There are many people more qualified than I to take the energy drink industry to task. Many people have already done so, and have done it much more eloquently than I ever could. But allow me my 2 cents.

To all the dinosaurs and bulls: you taste bad.

You are allowed some slack, of course, seeing that you created a new industry. You are learning as you go, and some of you learn faster than the others.

One day, and maybe that day is now, the proverbial reckoning-moment will arrive. The warning signs are on the wall. Those drinks that taste bad will not last. It does not matter if you keep throwing advertising money at the situation in order to convince people that what they are tasting is something palatable, or that an energy rush is more important than taste. If your product tastes bad, why should anyone drink it?

You should be able to see that you are heading in the wrong direction, so you have time to change your yucky ways. Are you working on other flavors? Are you working to improve your brand and ingredients and after-taste?

It is interesting to see the larger companies enter the niche and dominate the gas station fridges with their bad-tasting products. It is also interesting to see the smaller companies who "get it". So many of these smaller companies deserve to have their products brought to a bigger market.

But before we go further, let me say: ENERGY DRINKS DO NOT HAVE TO TASTE BAD! Why do so many companies insist on making a product that I do not want to drink? Face it: you are only moving product because of 1) advertising, 2) people who do not know any better, 3) lack of options in a given store, 4) the small amount of people who do legitimately like your product.

What is going to happen when people start discovering other drinks that taste better than yours and offer a better energy rush? That is right: you are going to lose market share.

Suggestion #1 (for the Big-Guys): instead of having 4 or 5 rows of shelf space in the fridges in the stores that are filled with your terrible-tasting yet well-marketed drink, why not fill each row with a different flavor? Does GM only have one car model? No. But you should really just do away with the whole bitter thing you have going on; do not just diversify; pull a 180.

Suggestion #2 (for the Little-Guys): while the big dinosaur drink companies are slow-moving to understand the future (and the basic concept that people do not like things that taste like garbage), keep marketing. Do some taste-tests with consumers...or better yet, do taste-tests with the executives or purchasing managers of the gas station chains and convenience stores. I think there can be no bigger wake-up call to those that control the store shelf-space than to taste something great and then taste the junk they have been selling.

Suggestion #3 (to everyone): energy-light versions and energy-heavy versions. Ever thought of it? As far as I know, no one is doing it. Why not be first-to-market?

Suggestion #4 (to everyone): little cans, big cans, giant cans...but no normal cans. Why? What is the deal with the big cans anyway? It is not necessary. Why is it that no one comes out with a drink in a normal sized can? Can someone please do it? The small skinny cans do not bug me too much, but enough is enough. And the big cans are too big (and I will not comment on the giant cans). Could someone please just take on a normal format? Maybe that decision will get some of your drinks into some vending machines. Hmmm...more distribution opportunities; that cannot be bad.

There is no telling how the future will unfold, but changes need to be made. It looks to me like there are some holes in the market and despite the 200 or so energy products out there, there is still room for a few smaller independents to surge forward and take a bigger chunk of the pie.

Just remember this: all you drink companies who insist on forcing the junky bitter drinks on everyone, your days are numbered. It is time for change.

Alex S. loves to review the best energy drinks and energy pills at his blogs. He is always looking for more energy products to try. While at the drink blog, make sure to check out the latest Rock Star Energy Drink review.