“Energy Candy” startup Ruly has launched to the trade. Currently trialling in forecourts and independent retailers, the first SKUs available to the Trade will be Tropical and Red Berry.
Ruly was founded in 2024 by restaurant founder turned management consultant Sophie Murray and Finance Director Lydia Franks. The demanding jobs of the founders inspired Ruly: they needed flavour-first, tasty pick-me-up to power through the afternoon slumps, and an alternative to the office birthday cake, sickly energy drinks, or a bit-too-late-in-the-day cup of coffee. They came up with a gummy-style sweet that gives a sustained, controlled energy to ‘rule the day’ – which also had the additional benefit to help give them a boost for weekend runs. The founders say ‘micro-boosting’ caffeine is the way to control your energy boost and not experience the crash that sugary energy drinks can cause, and the name Ruly is inspired by ruling the day, and to be the opposite of ‘unruly’ – being in control.
The pair claim a UK market-first: unlike sports focussed single-dose energy gummies, the energy sweets are made by expert confectioners, rather than supplement manufacturers and designed as a full-bag treat that you eat like candy, and taste like candy. Each 42g pack contains 80mg of caffeine, with guarana and B vitamins.
Murray and Franks estimate that the UK energy candy market could reach £640m, based on parallels with the growth of energy drinks.
Lydia Franks says: “We believe that the energy market needs an innovative new product and is ripe for disruption. We have analysed data and used the relationship between energy drinks and soft drinks and then applied this to energy sweets versus sweets, and we believe that energy gummies made by confectioners could be worth up to £640 million in the UK.
In 2023, the Sports and Energy Drinks market was worth £3.1bn. The carbonated soft drinks market was worth £9.2bn in 2023. This shows a 34% market size for Energy Drinks versus carbonated soft drinks. If we apply the same 34% market size to sugar confectionery – worth £1.9bn in 2023 versus energy candy, we’re looking at a market size of potentially £640m. We’re aiming high – Red Bull’s market share currently sits at 19%, we’re potentially looking at retail sales of £120m in the UK alone. If sales are not progressing with certain energy brands at the moment, it’s indicative that the market is ripe for innovation. That’s where Ruly steps in.”
Sophie Murray says: “We’re giving consumers control, retailers a fresh impulse line, and the energy category a serious boost. We want to control energy through our delicious products. Energy drinks are typically consumed in one go, while Ruly gives you ultimate convenience and control: grab a bag and snack at your own pace – we’re calling it ‘micro-boosting’. We’re hitting the sweet spot between function, energy and confectionery. We want to do what Red Bull did for the soft drinks industry – though this time we’re supercharging sweets.”
