Consumer interest in caffeine has never been higher with a collection of recent surveys stating on average three-fourths of American adults consume caffeine daily. While coffee has been powering Americans before America was even a thing, more recently consumers are increasingly grabbing some of the other “energy everything” product categories. It makes sense, right? We live in the “Age of the Endless Aisle,” where there are more options in every CPG category than during any other point in history. It’s that proliferation of caffeine-containing products and them being well-entrenched into the lives of most Americans that's causing “energy everything” to become a certified consumer movement. Whether hitting the gym, staying at the top of your game during busy workweeks, or simply preparing for weekend activities, consumers continue to reach for energy drinks and energy supplement that are packed with caffeine and oftentimes nootropic ingredients to provide a physical and mental boost. But are there evolving sociological patterns that could be driving the massive growth of energy and nootropic products?

The fourth-largest beverage brand in the U.S. market just launched an energy drink, which is cool, but shouldn’t industry professionals be more interested in what the Gatorade Fast Twitch product innovation means to PepsiCo’s entire sports nutrition portfolio strategy?

Isotonic beverages, sports drinks, hydration products…whatever you call them, blurring lines and new positionings are creating a fascinating CPG category. The hydration CPG category isn’t so much about invention today as it is about innovation. Invention is creating a totally new thing. Gatorade was something totally new. Today, if you want to create something that has a lasting impact on the CPG world, it needs to be combo of “new” yet “familiar.” Do something too closely related to the market leader and people won’t take notice but do something too novel and they’re confused. In the CPG industry, most successful products do not arrive out of nowhere; they’re remixes of existing ones.

Did you know three-fourths of American adults consume caffeine daily? Whether it’s drinking a cup of coffee in the morning, turning to an energy drink midday to stay sharp at work, or mixing up a pre-workout powder before hitting the gym, caffeinated products have become an integral part of daily life. It’s that proliferation of caffeine-containing products and them being well-entrenched into the lives of most Americans that's causing the “energy everything” movement…