# Twisted Candy Energy Shots The Red Licorice 5-Hour Energy Shot is Tangy, Sweet & Nostalgic By Laura McQuarrie | Published 2026-04-13 | Lifestyle Source: Trend Hunter, https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/red-licorice-5hour-energy-shot References: [stack3d](https://www.stack3d.com/2026/03/red-licorice-5-hour-energy.html) & [5hourenergy](https://5hourenergy.com/products/red-licorice-flavor-extra-strength-5-hour-energy-shots)  On National Licorice Day, 5-hour Energy launched a Red Licorice 5-Hour Energy Shot, reimagining a classic red rope candy as a bright, smooth source of energy with a tangy-sweet taste. This nostalgic, zero-sugar, zero-calorie energy shot boasts a juicy strawberry taste with a subtle tanginess, plus the 5-hour ENERGY blend of B vitamins, nutrients and caffeine. Ideal for licorice fans, this energy shot is a limited-time release that won't be around forever, and it promises to entice fans of other fruity, indulgent 5-hour Energy flavors like Cotton Candy and Fruity Rainbow, as well as Confetti Craze, Cherry or Strawberry Banana. While not everyone is a licorice lover, this flavor activates passionate advocates and nudges the unconverted toward other offerings in the lineup. ## Trend Insights (Trend Hunter) - Score: 5.9/10 - Popularity: 45% | Activity: 61% | Freshness: 71% - Audience gender: 50% men, 50% women - Primary generations: Gen Z, Millennial - Top markets: North America ## Categories [Trend Hunter](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends) > [Lifestyle](https://www.trendhunter.com/lifestyle) > [Drinking](https://www.trendhunter.com/drinking) ## Key Themes ### What's Driving This Trend - **Nostalgic Flavor Reboots:** Reimagining childhood candies into adult-focused functional formats creates emotional resonance that can shift purchase decisions toward premium, experience-driven products. - **Candy-inspired Functional Beverages:** Combining indulgent confectionery profiles with zero-calorie, nutrient- or caffeine-forward formulations introduces novel product categories that blur treat and supplement boundaries. - **Limited Edition Scarcity Marketing:** Time-limited flavor drops tied to cultural moments or holidays amplify urgency and collectibility, fostering intensified brand engagement and secondary demand cycles. ### Who This Affects Most - **Beverage Manufacturing:** Formulation teams and production lines adapting to concentrated, portable formats and unconventional flavor palettes can unlock new manufacturing and packaging paradigms. - **Confectionery Collaborations:** Partnerships between candy brands and functional-product makers open opportunities for co-branded IP, shared flavor libraries, and cross-category distribution strategies. - **Retail Promotional Experiences:** In-store and omnichannel activations that highlight nostalgia-driven limited releases can reshape merchandising tactics and drive episodic traffic surges. ## Related on Trend Hunter - [Candy-Flavored Energy Shots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/5hour-energy-tasty-caffeine.md) - [Confident Energy Shots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/main-character-5hour-energy.md) - [Energy Shot Tumblers](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/5hour-energy-mini-tumbler.md) - [Caffeinated Barbecue Sauces](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/energizing-bbq-sauce.md) - [Smoothie-Like Energy Shots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/summer-smoothie-energy-shot.md) - [Energizing Gold-Plated Cufflinks](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/5-hour-energy-cufflinks.md) - [Energizing Mocktail Recipes](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/confetti-cake-break-mocktail.md) - [Golfer-Targeted Energy Shots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/transfusion-5hour-energy.md) - [Seasonally Flavored Energy Shots](https://www.trendhunter.com/trends/5-hour-energy-2.md)