People across the UK have gone mad for KSI and Logan Paul's Prime drinks. So much so, in fact, that getting hold of a bottle has often been a difficult process.
At times, not least at the end of December when Aldi got stocks in, there have been crazy scenes at shops as people scramble to secure some. There were big queues at Costco stores recently when it got some stocks in and sold them by the case.
And so it was probably only a matter of time before the dupes started to emerge. It's tough to deny that the bottle, at least, of B&M's Body Fuel doesn't look somewhat similar to Prime.
It's made by Liverpool-based company Applied Nutrition and is exclusive to B&M at the moment. Despite its similar looks, Applied Nutrition has distanced itself from other products. Gareth Powell, Applied Nutrition’s head of product development, criticised the "worrying trend" of sports drinks with high levels of electrolytes.
He told Business Leader: "Simply overloading the body with a single electrolyte to avoid dehydration is the wrong approach and can be counterproductive, with potential health concerns. We have formulated Body Fuel with 665mg of electrolytes, from a multitude of sources, in levels that we believe to be the optimum ratio needed to aid muscle function, rehydration and support most consumers in the widest variety of activities.”
Jamie Greer, from the Liverpool ECHO, managed to get his hands on bottles of both Body Fuel and Prime in Lemon and Lime flavour. He put both to the test to see if they live up to the hype. Here's what he thought:
Design and price
The bottles do look similar, with their large logos and bright colours. You certainly won't miss them in the shop. Body Fuel is priced at £1.25, while Prime is £1.99. Of course, you can end up paying a lot more for Prime at Wakey Wines.
Availability
Despite visiting B&M in the afternoon, there were still a handful Body Fuel drinks left for the recommended price - though only in Lemon and Lime flavour. This was much more straightforward than finding Prime in Liverpool, which is a very much a scarce and costly resource.
Taste
The most important aspect. Body Fuel tastes a looks and tastes a lot like lemonade, which is no bad thing. By contrast, Prime has a citrusy flavour which leaves a distinctive - and in our view, unpleasant - aftertaste. Prime was yellow in colour, while Body Fuel is clear.
Verdict
Overall, Body Fuel is our preferred flavour, which we promise is not merely scouse bias! It's standard flavour is a lot more agreeable than Prime's twist. Of course, it seems a bit of an anti-climax when a brand new energy drink is similar to standard lemonade. However, the aftertaste of Prime is too bitter to handle.
