[imagesource:@loganpual/twitter]

The PRIME Hydration drink frenzy has hit South Africa.

The drink, owned by popular YouTube stars KSI and Logan Paul, has taken the world by storm, selling out in most stores and then being resold for ludicrous amounts when stock is low.

Almost as soon as the drink hit the shelves in Checkers, the country’s official retail partner of the drink, they were apparently sold out, having been punted for a fraction of the initially reported price.

EWN notes that Checkers put the drink on sale on Monday night for almost R40 each, which is a significant price drop from the R800 advertised a few weeks ago.

In the UK and the US, the craze was even more hectic, with the popularity and shortage of PRIME leading to buying restrictions set by supermarkets. It got so intense that some people started reselling the drink – originally priced there at £24,99 (around R450) for 12 bottles – for over £1 000 (R23 000)!!!

Apparently, Black Friday scenes unfolded as soon as SA shop doors opened in the morning:

🔴 PRIME ENERGY DRINK 🔴
Customers lined up at Checkers today to buy their share of Prime. The brand is produced and owned by Congo Brands a company started in 2014. Prime was founded by 2 social media influencers with millions of followers worldwide. Is PRIME worth it? pic.twitter.com/jFTdPcBRKs

— The Insight Factor (@insightfactor) May 1, 2023

A bunch of people across the country, particularly parents, woke up at sparrows fart to stand in queues outside Checkers stores to ensure the popular energy drink for their young’uns.

Literally wanted to stock up for my little sisie & it’s sold out.?🤯🤯 what’s the hype kanti. #primehydrationdrink pic.twitter.com/XfwdoUDS52

— M I C H E L L E (@MichelleForbes_) May 1, 2023

The Conversation aptly notes that Logan Paul and KSI have given PRIME a great chance of commercial success with their genius YouTube advertising tactics, including constant audience engagement strategies and savvy use of the platform’s algorithmic networks.

Combining these tactics with other marketing gimmicks such as limiting the supply to create demand has created a hugely popular brand, one that kids are pretty much frothing over. Trends analyst Bronwyn Williams said that the popularity of PRIME is rooted in its scarcity:

“Teenagers, like all human beings, but particularly younger people, are very susceptible to phenomena such as mimesis, which really refers to the fact that we want what other people want and in particular, we want what other perceived to be high-status people want.”

However, besides the drinks being dubiously unhealthy (more on that later), apparently they don’t even taste all that great. TimesLIVE reported on people sharing their reviews on social media answering the question “What is the hype over PRIME?”:

@simeshnieg_26 In my Opinion 🤢🤞 K bye! #SimmyG ♬ original sound – Simmy

Overhyped and overrated, Prime has to be the most trash hydration drink to this day. It’s healthier to drink Gatorade and Powerade than whatever this is. https://t.co/x5C0MOHtph

— عبد الله (@zayflex_) May 1, 2023

Got the Prime hydration drink in the flavor orange.

Disgusting.

— ROWE (@ruderowe) April 24, 2023

The worst part is perhaps how loaded with caffeine the energy drink is. The Daily Maverick reported that both the “energy” and “hydration” drink pose major risks, with the former coming with a warning that it’s not suitable for people under 18 years of age, or pregnant or lactating women and isn’t legally sold in stores in Australia.

That’s because PRIME Energy contains 200 milligrams of caffeine per can, which is equivalent to about two to three instant coffees (more than in a RedBull, too, by the way) and is roughly double the caffeine content that is legally allowed for products sold in Australia.

There are only 40 kilojoules of carbohydrates, which means the majority of the energy in the drink comes from caffeine. Sorry, but no kid should be drinking that much of the jittery stuff.

There is also Dipotassium Phosphate in the Sports Hydration Drink, which is a substance made by combining potassium hydroxide with phosphoric acid – an ingredient that makes Coca-Cola so famous for being able to clean the oil off our engines.

Plus, the hydration drink also includes two artificial sweeteners (sucralose and acesulfame potassium), the latter of which is known to cross the blood-brain barrier and cause neurological issues in the long term.

The Daily Maverick goes into detail about the high caffeine content and how that can wreak havoc on the health of kids and pregnant women, along with branch chain amino acids, or BCAA, still being a questionable addition to sports drinks.

Overall, PRIME is overhyped, is often ludicrously priced, tastes kuk, and isn’t all that good for you. Can Logan Paul GTFO now?

[source:ewn&timeslive&dailymaverick]