Dive Brief:
- Monster Beverage Corporation is planning to launch a female-focused energy drink line as rivals such as Celsius find success with products that specifically appeal to women.
- Flrt is set to launch in the select channels in the first quarter of 2026, executives said in an earnings call earlier this month. The female-focused beverage brand will launch with four initial flavors: strawberry fling, guava lava, berry tempting and sunset squeeze.
- The drinks will be sugar free and include other “ingredients we believe will appeal to our target audience,” Monster CEO Hilton Schlosberg said in the call. The website lists Flrt as having ingredients that boost collagen or support immunity, skin and hair health.
Dive Insight:
By launching an energy drink with better-for-you elements, Monster is positioning itself to compete with other female-focused energy drinks in the market.
One of its largest competitors will be Alani Nu, which energy drink giant Celsius bought earlier this year for $1.8 billion. Alani surpassed $1 billion in sales in April and helped drive an 84% increase in Celsius revenue during the second quarter.
In a presentation to investors, Celsius Chief of Staff Toby David referenced Monster’s entry into the female-forward energy drink market, and said it takes a while to build a brand.
“Celsius, I mean, we've been around forever,” David said. “This is something that takes time, and we feel like we're clearly the leaders within the category, especially when it comes to female and sugar-free. While we anticipate there's going to be other players that come into the fold and there always will be, we've got a head start.”
Flrt is also the latest in a growing trend to cater to a health and wellness trend largely driven by women who want lower sugar, lower caffeine levels and other functional benefits. C4 Energy drink maker Nutrabolt bought into better-for-you company Bloom Nutrition earlier this year, which expanded its wellness offerings and its portfolio with more drinks to appeal to women.
A Monster spokesperson declined to provide additional details about Flrt.
Growing demand for energy drinks has benefited Monster, an early entrant in the space. The company reported third-quarter net sales of $2.2 billion, which represented a 16.8% increase from the prior year.
Its energy drink segment, which includes Monster, Reign and Bang, grew 17.7%. Monster is planning to launch a variety of new drinks to capitalize on the buzzing energy market, including Monster Energy Ultra Punk Punch, Full Throttle Red Apple and NOS Grand Prix Guava. It also is planning another zero-sugar drink called Storm Energy that also has added wellness elements, according to the call.
