Prime energy drink co-founded by British-Nigerian YouTube star KSI set to hit over $1.2bn in sales

KSI is the co-founder of Prime energy drink, which is making waves in the United States. The YouTuber co-founded Prime with colleague YouTube star Logan Paul. The energy drink was an instant hit after it was launched in 2022 prompting long lines in grocery stores and reports of schoolyard resale markets, according to The Guardian.

The energy drink has gone from being an underdog drink to one of the top beverages in the industry. In its first year, the company brought in $250 million in sales and is now on track to hit over $1.2 billion in annual sales this year.

The projected feat follows lucrative sponsorships with the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), the MLB’s Los Angeles Dodgers, and England’s Arsenal Football Club. Also, the brand has secured endorsements with athletes like Auston Matthews of the NHL’s Toronto Maple Leafs and Alisha Lehmann of the Swiss soccer club, Ashton Villa.

“We never expected to be as big as it has become,” KSI told Bloomberg. “I know people who don’t know me or Logan. They just know Prime.”

Meanwhile, in an Instagram post, the energy drink company noted that it has sold one billion bottles, leveraging the social media power of the co-founders who collectively have 40 million followers.

Despite the success of the energy drink, it has come under scrutiny in recent days. Four months ago, Senator Chuck Schumer called on the Food and Drug Administration to investigate Prime over its levels of caffeine.

“One of the summer’s hottest status symbols for kids is not an outfit, or a toy – it’s a beverage,” said Schumer, a Democrat from New York. “But buyer and parents beware because it’s a serious health concern for the kids it so feverishly targets.”

Meanwhile, the company in a statement defended the product as clearly labeled “not recommended for children under 18” in a statement to the Guardian.