The story of Redbull

   Red Bull is a famous energy drink manufactured by an Austrian company since 1987.
   Today Red Bull is known worldwide as an image of extreme sports, but its origins are in a totally different environment, rural Thailand.
   In 1976, pharmacist Chaleo Yoovidhya introduced the energy drink called Krating Daeng, which means red gaur (Indian bison), sold in a glass bottle with two red bulls on the label.
   The energy drink was very popular with truck drivers and factory workers, as it allowed them to work double shifts.
   In 1982, the austrian toothpaste salesman Dietrich Mateschitz was on holiday in Thailand when he found Krating Daeng which cured his hangover and jet lag.
   Dietrich saw this as an opportunity and offered Chaleo a 49 percent share in the company if they would allow taking the energy drink globally. He accepted and the Austrian company Redbull Gmbh was founded in 1987.
   The ingredients were modified to suit local taste, and original sweetness was reduced while carbonation was added.
   The company expanded, and began exporting to Hungary and Slovenia in 1992, Germany and UK in 1994, and in U.S. it launched in 1997 where it reached a phenomenal 47% market share of American energy drinks in 2005.
   The first years were tough and the company was low on advertising budget, so it hired students to drive cars with a big Red Bull can strapped on top and asked them to go in college campuses and give away free samples at parties.
   Dietrich did not patent the recipe of Red Bull energy drink, but made a fortune from selling it inventively. He is the only billionaire in Austria, ranked #260 in the 2008 Forbes' World's Billionaires list.