If you’ve checked out at a gas station, convenience store, or supermarket in the last two decades, you’ve likely come face to face with a small platoon of 5-Hour Energybottles lined up somewhere near the cash register — probably so many times that they almost seem like part of the scenery. A number of similar products now exist, but when 5-Hour launched in 2004, it was the first of its kind: not a bulky 16-oz energy drink, but a compact, 2-oz concentrated energy shot that could be consumed in seconds.
5HE pioneered the energy shot category by distilling the best parts of an energy drink (i.e., sweet-and-tart flavor, caffeine, B vitamins, taurine, and other alertness aids) into a small, easy-drinking shot, while omitting the less desirable components that some consumers prefer to avoid (i.e., excess liquid, sugar, and calories).
It was a hit. 5-Hour Energy grew quickly, landing a deal with GNC to stock the product in 1,200 stores in its first year. Over time, 5HE landed placements at larger stores like Walgreens and Sheetz, and eventually at retail behemoths like Walmart, Sam’s Club, and Costco.
Now, after decades spent dominating the energy shot market through high-visibility placement at some of America’s most popular retailers, 5-Hour is switching things up and conducting a brand refresh — the first in its 22-year history.
What’s changing? The brand has revamped its aesthetics and packaging, dramatically expanded its flavor line, launched a new merch collection, produced a new line of energy gummies, and begun publishing mocktail and soft-drink recipes for customers who want to turn their 2-oz pick-me-up into a proper beverage.
Here’s a look at what’s new at 22 for 5-Hour Energy, along with a brief history of the product and how it became one of the most ubiquitous residents of the checkout aisle.
Why is 5-Hour Energy rebranding?
So, why would a company that has become synonymous with the energy shot category re-imagine its brand after decades of success? TheStreet’s Caroline Woods asked 5HE founder Manoj Bhargava that very question in a recent interview. His answer? Flavor.
When 5-Hour first launched, customers’ biggest complaint was its flavor. “It actually tasted terrible,” Bhargava quipped, “but we still got a customer base that said ‘I don’t care.’ It was sort of the Jagermeister of energy. Even if it didn’t taste good, they would take it. Then it took us years to get the flavor right.”
And even though the brand fixed its flavor issue in its early years — and began to offer its signature energy shot in a variety of different flavors like grape, pomegranate, orange, and lemon-lime in the 2000s and 2010s to suit the varying preferences of its customer base — its rebrand is all about doubling down on the importance of flavor and variety to attract new customers to the product.
5HE’s reformulated line of energy shots (which now includes over 30 different flavors) looks and tastes more like candy. To that end, the company has also launched a brand-new line of energy gummies, which allow customers to customize their caffeine dose by choosing how many to eat at a time. In the words of Bhargava, “gummies are friendly.”
It seems like it’s working, too. Sales are up, particularly online, and especially among Gen Z and other younger consumers. Sales from the brand’s revamped website are up 39% year over year, and according to Bhargava, the new flavors are leading the charge.
Here’s a closer look at what’s new for the brand.
Among the new flavors are two inspired by filled donuts — Boston Cream and Raspberry Jelly5-Hour ENERGY
5-Hour Energy’s rebrand: What’s new?
When it comes to the 5-Hour Energy rebrand, the new line of energy shot flavors are definitely the stars of the show. Initially, the 5HE team wanted to co-brand with other recognizable companies (think candy, juice, or cookie brands) to create its new line of flavors, but in Bhargava’s words, that process “was hell,” both legally and logistically speaking. Then he had an idea: “What if we cobrand with brands that nobody owns? Nobody owns cotton candy, but in your mind, it’s a brand.” The same went for birthday cake, licorice, and Boston cream.
With that realization, the new 5HE flavor lineup, including limited-time seasonal offerings, was born. Here’s a look at some of the new flavors:
Caramel ApplePumpkin SpicePeppermint Mocha Birthday CakeSour AppleGingerbread SnapBoston Cream DonutCotton CandyCranberry LimeFirework FreezeFruity RainbowHawaiian BreezeJelly DonutMock Melon BrewUltimate CitrusRed LicoriceTransfusionSpicy Cinco De MangoTropical BurstTidal Twist
5HE’s new Cherry, Blue Raspberry, and Lime flavor is inspired by classic firecracker rocket popsicles. 5-Hour ENERGY
New flavors aren’t all that’s changing, though. The brand also debuted a brand-new product category: low-sugar energy gummies.
5HE’s new Fruity Rainbow Gummies contain 230 mg of caffeine per bag, offering candy fans a chewy, sweet way to perk up after lunch. Each bag contains 10 gummies, so snackers can consume anywhere from 23 to 230 mg of caffeine at a time, depending on their preferences. Eat some now, save some for later, anyone?
In addition to its gummies and energy shot flavors, new merch is also available, along with a library of mocktail recipes for soft drinks like “Creamy Raspberry Energy Refresher” and “Toasted Coconut Cream Cold Brew” that make use of 5HE’s brand-new flavors, so customers who want to turn their afternoon boost into a supercharged happy hour can enjoy their favorite flavors as part of a full-sized beverage treat.
A short history of 5-Hour Energy
This brand transformation comes after decades of experimentation, growth, and change. Join us for a short trip down energy lane to see how 5HE got here from its humble 2004 origins as a single-flavor energy shot whose flavor was once its weak point.
2003: Founder Manoj Bhargava attends a trade show for natural products, at which he was given a 16-oz productivity drink. “For the next six or seven hours I was in great shape,” he told Forbes. “I thought, Wow, this is amazing. I can sell this.”
2003: Combining caffeine, B vitamins, and other alertness and focus aids, Bhargava creates a concentrated, 2-oz energy shot — the first of its kind — that, in his words, “tasted like bad cough syrup.”
2004: 5-Hour Energy officially launches, originally distributed only by GNC across 1,200 of the chain’s stores.
2005: Bhargava and team continue to tweak the energy shot’s formula to improve its flavor, eventually perfecting the original Berry flavor about a year after launch.
2006: Over the next two years, 5HE expands its distribution to include other major food, drug, and mass retail channels, eventually landing placement at Walmart.
2011: 5HE reaches $1 billion in annual retail sales for the first time.
2013: Founder Manoj Bhargava becomes a billionaire. He joins the Giving Pledge and commits to channeling 90% of his wealth into philanthropic ventures.
2015: Bhargava launches “Billions in Change,” a zero-profit philanthropic initiative aimed at designing and distributing simple inventions aimed at meeting basic needs — like free electricity and water purification — to impoverished rural communities in India and elsewhere.
2024: 5HE introduces the Gamer Shot and the Sport (Pre-Workout) Shot.
2026: 5HE conducts its first brand refresh, introducing a large line of new flavors, revamping its merchandise and product design, creating a line of mocktail and soft drink recipes, and offering low-sugar energy gummies.