Explainer: PRIME drinks are going for €18 a bottle in Cork — but what's actually in them? 

Have your kids been asking you to buy PRIME drinks for them?

An Irish dietitian has advised parents to be wary of what’s actually in PRIME drinks, which have people – including children – in a tailspin in Ireland and across the globe. Here’s what you need to know.

What is PRIME?

PRIME is a range of drinks by a company called Congo Brands, being promoted by English rapper and social media star KSI, and US Youtuber Logan Paul, who have a combined TikTok follower count of 27m and almost 40m on YouTube. Videos with the #primehydration hashtag on TikTok have been viewed over 591m times.

KSI and Logan Paul advertising Prime Drinks. 

The drinks come in Hydration and Energy bottle varieties, as well as Hydration+ Sticks, with a range of flavours including Ice Pop, Blue Raspberry, Meta Moon, Tropical Punch. Lemon Lime, Grape and Orange.

Why is it in the news?

PRIME has been in the headlines due to customers fighting in stores to get their hands on the product, as well as the extortionate prices the products are being sold for due to demand.

From the official website, a 12-pack of PRIME hydration costs $29.99 (€27.70) or about $2.50 each (€2.30). However, the bottles are being sold for multiple times their recommended retail price online and in stores. In Cork, a local spar has sold bottles for €15 a pop, with another outlet in the city advertising them for €18 per bottle on TikTok.

At the moment, none of Ireland’s chain supermarkets are selling the product, and while Aldi in the UK did get them in for a 'Special Buy' back in December (leading to what one Twitter user described as “absolute carnage” as adults and children fought over the products), Aldi Ireland has confirmed they have no plans to stock the drinks here.

Absolute carnage in Aldi… people trying to get hold of prime #aldi #prime pic.twitter.com/FgQbxQCQ0X

— Mark Hall 🔰 (@markbenhall) December 29, 2022

Responding to a TikTok from a shop owner in the UK who said customers were paying up to £100 for a single can of Prime, KSI told BBC's Newsbeat he "hates" the resale market and thinks it's "taking advantage of people because of the hype". 

Recently, the pair revealed that the company raked in m (€42.3m) in Prime sales in January alone.

What is in the drinks?

PRIME Hydration is made up of coconut water, BCAAs (branched-chain amino acids), antioxidants, electrolytes, preservatives and artificial sweeteners. It contains no sugar or caffeine and is gluten-free. It has 25 calories per bottle. The PRIME Hydration+ Sticks are a water-soluble, powdered version of this product.

PRIME Energy is made up of coconut water, BCAAs, vitamin B, antioxidants, electrolytes, preservatives, artificial sweeteners and 200mg of caffeine. It is also sugar-free and contains 20 calories per bottle.

To put that into perspective, a can of Red Bull has about 80 milligrams of caffeine, and Monster Energy would have around 160 milligrams. The average cup of coffee contains around 100 to 200 milligrams.

PRIME’s website states that the Energy variety is “not recommended for children under the age of 18, women who are pregnant or nursing, or individuals who are sensitive to caffeine”.

Should I let my child drink it?

“None of these are ingredients you want children to be consuming on a regular basis,” according to dietitian Maria Lucey RD ( @marialuceyrd_dietitian on Instagram). 

She said describing PRIME Energy as an “energy drink” is also “very misleading”.

“These drinks contain less than 25 calories per bottle. Calories provide energy or fuel for the body and growing children need a lot of energy – this is not a source.

“If you are looking for hydration you would be better off drinking milk,” she said, “there is nothing special about Prime.” 

“Milk is packed with nutrients and is a much more effective sports recovery drink due to its naturally occurring carbohydrates (energy), proteins (muscle recovery) and electrolytes (re-hydration).

‘You would be better off drinking milk’ advises dietitian Maria Lucey

“Milk also naturally contains many of the vitamins that have been added in to the Prime drinks (vitamin A, Vitamin B12 and potassium).

“We know that vitamins naturally found in food and drinks are much better absorbed by the body”.

And while the drinks are sugar-free, Ms Lucey said "it is important to be aware that acidic drinks are also not good for children’s teeth”.

Artificial sweeteners are largely deemed safe for use, but Ms Lucey advises being mindful that “the more exposure that young children have to artificial sweeteners, the more likely they are to prefer those highly sweet options”.

Prime also contains BCAAS (branched chain amino acids) which have been shown to “help with recovery, reduce muscle soreness and prevent muscle wasting”, she said.

“However, BCAAs can be found in the food you eat (meat, poultry, fish, eggs, dairy and beans) and do not need to be sourced from an ‘energy drink’.

“Generally speaking PRIME hydration may be a better alternative to other hydration and energy drinks since it has no added sugar and fewer concerning ingredients. 

"However, as a whole energy drinks should not play a large part in any child’s diet,” she said.