Prime Hydration‘s energy drink line is a key part of a retail empire that delivered a reported $250 million in sales in its first year. Those gaudy numbers are a triumph for Prime co-founders Logan Paul and KSI, but the beverage brand’s runaway success is also drawing scrutiny from U.S. authorities. In a recent address, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) called on the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to investigate Prime energy drinks and their potential effects on minors.
Schumer discussed Prime during a press conference in New York on July 9. The long-serving Senator claimed that each 12-ounce can of Prime Energy contains “an eye-popping level of caffeine.” He wrote a letter to the FDA in hopes of initiating a probe at the federal agency.
As listed on the Prime website, the brand’s energy drinks contain 200 milligrams of caffeine per can. That’s equivalent to about two cups of coffee or about six cans of Coca-Cola. During Schumer’s press conference, Dr. Edith R. Brancho-Sanchez said that excessive amounts of caffeine can cause numerous problems for children, including headaches, anxiety, and sleep issues.
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An FAQ on the Prime website cautions that “PRIME Energy is not recommended for children under the age of 18.” In a statement, Prime spokesperson Alyx Sealy reiterated the brand’s willingness to do right by its customer base. “As a brand, our top priority is consumer safety, so we welcome discussions with the FDA or any other organization regarding suggested industry changes they feel are necessary in order to protect consumers,” the statement reads.
But Schumer isn’t just concerned about Prime Energy’s caffeine content. He also questioned the brand’s marketing strategy, which includes endorsements from its influential co-founders. “A lot of parents may not have ever heard of it, but their kids have,” Schumer said. “That’s because Prime is engaged in a vast advertising campaign aimed at kids.”
Prime ramped up its advertising efforts after launching its energy drink line at the start of the year. By buying ad space during the Super Bowl and inking partnerships with major sports organizations, Paul and KSI (real name J.J. Olatunji) have turned their co-branded beverages into must-have items. Teenagers in KSI’s native U.K. have rushed into stores in order to buy Prime items for themselves.
Amid that frenzy, some consumers have been confused about the different products Prime sells. Its original hydration beverage comes in bottles, while the energy drinks come in cans, but the two beverages utilize similar branding.
The FDA is reviewing Schumer’s letter and will decide whether to launch an investigation into Prime. In the meantime, the company’s co-founders are staying quiet about any regulatory concerns. On the same day as Schumer’s press conference, KSI celebrated a UFC win by Alex Volkanovski, who is sponsored by Prime. Paul, meanwhile, got engaged to Danish model Nina Agdal.
