Context And Strategic Question

Tenzing has established itself as one of the most distinctive natural energy drinks in the UK. The brand leads the natural segment, is present in major retailers, and is built on a clear promise: plant based, low calorie, no artificial ingredients, and a visible commitment to environmental projects and the Everest Fund.

The core story is powerful. Natural energy inspired by the brews used by Sherpas on Everest. A community of adventurers and climbers. A brand that tries to fix the unhealthy image of traditional energy drinks from the inside out.

At the same time, the energy drink landscape has shifted. Globally, the category is worth around USD 76 to 96 Billion in 2024 and is expected to roughly double by the early 2030s, growing at around 6 to 8% a year. In the UK alone, the energy drinks market is estimated at about USD 3.45 Billion, with non alcoholic energy formats taking 95% of value and forecast growth of around 4.6% a year to 2030.

Alongside this growth, health pressure is rising. Low and no calorie soft drinks already account for roughly 70% of UK soft drink purchases, and functional drinks as a whole have grown by around 54% year on year, driven heavily by Gen Z trading away from coffee and alcohol. Regulation is tightening around high caffeine products for children, including an incoming ban on sales of high caffeine energy drinks to under 16s in England.

The strategic question for Tenzing is simple.

How does a values driven, natural energy brand move from a powerful niche in climbing and outdoor adventure into the broader world of everyday athletes, students, and overworked professionals, while staying credible, differentiated, and compliant.

Market Dynamics And White Space

Our analysis of recent category data and consumer studies highlights three overlapping shifts that create a white space for Tenzing.

1. Health Conscious Energy

   • Energy drink growth is increasingly driven by consumers who want stimulation without the sugar and artificial additives associated with legacy brands.

   • Across age groups, rapid hydration and sustained energy are now top functional needs, with cognitive support and mood also growing as purchase drivers, especially for Gen Z.

2. Functional Drinks For Gen Z And Young Professionals

   • Functional drinks in the UK have grown around 54% year on year, led by Gen Z consumers swapping out some alcohol and high caffeine choices for products that feel more aligned with wellness.

   • This audience is both values driven and sceptical. They respond to clear ingredient stories and sustainability proof but are quick to abandon brands that feel hype led or purely influencer driven, as recent performance swings in the category show.

3. Soft Drinks Losing Sugar, Not Occasion

   • UK soft drinks have grown in value while volumes stay flat and more than 70% of purchases are now low or no calorie, which shows that consumers still want the occasions but in lighter, cleaner formats.

This creates a strategic lane for Tenzing. A natural, plant based, low calorie energy drink that can credibly serve everyday performance occasions in sport, study, and work without inheriting the baggage of traditional “hardcore” energy brands.

Current Position And Strategic Constraint

Tenzing’s existing positioning is tightly linked to climbing culture, Everest stories, and a community of committed adventurers. This has built strong distinctiveness and trust with early adopters who see the brand as authentic and principled.

The constraint is that the brand world can feel narrow to the wider market. When the visual and verbal language centres almost entirely on high altitude adventure, the implicit message to gym goers, commuters, students, and office workers is that Tenzing is “for people more extreme than me”.

That creates three problems.

• Under penetration in mainstream fitness such as gyms, studio classes, and running communities

• Limited relevance in everyday “long day” moments like late study sessions or shift work

• A brand architecture that makes it harder to stretch into functional benefits like focus, calm, or recovery without breaking the Everest narrative

The opportunity is not to abandon the Everest story, but to evolve it into a platform for everyday “Personal Everest” challenges that more people can own, while using strategy and communication to open up new need states and channels.

Audience Opportunities Beyond Climbers

Our white paper identifies four high potential segments that sit naturally within Tenzing’s mission and ingredient profile.

1. Everyday Athletes And Gym Communities

   • People training 3 to 5 times a week, often in urban gyms, boutique studios, or amateur sports teams

   • High interest in plant based and low sugar options, especially among younger adults and flexitarians

   • Overlap with functional energy and hydration expectations, such as sustained focus, clean stimulation, and no post drink crash

2. Health Conscious Students And Young Professionals

   • Gen Z and younger millennials juggling study or early career roles with side projects and social lives

   • Higher rate of alcohol moderation and experimentation with functional beverages compared with older cohorts

   • Strong openness to brands with clear sustainability stories, if the product also delivers performance

3. Nature Aligned Travellers And Hikers

   • People who spend time in the outdoors, hike, camp, or travel for experiences rather than status

   • Already receptive to environmental narratives and low impact products

   • Need energy solutions that are packable, trustworthy, and aligned with the ethics of the spaces they visit

4. Long Hour Workers Looking For Cleaner Swaps

   • Healthcare workers, logistics and warehouse staff, hospitality teams, and desk based professionals in long days or night shifts

   • Heavy current usage of legacy energy drinks and high caffeine coffee

   • Increasing pressure from employers and regulators to offer “better for you” options in workplace fridges and vending

These segments are united by the same underlying need. Sustained, reliable energy that feels better aligned with health and values than the traditional choices on shelf. This is the role Tenzing can grow into.

Strategic Direction For Tenzing

The white paper recommends a shift from a Pure Everest positioning to a broader Personal Everest platform, anchored in three strategic moves.

Evolve The Core Story

Reframe Tenzing from “the drink for climbers” to “natural energy for anyone taking on a Personal Everest”.

In practice this means.

• Keeping the Sherpa and Everest origin as the proof of authenticity

• Translating that story into everyday challenges, from half marathons and exams to night shifts and start up sprints

• Making “100% from nature, low calorie, planet mindful” the non negotiable baseline rather than the entire narrative

This widens relevance without diluting the integrity that makes Tenzing distinctive.

Build Segment Specific Playbooks

Create focused playbooks for each priority segment rather than one generic “energy for everyone” message.

Examples.

Gym And Studio

• Partner with selected gyms and coaches who already advocate plant based, low sugar lifestyles

• Use content and in gym sampling to position Tenzing as the “clean pre or mid session lift”

• Emphasise absence of artificial ingredients and the steadier energy curve relative to high sugar drinks

Campus And Study

• Develop “study and exam season” campaigns that frame Tenzing as the natural alternative to high sugar energy drinks during late revision

• Use limited time bundles and partnerships with campus outlets where high caffeine bans may restrict legacy brands, allowing Tenzing to occupy a responsible energy space

Long Hour Workplaces

• Co create vending and fridge strategies with employers in healthcare, logistics, and hospitality

• Position Tenzing as part of a “safer shift energy” initiative, aligning with corporate wellbeing and safety metrics

Outdoor And Travel

• Keep the strongest link to the Everest roots here, but broaden imagery beyond vertical rock faces to hiking routes, trail runs, and multi day travel

• Use the Everest Fund and environmental investments to ground the story in real impact, not slogans

Align Digital And Retail Journeys

Although this white paper focuses on strategy, digital execution is central to making the strategy real. The recommendation is to treat Tenzing’s direct channels and retailer presence as one connected system.

Key principles.

• Use DTC and owned channels to tell the full Personal Everest story, including missions, segment specific content, and behind the scenes sustainability work

• Optimise retailer product pages and shelf assets for simple, repeatable claims: natural caffeine, low calories, plant based, climate mindful

• Develop performance dashboards that track conversion by segment, channel, and occasion, not only by flavour or pack

• Test segment specific bundles and formats, such as gym packs, study bundles, and shift worker multipacks, measuring repeat purchase over 6 to 12 month windows

The strategic intent is to move Tenzing from a brand known for “clean energy for climbers” to a system brand that powers a much broader set of modern, health conscious lives.