While returning to Chicago from a wedding in Kentucky, we discovered Red Bull Simply Cola for sale at a Speedway gas station for $1.50. It looks like the fuel franchise may be part of a test rollout of the drink, per some of the point of sale signage we saw.

It's packaged in the standard 8.4 oz. can associated with regular Red Bull, but features a more-pronounced red/silver/blue color scheme, with the colors and name aligned at angles. A callout at the top of the can refers to this as "Natural Cola", while the bottom denotes "Strong & Natural".

As we mentioned in our sneak preview of this product, there is a wide variety of ingredients in this drink. Here's a complete list:

Red Bull Simply Cola
Water, sugar, carbon dioxide, natural flavor (caramel), natural flavors from plant extracts (galangal, vanilla, mustard seed, lime, kola nut, cacao, licorice, cinnamon, lemon, ginger, coca leaf, orange, corn mint, pine, cardamom, mace, clove), lemon juice concentrate, caffeine from coffee beans

The drink is made in Switzerland and will provide you with 90 calories per 8.4 oz. can. Red Bull Simply Cola will also add 10 mg of sodium and 22 g of sugars to your life.

Interestingly, you actually won't find a ton of caffeine in this drink. Per a report on BevNet, Red Bull Simply Cola contains 3.8 mg/oz. of caffeine, which is only slightly higher than Coca-Cola Classic (2.9 mg/oz.) and Pepsi (3.2 mg/oz.). By comparison, regular Red Bull has 9.64 mg/oz. of caffeine, while other citrus-flavored soft drinks like Mountain Dew (4.5 mg/oz.) and Vault (5.83 mg/oz.) have substantially higher amounts.

The drink is colored like you'd expect from a cola, perhaps with more of a lighter brown color that's more translucent. It smells like a standard Pepsi or Coke-type drink, which is odd given how these scents are emanating from a Red Bull can… complete with a unique red pull-tab with a bull-shaped punch out.

As for the taste, not bad. It's definitely more Coke-like than Pepsi. Not very syrupy, more textured, with sort of a nutty, woody experience. You won't mistake it for a standard Red Bull… this one's definitely a cola. There are some unique flavors present which can probably be attributed to the previously-mentioned "natural" ingredients, but you'd have a hard time pinpointing exactly what you were tasting. The finish is somewhat bitter, with an aftertaste hinting at something you'd typically find with a drink that uses an artificial sweetener… though obviously none is listed on the can.

While the taste is pretty good, one wonders what the point of this drink really is? I mean, you'd expect a product with the name "Red Bull" and "cola" in the title to taste like a Coke/Pepsi but to also "give you wings" as they like to mention in their advertising. Yet there is very little caffeine or other "buzz" found in this drink. So what's the big differentiator? The "natural" ingredients? I'm sorry, but that's not going to fly, especially if you are looking at the premium pricing of $1.50 for 8.4 oz., while you could easily get a 20 oz. PET bottle of something for the same price to do the trick.

According to numbers from Nielsen, Red Bull still owns 39% of the energy drink market, making it the leader in terms of dollar share (when compared to Monster's 24%). However, Red Bull has slid behind Monster when you look at volume numbers. According to Beverage Digest, Monster owns 27.6% compared to Red Bull's 24.6% [Source].

If Red Bull is banking on their name recognition and strong following to help them in the cola market with a drink that does not feature the core elements that make their flagship work, then they are in for some serious hurt. It's no secret that the carbonated soft drink market is shrinking in sales yearly; this drink will not help that.

Overall, I liked Red Bull Simply Cola. While basically a standard cola, the unique blend of flavors and clean taste were a nice change of pace. However, one must ask "what's the point of this drink?" when you consider the trends in the CSD market, premium pricing, and comparatively low caffeine levels from a brand known for giving you a lift when you need it.

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This is probably a good move for Red Bull, as it expands their product offerings, but not necessarily in the energy drink direction. They already have a strong fanbase and market position, so it would seem that fans would give Red Bull Simply Cola a try. Additional, the angle of the product seems to be going after the natural, authentic route that seems to be all the rage these days, namely with Pepsi Raw and Pepsi Retro. That should help to separate it from the pack. No doubt, it will also be priced at a premium.

A friend of our affiliated mothership website, ChefTalk.com, sent along some digital photos of an industry brochure announcing the new beverage.

They also sent along a link to the German language article about the drink. I'll include both below, starting with the transcription of the brochure. I apologize for the visual quality of the images.

The Cola from Red Bull.
Strong & Natural.

Why a Cola from Red Bull?

Why not? And we simply believe that a cola can also be made from natural ingredients. Just like back in the old days.

Red Bull Cola can do without any secrets. On the contrary, all of our ingredients are listed on the back of the can.

Thanks to its formulation, Red Bull Cola is not only a cola, but a special kind of cola: strong and natural.

Coca Leaf, Kola Nut, Lemon/Lime, Clove
Cinnamon, Cardamom, Pine, Corn Mint
Galangal, Vanilla, Ginger, Mace
Cacao, Licorice, Orange, Mustard Seed

Natural flavors from plant extracts and natural caffeine from coffee beans.

Strong and Natural.

Red Bull Cola is a special composition of ingredients, all from 100% natural sources.

In addition, it contains flavors derived from both the kola nut and coca leaf, ingredients in the original colas. So, it is a very special recipe. What else would you expect from Red Bull?

The result is a classic, not too sweet cola taste, which comes from using the right plant extracts.

No Chemistry?

We followed this simple principle in the making of Red Bull Cola. Therefore, our color contains

• no phosphoric acid
• no preservatives
• no artificial flavors

So you see, making a first-class cola can be that easy. Just Simple Cola.

Red Bull Simply Cola

Austrian financial newspaper WirtschaftsBlatt reports on the story as well. A Google Translate conversion to English follows:

Kampfansage: Red Bull launcht eigenes "Simply Cola"
20.03.2008 14:16
Hans Pleininger/Leo Himmelbauer (wirtschaftsblatt.at)

Wer 3,5 Milliarden Red Bull-Dosen verkauft, kann wohl auch ein Cola an den Mann bringen. Im April soll es so weit sein: "Simply" kommt.

Dietrich Mateschitz hat gerade ein Rekordjahr hinter sich: 3,5 Milliarden Red Bull-Dosen verkauft, den Umsatz mit Energydrink um 16,6 Prozent auf 3,079 Milliarden € gesteigert, in den Zukunftsmärkten Afrika (plus 59 Prozent), Südamerika (plus 48 Prozent) und Australien (plus 44 Prozent) ordentlich in Schwung gekommen. Bis 2010 soll der Absatz auf sechs Milliarden (!) Dosen gesteigert werden. Zwar ist Red Bull weltweit mit 4600 Mitarbeitern in 144 Ländern präsent, doch wichtige Märkte wie China, Indien, Japan und vor allem Frankreich sind noch zu erobern.

Und jetzt kommt der nächste Angriff auf Coca Cola und Pepsi: Wie das Branchenmagazin "medianet" am Mittwoch berichtet, startet Mateschitz angeblich am 24. April mit einem neuen Produkt: mit "Simply Cola".

Das neue Getränk werde "das einzige Cola, das sowohl die Original-Kolanuss als auch das Cocablatt verwendet", zitiert "medianet" aus einem Info-Folder für Kunden aus der Gastronomie. Das neue Cola soll in 250- und 355-Milliliter-Dosen erhältlich sein.

"Simply Cola" ist noch unter Verschluß, jedenfalls aber eine Kampfansage mehr: Denn Red Bull drängt auch in die Fastfood-Restaurants. Mit McDonald's laufen dem Vernehmen nach Verhandlungen über den Verkauf von Red Bull in den US-Filialen des Konzerns.

Und was sagt Mateschitz zu seinem Geheimprojekt: "Im April kommt Red Bull Cola auf den Markt", heisst es in der Red Bull-Zentrale in Fuschl. Ein exaktes Start-Datum gebe es derzeit noch nicht, da die Listungsgespräche noch nicht abgeschlossen seien. Fix, so wird dem WirtschaftsBlatt versichert, ist jedoch, dass es die Dose im Red Bull-Design in zwei Größen geben wird – so wie schon im "medianet" zu lesen war der schlanken 250 Milliliter-Ausführung und in der noch jungen 355 Milliliter-Variante.

Source

The Google Translate version:

Attack: Red Bull launches own "Simply Cola"
20.03.2008
Hans Plein Ingersoll / Leo Himmelbauer (wirtschaftsblatt.at)

About 3.5 billion cans of Red Bull sold, it can probably also a Coke at the man. In April it so far should be: "Simply".

Dietrich Mateschitz has just completed a record year behind him: 3.5 billion cans of Red Bull sold, with the energy drink sales by 16.6 percent to 3079 billion € increased in the future markets Africa (up 59 percent), South America (plus 48 percent) and Australia (up 44 percent) had properly momentum. Until 2010, the sales of six billion (!) Doses increased. While Red Bull world with 4600 employees in 144 countries, but important markets such as China, India, Japan and especially France are yet to conquer.

And now comes the next attack on Coca-Cola and Pepsi: How the industry magazine Medianet on Wednesday reported Mateschitz allegedly launched on 24 April with a new product: "Simply Cola."

The new drink will be "the only Cola, which both the original Kola nut and the Coca leaf is used," cited Medianet from an information folder for customers in the restaurant industry. The new cola to be in 250 – and 355-milliliter doses available.

"Simply Cola" is still under seal, certainly a challenge but more because Red Bull is also pushing into the fast-food restaurants. With McDonald's are said to the negotiations on the sale of Red Bull in the US branches of the group.

And what Mateschitz says his secret: "In April, Red Bull Cola on the market," it is called in the Red Bull headquarters in Fuschl. An exact start date, there is not yet, because the Listungsgespräche still not completed. Fix, it is the Wirtschaftsblatt assured, however, that the box in the Red Bull-design in two sizes will – as early as "medianet" to read was the slim 250 milliliter execution and in the still young 355-millilitre variant.

So what is it that makes this drink so popular? Why is it sitting at the top of the energy drink mountain? Well, for one thing, it had a strong first-mover advantage, first being big oversees and pretty much inventing the energy drink sector. The drink is based on an original 1962 blend from Thailand known as "Krating Daeng", but eventually was reformulated in Austria and released in 1987. While the origins are rather complex, it was originally devised as a "pep drink" and quickly found popularity with those who needed to stay up late (students, truck drivers, construction workers, etc.) Hence the slogan, "Red Bull Gives You Wings." It wasn't until 1997 that Red Bull hit the United States, being distributed internationally by Red Bull GmbH.

Today, Red Bull is a powerhouse, not only in sales, but in branding. When it first came out, it was considered "the" thing to be drinking. While PepsiCo's Amp may have its name on Dale Earnhardt Jr.'s NASCAR vehicle, Red Bull actually is the name of two soccer teams! (FC Red Bull Salzburg in Austria and Red Bull New York in the U.S.) The brand is heavy into sponsorship of Formula One teams and various extreme sports.

Originally marketed in just the 8.3 oz. can size, it found itself going up against Hansen Beverage's Monster Energy, which offered 16 oz. at roughly the same price. Eventually, Red Bull rolled out both a 12 oz. and 16 oz. version. These days, the 16 oz. size is pretty much considered the standard for an energy drink.

Interestingly, Red Bull has not really diversified into flavor extensions. The only alternative here in the United States is a sugar-free version of the drink. This is odd, as pretty much every competitor has various editions of their drink in the marketplace. This may hurt Red Bull in the long run.

The packaging hasn't changed from when it was first introduced. It still sports the "bullet can" look, utilizing a blue/silver color scheme, augmented by the red/yellow "Red Bull" logo featuring two charging bulls. A tagline at the bottom of the can notes that it comes "With Taurine / Vitalizes body and mind."

Exactly what makes up a can of Red Bull? The ingredient list includes carbonated water, sucrose, glucose, sodium citrate, taurine, glucuronolactone, caffeine, inositol, niacinaminde, calcium-pantothenate, pyridoxine HCL, vitamin B12, natural and artificial flavors, and colors. There is a surprisingly high amount of sodium in this drink — 200 mg — you'd think this was a Jones Turkey & Gravy Soda! 27g of sugars also are included, with the 8.3 oz. can setting you back 110 calories. And according to the official website, Red Bull is Kosher!

As far as caffeine content, a can of Red Bull sports 80 mg, which breaks down to 9.64 mg/oz. Contrast that with Mountain Dew (4.5 mg/oz.), Vault (5.83 mg/oz.), Amp Energy (8.875 mg/oz.), and Monster (10.00 mg/oz.). No wonder this stuff keeps you up at night!

From a flavor perspective, I wasn't too impressed. The scent upon opening the can was berry, but with a hint of bitterness. The taste itself continued that cherry-ish flavor, but there was quite a bit of syrupy residue. Not so much a "fake" or "artificial" residue, but more of a tart and bitter one. It wasn't very smooth going down, hinting at a medicinal experience. Red Bull definitely has an edge and can clearly be classified as an energy drink based on the harsh flavor, but so many competitors these days are more refined in the taste department. I'm not an energy drink guy myself, but even if I was, I could see myself looking elsewhere based on flavor experience alone.

Given the amount of caffeine I just drank for this review, I will obviously have a lot of time to think about that tonight… when I'm not sleeping!