From Lipovitan D to Red Bull: An Energy Drink Evolution

Dietrich Mateschitz, originally from Austria, worked for Unilever, whose brands included LUX, Dove, and LIPTON. The salary was quite good, but as a manager, he led a busy life and the pressure of performance weighed heavily on him. It was during this time, on a business trip to Hong Kong in 1982, that I discovered the name of Taisho Pharmaceutical's manager on a list of Japan's highest taxpayers published in Newsweek magazine. Taisho Pharmaceuticals manufactured a beverage called Lipovitan D and had a presence not only in Japan but also in Southeast Asia.

Photo: Ermita Paco Manila Buildings Unilever Avenues Bridges Landmarksfvf 02

Lipovitan D was claimed to contain taurine, which was said to be a nourishing ingredient. During World War II, Japan procured taurine by collecting boiled octopus juice from octopus processing plants across the country in order to restore the strength of its soldiers. Taurine is abundant in squid and octopus. Seeing this, Mateschitz was amazed at the fact that in Japan, then the second largest economy in the world (the U.S. ranked first), an energy drink could make one a high taxpayer.

From there, he came up with the idea of an energy drink business and launched Red Bull, an improved version of Lipovitan D with a taste more suited to Westerners. Today, Red Bull has surpassed Lipovitan D and is sold worldwide.

References

• Die Red-Bull-Story. Der unglaubliche Erfolg des Dietrich Mateschitz by Wolfgang Fürweger