Why Energy Drinks Are the Most Profitable Addition To Your Coffee Shop Menu

Iced beverages have taken over the beverage industry. From iced coffee, cold brew, cold foam, layered sodas, energy drinks, and sparkling everything. Coffee shops, drive-thrus, and major beverage chains are all seeing noticeable growth in iced beverage sales, and more specifically, energy beverage sales.

Energy Drink Market Review

Typically, customers have bought their energy drinks in cans, but more and more beverage consumers are choosing sparkling, flavored, colorful energy drinks from the menu of their favorite coffee shop instead of reaching for the can.

Torani’s recent 2025 Pourcast has outlined some researched statistics about iced beverages that should encourage business owners to add iced drinks (energy included) to their menu if they haven’t already.

• 75% of Starbucks sales are from the cold beverage category.
• 90% of Dutch Bros sales are from the cold beverage category.
• There has been a +300% cold brew market growth since 2016.
• The afternoon pick-me-up market, primarily made of cold beverages, has reached $100B.

The three beverage’ categories consumers purchase are: one to caffeinate, one to hydrate, and one for discovery. Energy beverages fall into the caffeinated category of a “functional” beverage. A beverage that provides a health benefit or a nutritional benefit that other drinks do not.

• There has been a $17B growth in functional beverages between 2021 and 2024.
• 80% of consumers are interested in functional beverages. 54% want drinks that increase energy. 49% seek hydration.
• 71% of consumers ALWAYS have a beverage with them.

During Dutch Bros 3rd quarter earnings call, Christine Barone, CEO, said “We see the increasing relevance of energy, which has been a core component of our menu for over a decade.” And given the fact that Dutch Bros revenue has increased by 28% year-over-year, you should be inclined to believe her!

Growing Market for Coffee Shops

The concentrated energy market may be 10 years old, but it’s still in its infancy and remains a space to grow into especially if you have yet to add an energy option to your coffee shop menu. The good thing is it does not require much more than what many coffee shops already do. There are a number of Energy concentrates on the market currently, and more coming every year. Some of these concentrates are 5:1 or 7:1, which means you only need to 1 pump into a glass of iced sparkling water (plus a flavoring syrup or two if desired) to create a delicious and functional beverage that customers will pay $5-$7 for. By the numbers, depending on the dry goods and cost of sparkling water, energy beverages are +70% in profit.

Plant-Based or Traditional Energy Drink Concentrate

A question you must answer when choosing an energy concentrate is: plant-based or traditional? There are benefits to both, and each is attractive to different customers. If your customers are the more health-conscious types, or you want to brand the beverage as a healthy drink, you may want to use a plant-based option. The taste will likely not differ too much from traditional, but the branding benefits are very important for sales.

Another question that must be asked is whether you use a clear and neutral base, or an energy that is flavored and colored, so your baristas don’t have to take the extra step and pump a few more syrups. Using a neutral energy base allows you to be more creative in your recipes if that’s an important selling point for you. If not, stick with the flavored and colored!

Direct Menu Applications

Dilworth stocks 2 different kinds of energy-based products, Next Level Energy and Monin Energy. Need some menu inspo? Check out our Raspberry Rose Energy, POG Energy, Berry Blue Energy Smoothie, Ruby Tea Iced Energy, and our Tropical Tea Iced Energy for some fresh recipes to try at your shop!

Next Level Energy

Next Level Energy comes in 4 different types: Regular Base, Sugar Free Base, Caffeine Free Base, and Synergy Base. Next Level is a 1 to 7 concentration. A 1oz serving pump (80mg of caffeine) into 7oz of soda water and a single scoop of ice creates a 12oz energy drink that is meant to imitate Red Bull in flavor and color.

Next Level’s Synergy base is more of a health drink meant to be paired with coconut water and ice. All the bases can be used with still water instead of soda water, but something will be lost in the final product. These bases, except for Synergy, are clear and are designed to be paired with another flavored and colored syrup to add dimension and flavor to the beverage. The possibilities are endless!

Monin Energy

Monin Energy Bases have 5 different flavors with a sugar and sugar-free formulation. Berry Blue, Dragon Fruit Pink, Glacier Clear, Powerfruit Purple, and Starfruit Yellow. Monin Energy is a 1 to 5 concentration. A 1oz serving pump (80mg of caffeine) into 5oz of soda water and ice creates a drink full of color and flavor! To make a full 12oz or 16oz drink, you’ll have to increase the ratios.

If you haven’t yet added an energy section to your menu, it may be time! It’s a highly profitable menu item with a growing customer base, and Dilworth has got you covered!