PepsiCo's Rockstar Is Adding 'Hemp Seed Oil' To It's Newest Energy Drink

PepsiCo’s newest Rockstar energy drink is focused on encouraging consumers to relax with an added twist that the company has never taken on before.

“Rockstar Unplugged” will be infused with hemp seed oil, B vitamins, spearmint, lemon balm, and 80 mg of caffeine. It is also sugar-free and calorie-free.

PepsiCo said in a press release on Tuesday that the new energy drink “focuses less on providing a big hit of energy and more focus on enhancing good vibes with ingredients like hemp seed oil and B vitamins,” PepsiCo said in a press release.

“These elements combined with a fruit-forward energy boost help maintain an easy-going, free-flowing, and soul-fueling attitude for any mood or occasion,” the company added.

Rockstar Unplugged officially launched on Tuesday and is now available in stores nationwide. Its three flavors include blueberry, passion fruit, and raspberry cucumber. The cost is $1.99 for a 12-ounce can.

Fabiola Torres, PepsiCo General Manager and Chief Marketing Officer of the Energy Category, said in the release that around ninety-one percent of its consumers had asked for a new beverage that can “lift their mood.”

“Rockstar Unplugged delivers the ingredients consumers have been asking for, creating an opportunity for us to transform the category and introduce new consumers to our energy portfolio,” Torres said.

Hemp seed oil is non-psychoactive and is different than CBD oil, although both are derived from a cannabis plant. Hemp seed oil has no THC or CBD and can be seen more like a “health supplement,” while CBD is psychoactive and can be used for things like pain and inflammation, according to Medical News Today.

There has been a buzz about PepsiCo entering the CBD-infused beverage industry for years. But in 2018, PepsiCo insisted that it was not interested in entering the “cannabis business” with cannabis-infused products due to “regulatory issues.”