‘Everyone needs to drink Prime’: YouTube stars Logan Paul, KSI’s cult drink resold for 525 per cent extra
Adelaide kids are so desperate to share social media snaps with the highly-coveted energy drink, they’ve have started an “underground market”.
SA News
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South Australian kids have developed an “underground market” for exclusive drinks that have stirred a social media storm.
Famed YouTubers Logan Paul and KSI, who boast a combined YouTube following of more than 47.7m subscribers, launched Prime last year with their range quickly becoming a must-have for fans around the world.
Kids are desperate to get their hands on the American company’s drinks but the energy drink range will not be available in Australia in its US form.
The Food Standards Australia New Zealand has not received an application from Prime to sell an energy drink.
The American version contains 200mg of caffeine per 355ml can – close to double the amount of caffeine allowed in beverages in Australia.
Instead a Prime spokesperson confirmed it is on the cusp of launching its hydration range, which does not contain caffeine, in the country.
While an official launch is still some weeks away, some Adelaide shops have managed to provide stock to thirsty customers.
Bigger Stronger Faster Supplements in Mawson Lakes had the drink stocked late last year but store manager Adam Craig said it did not last long.
“It sold out in two days,” he said. “Kids are going crazy for it.”
Despite selling out, the supplement store continues to get “15 to 20 calls a day” and even more direct messages on Instagram from parents and kids asking if it stocks Prime.
Mr Craig said the store was considering installing an automated answering machine telling callers they do not have the sought-after product and to hold the line if they have any other questions.
Bigger Stronger Faster Supplements sold the drink for $8 a bottle with customers usually buying multiple at a time.
Mr Craig said resellers would buy upwards of 72 bottles to resell at schools and online.
“We had no caps to begin with but when we realised we had to … we put a limit on it,” he said.
“I’ve been, not abused, but had angry parents saying how upset their kids are going to be (that we don’t have it in stock),” Mr Craig said.
The supplement store even had 30 bottles stolen.
Mr Craig does not understand the hype saying Prime is exactly like Gatorade.
One of the Mawson Lakes store’s regular customers is Marcela Lasera, a mum of two teenage boys who can’t get enough of the YouTuber’s drink.
“They are so exclusive and hard to get your hands on,” Ms Lasera, who buys multiple bottles for Carlito, 14 and Santiago, 12, to resell to their friends for a mark up, said.
“It gives them popularity status,” she said.
The mum said some bottles resold for up to $50 – a 525 per cent mark up.
For Ms Lasera providing Prime for her sons was a way to foster entrepreneurial skills and teach them the value of money.
Carlito and Santiago sell Prime in an “underground market” to friends to be able to support buying the drink for their less fortunate friends who cannot afford it.
Ms Lasera said “from a parents point of view, it’s not drugs, it’s not alcohol, it’s vitamin water” and participating in the “market” teaches kids about business.
“It’s a cult status for them … everyone needs to drink Prime,” she said.
“They post on social media that they’re drinking it.”
Woolworths will sell Prime’s hydration range including tropical punch, blue raspberry, ice pop and lemon lime flavours in 500ml bottles.
“We know there’s a lot of interest in this product and it will be available nationally in the coming weeks,” a Woolworths spokesperson said.
A Coles spokesperson said the it had no plans to stock any Prime products.
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