Brain-Boosting Beverages

Nootropics are chemical substances, natural or synthetic, that are believed to improve concentration, memory, self-control, wakefulness, and mental acuity. They have been growing as an ingredient in powdered supplements (often in a collector’s bundle, with a shaker) and ready-to-drink (RTD) beverages, and have become an expanding area of interest for collaborations and celebrity investment. Nootropic products are often formulated specifically to give gamers an edge, and owners of properties that appeal to that market, from anime to esports brands, dominate. But the activity goes beyond that realm as well. 

Some of the companies involved in nootropics, with small representative samples of their partners in collaboration, include: 

• U.K.-based Player Ammo, which has partnered with the likes of Popeye (represented by Bulldog Licensing in the U.K.) and the anime properties Baki and Dragon Ball Z (both licensed by Reemsborko in the territory).

• Wraith Energy, which was created “by gamers, for gamers” and is located in the U.K. It leans toward collaborations with horror-themed properties such as Terrifier, a cult-classic film franchise featuring Art the Clown, from American filmmaker Damien Leone. Wraith is also involved in a wide variety of influencer partnerships and in sponsorships with sports such as skateboarding and BMX.  

• Gamers Only, based in Germany, which has worked with properties including Hatsune Miku, represented by Reemsborko in the European market, as well as Hello Kitty (with agent Wildbrain CPLG) and Take-Two Interactive’s Borderlands. 

• Gamer Supps GG, headquartered in the U.S., which has paired with mostly Japanese IPs, including Gloomy Bear from artist Mori Chack. The company has a content creator program in which Vtubers, artists of edgy kawaii- and anime-style art, and other influencers create limited-edition shakers, packaging, and merchandise. 

• U.S.-based G Fuel, which makes powdered supplements incorporating nootropics and has a wide variety of licensing relationships with the owners of video game, anime, and similar properties. A few of the many IPs that have lent themselves to one or more special-edition releases with G Fuel include One Piece, Doom, Rainbow Six, Critical Role, Hatsune Miku, Gundam Wing, Bendy, Poppy Playtime, Sonic, and Assassin’s Creed. 

• Sneak Energy, headquartered in the U.K., has created limited editions based on TV and film properties such as Alien: Romulus, The Terminator, and Dragon Ball Z, among others. It was also the official energy supplement of the esports team NRG for a time. 

• Go Mate, an internet-first, yerba mate-based RTD drink marketer based in Wales, which counts Sergio Agüero, soccer player and founder of Argentinian e-sports organization Krü, as an key investor. It has paired with Danish e-sports organization Astralis to feature the latter’s astronaut mascot on its cans, among other elements of the partnership. More collaborations with e-sports teams and players are planned down the road, the company says.   

• U.S.-based Local Weather, which is positioned as a nootropic-boosted hydration drink for Gen Z consumers. It was co-founded by A.J. Vaynerchuk, a digital entrepreneur and co-founder of Vaynerchuk Media, and NFL quarterback Russell Wilson. The RTD products, with the tagline “Mind & Body Hydration,” are sold in health food stores including Whole Foods and Fresh Thyme, across the U.S. Unlike many nootropic products, this is geared toward a market that is more sports-minded than gaming-focused. 

• Kin Euphorics, founded by model Bella Hadid along with Jen Batchelor, is a functional beverage with a focus on offering a nonalcoholic alternative for evening social situations, while helping users to “tune your mood and activate the power, energy, and peace that is already in you.”   

Nootropic beverages and supplements are part of the broader functional wellness space, which also includes products containing protein for physical strength (where collaborations tend to skew toward sports, superheroes, and sweet flavor-based IPs), adaptogenic offerings for relaxation and counteracting anxiety and stress (with celebrities being particularly active), and products containing other substances such as caffeine for energy. There is some overlap among the sectors; several of the examples mentioned here contain proteins and/or adaptogenics as well as nootropics, for example. 

Sales of functional beverages in the U.S. increased 54% from 2020 to 2024, according to Nielsen IQ, and the category now accounts for 10% of the non-alcoholic beverage market. The trends are similar globally. It follows that functional beverages and supplements of all types, including nootropic-based offerings, have been an increasingly active sector for licensing and collaboration during that time, and there seems to be no end in sight.