After eight years as Head of Marketing for Red Bull UK and Europe, Huib van Bockel walked away to build something the industry told him couldn't work - an energy drink made entirely from nature, with 60% less sugar, and no artificial ingredients. Every manufacturer he approached said it wasn't commercially viable, but he found one willing to try. Today, Tenzing is the third-biggest energy drink brand in Tesco, and number one in London universities and climbing, proving that you can take on the "big dogs" of the soft drinks world.
Former Red Bull marketer Hub Van Bockel tells the story of founding Tenzing, the low‑sugar, all natural ingredient energy drink inspired by Himalayan brews and named with the blessing of Tenzing Norgay’s family. The episode covers Huib's idea, starting-up, early business development and pivoting on flavour, building and growing with communities, retail partnerships, winning major listings (including Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury's, Morrisons, ASDA) and minority investment by Heineken.
Listen to this episode to find out:
- Why every soft drink from apple juice to Red Bull has 11% sugar — and why Huib refused to follow the formula
- The overlooked advantage small brands have that Coca-Cola and Monster can never replicate, no matter what they spend
- How Tenzing grew by embedding in communities and the next-generation for who believe that "run clubs are the new nightclubs"
- The winning go-to-market approach Huib wishes he'd used far more when starting out
Find out more about Tenzing, buy online:
https://tenzingnaturalenergy.com/
Connect with Huib on LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/huib-van-bockel-8454834/
Books mentioned and recommended in this episode (affiliate links):
Daniel Kahneman ‘Thinking Fast and Slow’
https://uk.bookshop.org/a/15792/9780141033570
Richard Branson ‘Losing my Virginity’
https://uk.bookshop.org/a/15792/9780753519554
Phil Knight ‘Show Dog’
https://uk.bookshop.org/a/15792/9781471146725
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Thanks for listening.
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