Earlier this year, the long-running energy drink company Gorilla Energy, heavily available in Middle Asia, in the likes of Kazakhstan, Russia, and Mongolia, made its debut here in America. It brought its gorilla-covered beverage to coolers in the US, although our question all along was, does it taste the same? We’ve had the original Gorilla Energy Drinks in Middle Asia, which is a very different sort of experience from the majority of competitors in the US.
The team taking care of Gorilla Energy was at NACS this year, and not only did we finally get to try the beverage, but we got a full explanation of what they’re doing differently. While there are some similar flavors here to what you get in the brand’s original market, the ingredients and approach are vastly different. Firstly, the American Gorilla Energy Drinks are not loaded with sugar; they’re more moderate, and that’s due to the ingredients.
Gorilla Energy changed its recipe for the US, making its flavors with actual fruit juice, and they are truly something different, mostly thanks to each of its flavors combining two fruity tastes in one drink. The use of fruit juice also doesn’t pump the calories too any outrageous heights at about 15g of carbohydrates, 10 to 12g of that sugar, and 60 calories.
The formula in the American Gorilla Energy Drink is different, featuring calming theanine, acetyl-l-carnitine, and 200mg of caffeine. It’s essentially a modern twist on the more than 15-year-old brand and energy drink, while maintaining its unique and original flavor combinations. The brand is gradually building out distribution, and can be purchased direct in its four fruity flavors as well as the zero sugar original flavor, Ultimate.
