By Ashlee Larrison
GCU News Bureau
Few things on campus are more “GCU” than a cool Stampede energy drink to keep students alert for classes. With the increase of new Lopes on campus, along with the everyday hectic schedules of old Lopes and new, naturally, the Grand Canyon Beverage Company wanted to do something big to meet students' needs.
During the home basketball game against UT-Rio Grande Valley last week, GCBC General Manager Brennan Williams and his team introduced a new 16-ounce can of Stampede and immediately received feedback.
“We literally had a tweet that was just at us, like, ‘Thank you for launching the big can,’” Williams said. “By the time we got to our seats after passing them out at the game for the first time, we already had social media action.”
With the continued success of the 8.4-ounce Stampede, GCBC strove to make this launch bigger and better than the ones before.
“We knew the big can would be a hit,” Williams said. “You’ve seen that with Rockstars and Monsters and stuff like that, so we knew we had to bring that in.”
He hopes the new can will offer Lopes the chance to select just how much of a boost they need, depending on how busy their schedule is. The business prides itself on weaving into the day-to-day lives of the GCU community, and introducing a new size is just the first step toward offering a variety of selections for customers.
Williams said GCBC also is looking into experimenting with different Stampede flavors and even has considered a sugar-free alternative to the popular energy drink.
“It’s got to be something great,” Williams said. “We’ve got to think through it, but we are analyzing all that right now because Stampede is so huge, and if we continue to build on it, it’s huge for us.”
Students see the need for a larger can for those days when the 8.4-ounce simply isn’t enough.
“I usually don’t drink caffeinated beverages unless I really need the pick-me-up, so this is a more efficient way for me to get that pick-me-up without having to run to the Lopes Mart or The Grid to buy a Rockstar or a Monster Energy,” said Cameron Nunley, a student who's a regular Stampede consumer.
Big things are happening within GCBC, and Williams hinted toward another new grab-and-go product that soon will make its way onto the menu. He said students should “probably be expecting another huge announcement at the end of the month.”
Contact GCU staff writer Ashlee Larrison at [email protected] or at 602-639-8488.
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