Justin Lloyd, a senior studying biological engineering, is not the average college student. Lloyd has taken what he’s learned at NC State to create his own brand of energy drinks and relaxation beverages called Angry Angel.
“As far as [combining] the ingredients go, it was really all me because I was able to understand how each ingredient actually worked within the body, not just put it in there just to put it in there,” Lloyd said. “I was able to use my microbiology and my bioengineering classes and everything I learned in those to really put together a product that actually works, and that is a much better alternative than what’s out there right now.”
Working alongside his brother and father, Lloyd has taken his entrepreneurial dream and brought it to life in just 18 months through Angry Angel. He said the company went to South Beach Miami, Florida for New Year’s to let party-goers sample products. He’s also been invited to a trade show in Las Vegas for a conference focusing on the bars, clubs and nightlife in larger cities, which could help with distributing in cities like Raleigh and Charlotte.
Lloyd’s Energy Drink is 50 calories and comes with half the sugar of competing energy drink brands like Redbul l, Nos and Monster, according to Lloyd. He wanted a product with honest ingredients that appeal to the conscientious shopper at Whole Foods, for example, but maintains an edgy design that appeals to males and females of all ages.
“I would pick up an energy drink if I knew it wouldn’t give me a really bad crash in a few hours and if I knew there wasn’t a large amount of sugar in it,” said Tracey Chai, a sophomore studying environmental sciences. “It doesn’t seem worth it to consume so much sugar just for an hour or two of energy.”
Uninterested in creating a beverage similar to others on the market that supply a ‘quick fix’ for caffeine, Lloyd worked to create an all-natural alternative.
“We are very keen on listing all the ingredients on the can and just having an honest product at the end of the day,” he said. “With our product, you don’t need ‘wings.’ Our product just elevates life all on its own; we don’t need any of that extra garbage. We want to promote a healthier lifestyle.”
Angry An g e l is sweetened with tastevia stevia and includes other ingredients such as CoQ10 and yerba mate leaf, according to Lloyd.
“When I was doing my research, I found it interesting because I understand how [the ingredients] work in the body and [how] they help regulate the ATP and the energy producing things within the body that are already there,” Lloyd said. “So [the drink] isn’t adding anything to the body, it’s using what’s already there. It elevates what’s in your body without doing anything that’s going to be detrimental to it.”
Though honest about its ingredients, Angry Angel is a bit of a mystery when it comes to f lavor—which is not labeled outside on the can. The beverage has fruity undertones, but a unique taste, according to Llyod. Lloyd says he wants the consumers to form their own opinions about the energy drink. The f lavor of the beverage is distinct and all its own—it’s Angry Angel.
“I’m normally pretty skeptical of energy drinks because I’m more of a coffee person, but Angry Angel isn’t too high on sugar, and it tasted pretty good without being overwhelmingly sweet,” said Jennifer Melowski, a junior studying psychology.
Lloyd encourages readers to sample the Energy Drink for themselves. Angry Angel can be ordered online at angry-angel.com or at Triangle based Eagles convenience stores. Technician readers can enter the code “GoPack” as a special code at online checkout to get 20 percent off of any order until February 15.
Looking to the future, Lloyd hopes for Angry Angel to be a major competitor to other brands currently out on the market.
“Right now, we’re obviously a product that’s very different from everything out there,” Lloyd said. “In five to 10 years from now, our goal is to be bigger than Redbull ever is, was or will be. We want a piece of that market and we’re going to be a bull in a china shop coming to get it.”
