Shoppers have been queueing ahead of opening time at Aldi stores across Scotland to get a hold of Prime Hydration drinks. The sports drink is hugely popular among youngsters
Bottles of Prime are available at Aldi stores for a limited time, putting shoppers back £1.99, and they are available at Asda for the same rate - although they often sell out. Some retailers are marking up the price of Prime, due to its scarcity, with one Kilmarnock store reportedly selling bottles for £12.50.
The viral drink, created by YouTube personalities KSI and Logan Paul, has been flying off the shelves. It even has a tracker app so that shoppers can check availability before heading to a store.
So, for those who are still baffled by the sports drink, and the grip that it appears to have on the younger generations, here is everything you need to know about Prime Hydration drinks.
What is Prime Hydration?
Prime was launched by Olajide Olatunji - better known as KSI - and Logan Paul, alongside supplier and distributor Congo Brands. The company was launched earlier in 2022 and is available in the UK and the United States.
The two business partners fought each other in a professional boxing match in 2019, which is why it was a surprising collaboration for many at first. They fought in a celebrity match before that, in 2018, with the first bout ending in a draw and KSI winning the second by split decision.
In a joint statement, the pair said: "We created PRIME to showcase what happens when rivals come together as brothers and business partners to fill the void where great taste meets function."
There are a number of flavours including 'Lemon Lime', 'Blue Raspberry' and 'Ice Pop'. According to supplier Congo Brand, Prime contains 2g of sugar, 25 calories, 250mg of BCAA's, 830 mg of electrolytes, plus vitamins and antioxidants. This may vary by flavour.
While Prime is seen as a better alternative to other hydration drinks as it has no added sugar, the bulk of its popularity likely comes from the YouTube superstars.
Why is it so hard to get a hold of?
While it enjoyed a successful launch in the United States, Prime has experienced much more demand in the UK than it has been able to supply. Initially, the only supermarket in the UK that was selling the drink was Asda, which is owned by Walmart, one of the American stores that stock Prime.
Due to the huge demand in its UK launch, Prime was quick to sell out in many Asda stores. KSI also alleged on Twitter that the drink was being sold on the "black market".
In October of 2022, he tweeted: "This annoys me so much. We’re trying so hard to increase the supply as much as possible to try and combat the black market selling. Me and Logan ain’t made any money from Prime. It’s all going back into the business to increase the supply."
On The Fellas podcast, KSI added: "It’s always sold out man. Honestly, people are selling it on the black market. I kid you not, the only place you’re meant to get Prime is Asda and Arsenal stadium, but people are getting it at petrol stations."
In December, it was announced that Prime would be available in Aldi stores across the UK from December 29 for a limited time. And due to the huge demand purchase limit of one of each variant per customer has been set.
An Aldi press release read: "The drink will be a Specialbuy – and as with all Specialbuys, once they’re gone, they’re gone!"
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