Conor McGregor is back in the beverage business, this time trading whiskey barrels for caffeine, ketones and a very crowded shelf.
The UFC star announced MAC Energy on April 28 at the Beverage Forum in California, presenting the drink as his next major business venture after Proper No. Twelve Whiskey, the brand he founded before it was later acquired by Proximo Spirits.
A new play in a $90 billion category
McGregor positioned MAC Energy as his entry into the global energy drink market, which he described as a “$90bn per annum” category in a post on X.
He wrote: “Hey folks, I have founded my latest venture. My creation for the $90bn per annum energy drinks category. However, it is unlike any other. It is the ONLY energy drink with 5grams of the ketone ‘BHB’ inside. The ‘energy’ ketone. I also have this ketone patented.”
That “unlike any other” claim is the central pitch. MAC Energy is being marketed as a functional energy drink built around sustained focus and performance, rather than the quick spike-and-crash formula often associated with the category.
What is in MAC Energy?
According to details shared around the launch, each can contains:
- 200mg of natural caffeine
- 250mg of Cognizin
- Active ketones, including 5 grams of BHB
- No sugar
A promotional video for the brand describes MAC Energy as a “clean” energy option designed to support steady output, mental clarity and focus.
The drink is scheduled to launch on July 12, with flavors including Forbidden Green Apple, Proper Punch and Orange Creamsicle. Subtle naming? Not exactly. But McGregor has rarely built a business around being subtle.
McGregor returns to beverages
The move is notable because McGregor already has a track record in the drinks industry. Proper No. Twelve Whiskey became one of his most visible ventures outside UFC before Proximo Spirits acquired the brand.
With MAC Energy, he is entering a different but equally competitive market. Athlete-backed drinks have become serious business in recent years, with Logan Paul and KSI’s Prime and Lionel Messi’s Mas+ among the high-profile names already fighting for attention.
McGregor’s angle is clear: make MAC Energy less about celebrity branding alone and more about a performance formula, specifically the inclusion of BHB ketones. Whether that distinction cuts through in a packed category will depend on distribution, taste, pricing and whether consumers buy the science as much as the name on the can.
For now, McGregor has put another product into the ring, and this one arrives with caffeine, ketones and a July 12 date circled on the calendar.
