Analysis shows U.S. driving global sales of energy drinks.

New figures from drinks consultants Zenith International show that the global sales of energy drinks jumped by 17% in 2006, fuelled by a massive rise in sales in the Unite States. The market analysts said that the market reached some 3 430 million liters last year, almost doubling in size therefore since 2001, when 1 732 million liters were sold. The US market alone equaled 990 million liters, with sales leaping by an impressive 47% over 2005 and pushing it ahead of Thailand as the world's single biggest market. With 2006 sales fairly stagnant at some 790 million liters or 11.5 liters per person, Thailand still has the highest per capita consumption in the world, ahead of Austria, Ireland, New Zealand, Slovenia and Kuwait.

Zenith predicts that if growth continues in a similar vein, the US will market up 45% of the global market in five years' time, compared to 29% in 2006.

This will be despite the double-digit growth expected in Eastern Europe and the Middle East and the good gains in Latin America, Australasia and Western Europe, it says. Per capita consumption in the US, meanwhile, will grow from three liters to eight liters in 2011.

"Although US growth has been dominated by male-oriented energy drinks, manufacturers there are successfully tapping in to a wider trend towards healthier products and consumers are enjoying a new wave of all natural energy drinks with multiple health benefits," said research director Gary Roethenbaugh. "They are also extending their brands to appeal to a wider range of consumers."

Global volumes are forecast to reach 5,700 million liters in 2011. Just under half of this nearly 15% annual average growth is likely to stem from North America. As Zenith's new report reveals, the world's energy drinks markets are at very different stages of development. Asia Pacific, for example, reveals a highly diverse picture that encompasses the mature markets of Thailand, Vietnam, Indonesia and Taiwan alongside the emerging markets of China and India.

The global energy drinks market once again saw double-digit growth in 2006, up 17%. Growth was driven by new energizing concepts (such as usage of natural ingredients), strong marketing and product positioning, and a push into emerging countries.

The concept of caffeine based 'body and mind stimulating' energy drinks originates from Japan and Thailand. Asia Pacific thus remains the leading region, with a 48% share of global volume in 2006. However, its share has now fallen below the 50% mark for the first time in the industry's history. North America has made particularly impressive volume gains over the last five years (53% CAGR compared with Asia Pacific's 7%) and now accounts for a growing 29% share of global volume. West Europe represents the third largest regional market, accounting for a 13% share of global volume.