Red Bull

Red Bull GmbH launched its energy drink in Austria on April 1, 1987, creating the modern energy drink category from scratch. Austrian entrepreneur Dietrich Mateschitz discovered a Thai tonic called Krating Daeng while traveling in 1982, and partnered with its inventor Chaleo Yoovidhya to reformulate it for Western palates. Each put in about $500,000 to start the company. The drink hit US shelves in 1997 and now sells over 12 billion cans a year across 170 countries.

Rather than traditional ads, Red Bull built its brand through extreme sports sponsorship, events like the Flugtag and Stratos space jump, and owning sports teams including Oracle Red Bull Racing in Formula One, RB Leipzig in German football, and the New York Red Bulls in MLS. The company also runs a media house that produces films, music, and a record label. This content-first approach flipped the usual marketing playbook and made the brand synonymous with energy and adrenaline.

Red Bull remains privately held by the founding families. Mateschitz died in October 2022, and the Yoovidhya family holds the majority stake. The company employs about 17,800 people and reported €12.2 billion in revenue for fiscal 2025. Its market share hovers around 38-43%, with Monster Energy as its main rival. [edit]