mL glass bottles and limited edition 300 mL aluminium bottles, V has also recently released 500 mL cans. V is also exported to the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
in cans and bottles. In 2007, Frucor also started to export its energy drink to the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. V was introduced to Maldives
Maldives
The Maldives , , officially Republic of Maldives , also referred to as the Maldive Islands, is an island nation in the Indian Ocean formed by a double chain of twenty-six atolls oriented north-south off India's Lakshadweep islands, between Minicoy Island and...
market in 2008, and is also sold in Argentina, Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea
Papua New Guinea , officially the Independent State of Papua New Guinea, is a country in Oceania, occupying the eastern half of the island of New Guinea and numerous offshore islands...
and in Spain
Spain
Spain , officially the Kingdom of Spain languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Spain's official name is as follows:;;;;;;), is a country and member state of the European Union located in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula...
in 2011.
Key ingredients
- Carbonated waterCarbonated waterCarbonated water is water into which carbon dioxide gas under pressure has been dissolved, a process that causes the water to become effervescent....
- SugarSugarSugar is a class of edible crystalline carbohydrates, mainly sucrose, lactose, and fructose, characterized by a sweet flavor.Sucrose in its refined form primarily comes from sugar cane and sugar beet...
- GuaranaGuaranaGuarana , Paullinia cupana, syn. P. crysan, P. sorbilis) is a climbing plant in the maple family, Sapindaceae, native to the Amazon basin and especially common in Brazil. Guarana features large leaves and clusters of flowers, and is best known for its fruit, which is about the size of a coffee bean...
extract - CaffeineCaffeineCaffeine is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that acts as a stimulant drug. Caffeine is found in varying quantities in the seeds, leaves, and fruit of some plants, where it acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills certain insects feeding on the plants...
- B vitaminsB vitaminsB vitamins are a group of water-soluble vitamins that play important roles in cell metabolism. The B vitamins were once thought to be a single vitamin, referred to as vitamin B . Later research showed that they are chemically distinct vitamins that often coexist in the same foods...
- Taurine
- Food acids
- Caramel coloring
V
Released onto the New Zealand market in 1997 and Australia a short time later, V was something particularly different in the cold drinks market, with a distinct bottle and can it served as a contrast against other caffeinated cold drinks that were on the market in 1997.Sugar Free V
Released soon after the original flavor, shares the same flavour but without sugar.Black V
This was released in 2004 in both Australia and New Zealand. Instead of the artificial "fruit" flavour of other varieties, it has a coffee flavour.When released in Australia, it was marketed towards students and it was advertised as having a less acidic flavour. The campaign claimed that a tired body tends to get an upset stomach more easily, and, while Black V has twice the taurine of the other flavours, it was supposedly much gentler on the stomach. The taglines for the advertising campaign were Taste the smoothness and Release the night monkey.
Berry V
Released in New Zealand first, in 2005, Berry V had an artificial berry flavour added to the traditional V flavour.Berry V was released in Australia in 2007, giving Australia the same range of V drinks as New Zealand.
Lemon V
Lemon V was released in June 2008, with a yellow and gold label. This was discontinued around October 2009, however is occasionally sold in stores.Big V
Released in October 2008, Big V is a 500 mL aluminium can. Available in original, sugar free, blue and black.Blue V
Released October 2011, 250mL can, 500mL can and 350mL bottle, bright blue in colour with a very distinct flavour.V energy shots
Samples were sent to Vrepublic members with a warning that they shouldn't be consumed by those under 16 years of age. However, Frucor sent the energy shotEnergy shot
Energy shots are a specialized kind of energy drink. Whereas most energy drinks are generally sold in cans or bottles, energy shots are usually sold in 50ml bottles. Energy shots normally contain nearly the same total amount of caffeine, vitamins or other functional ingredients as their larger...
samples without checking the ages of all the recipients. V apologised for the error with a phone call and a letter. V energy shots also known as "Pocket Rockets" on the labelling have been sent out to sellers as of October 1. The energy content of the pocket rocket is claimed to be similar to that of the big V can.
The V energy shots have an extremely bitter taste that, according to the V Pocket Rocket website, is to prevent young children from drinking them.
| V | Sugar free V | Black V | Berry V | Lemon V | Blue V | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Caffeine Caffeine Caffeine is a bitter, white crystalline xanthine alkaloid that acts as a stimulant drug. Caffeine is found in varying quantities in the seeds, leaves, and fruit of some plants, where it acts as a natural pesticide that paralyzes and kills certain insects feeding on the plants... |
31 mg | 31 mg | 31 mg | 31 mg | 31 mg | 31 mg |
| Riboflavin (B2) Riboflavin Riboflavin, also known as vitamin B2 or additive E101, is an easily absorbed micronutrient with a key role in maintaining health in humans and animals. It is the central component of the cofactors FAD and FMN, and is therefore required by all flavoproteins. As such, vitamin B2 is required for a... |
0.49 mg | 0.49 mg | 0.49 mg | 0.49 mg | 0.49 mg | 0.49 mg |
| Niacin (B3) Niacin "Niacin" redirects here. For the neo-fusion band, see Niacin .Niacin is an organic compound with the formula and, depending on the definition used, one of the forty to eighty essential human nutrients.Niacin is one of five vitamins associated with a pandemic deficiency disease: niacin deficiency... |
2.9 mg | 2.9 mg | 2.9 mg | 2.9 mg | 2.9 mg | 2.9 mg |
| Vitamin B6 Vitamin B6 Vitamin B6 is a water-soluble vitamin and is part of the vitamin B complex group. Several forms of the vitamin are known, but pyridoxal phosphate is the active form and is a cofactor in many reactions of amino acid metabolism, including transamination, deamination, and decarboxylation... |
0.46 mg | 0.46 mg | 0.46 mg | 0.46 mg | 0.46 mg | 0.46 mg |
| Vitamin B12 Vitamin B12 Vitamin B12, vitamin B12 or vitamin B-12, also called cobalamin, is a water-soluble vitamin with a key role in the normal functioning of the brain and nervous system, and for the formation of blood. It is one of the eight B vitamins... |
0.57 µg | 0.57 µg | 0.57 µg | 0.57 µg | 0.57 µg | 0.57 µg |
| Pantothenic acid Pantothenic acid Pantothenic acid, also called pantothenate or vitamin B5 , is a water-soluble vitamin. For many animals, pantothenic acid is an essential nutrient. Animals require pantothenic acid to synthesize coenzyme-A , as well as to synthesize and metabolize proteins, carbohydrates, and fats.Pantothenic acid... |
0.7 mg | 0.7 mg | 0.7 mg | 0.7 mg | 0.7 mg | 0.7 mg |
| Taurine | 200 mg | 200 mg | 400 mg | 200 mg | 200 mg | 200 mg |
| Glucuronolactone Glucuronolactone Glucuronolactone is a naturally occurring chemical that is an important structural component of nearly all connective tissues. Glucuronolactone is also found in many plant gums.- Physical and chemical properties :... |
25 mg | 25 mg | 25 mg | 25 mg | 25 mg | 25 mg |
| Inositol Inositol Inositol or cyclohexane-1,2,3,4,5,6-hexol is a chemical compound with formula 6126 or 6, a sixfold alcohol of cyclohexane. It exists in nine possible stereoisomers, of which the most prominent form, widely occurring in nature, is cis-1,2,3,5-trans-4,6-cyclohexanehexol, or myo-inositol... |
20 mg | 20 mg | 20 mg | none / unstated | 20 mg | none / unstated |
Competitors
V's major competitors, in Australia, are MotherMother (energy drink)
Mother is an energy drink marketed to Australians and New Zealanders by Coca-Cola. Mother was introduced in late 2006 to compete with the two leading energy drinks on the market, V and Red Bull, which then dominated the $151 million industry and accounted for 94% of sales. Mother remained unaltered...
, Monster
Monster Energy
-Distribution :Though it is not widely advertised in the media, Monster receives a large amount of recognition from its sponsorship of various sporting events, including motocross and car racing. Hansen Natural Corporation announced a distribution agreement with Anheuser-Busch in the U.S. and Grupo...
, Rockstar
Rockstar (drink)
Rockstar is an energy drink created in 2001. With 14% of the US market in 2008, Rockstar is a leading energy drink brand. Rockstar is based in Las Vegas...
and Red Bull
Red Bull
Red Bull is an energy drink sold by the Austrian Red Bull GmbH, created in 1987 by the Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz. In terms of market share, Red Bull is the most popular energy drink in the world, with 3 billion cans sold each year. Dietrich Mateschitz was inspired by an already...
, and in New Zealand are Red Bull
Red Bull
Red Bull is an energy drink sold by the Austrian Red Bull GmbH, created in 1987 by the Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz. In terms of market share, Red Bull is the most popular energy drink in the world, with 3 billion cans sold each year. Dietrich Mateschitz was inspired by an already...
, Lift Plus
Lift plus
Lift Plus is an energy drink produced by The Coca-Cola Company based on the soft drink Lift. The drink holds a 20% value market share in New Zealand....
and Mother
Mother (energy drink)
Mother is an energy drink marketed to Australians and New Zealanders by Coca-Cola. Mother was introduced in late 2006 to compete with the two leading energy drinks on the market, V and Red Bull, which then dominated the $151 million industry and accounted for 94% of sales. Mother remained unaltered...
(previously sold as Relentless
Relentless (drink)
Relentless is the brand name of an energy drink created in February 2006 by The Coca-Cola Company. It has been compared to energy drinks such as Red Bull, and is known for its sweet taste. The drink has also been the subject of court proceedings for breach of trademark by Relentless Records...
).