I tried to find a vending machine that stocks Red Bull Purple Edition
On March 29, 2022, Red Bull Purple Edition was re-released and made a regular offering in vending machines. While the Purple Edition is available in vending machines managed by Kirin, it’s not in every machine, so I was curious about how widely it’s distributed.
By the way, in my area around home, I found the Purple Edition in only one of the two Kirin vending machines within walking distance. I was lucky to come across one on the release day.#PurpleRedBull Found it ✌️#PurpleEdition pic.twitter.com/Wey3GIfCbX
— Energy-Drink Maniac (@energydrinkun) March 29, 2022
This time, I decided to explore an area with a lot of vending machines in a bustling downtown area to see if I could find the Purple Edition.
Searching for the Purple Edition
This time, I visited vending machines around Nishi-Shinjuku. Even with a 20-minute wait, there are so many vending machines that I was able to encounter plenty that carry Kirin and Red Bull products.
First machine. Despite having four Red Bulls, there’s no Purple Edition. It would be nice if they put at least one in.
Second machine: still no luck.
No Purple Edition here either in the third machine.
Finally, the fourth machine! I found the Purple Edition. Maybe it’s not stocked in many machines?
Since I still had time, I continued to the fifth machine. No luck again.
Sixth machine: I’m starting to think the Purple Edition is rare…
Seventh machine. This one isn’t a Kirin machine, but one that mixes different brands. No Purple Edition here either.
Time’s up. There are so many vending machines, so I was able to find quite a few Kirin vending machines.
After finishing my errands, I looked at the vending machines on my way to the station.
Eighth machine. Still no Purple Edition. At this rate, I might not find it at all.
Finally, the ninth machine, located inside the station. No Purple Edition here either. I visited nine Kirin vending machines in total and found the Purple Edition in just one. It seems like it's more rare than I expected, depending on the area.
In busy districts, there are so many vending machines. You’ll often find machines from Coca-Cola, Suntory, Asahi, Dydo, and Kirin, all lined up next to each other, which is pretty interesting. Even though I only had a short amount of time, I was able to visit a lot of vending machines.
Since I went on this vending machine search in early April, shortly after the release, I’m curious whether the Purple Edition will become more widely available or if it will stay as limited as it is now.
Considering there might be issues with transportation from Europe for Red Bull, it’s possible that the current distribution is still limited. I wonder what will happen.
It would be great if the Purple Edition came back to retail stores. It’s hard to find it just by hunting through vending machines.
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Author: Energy Drink-kun
In 2001, while living in the United States, I encountered energy drinks through the dance scene and was deeply impressed. After returning to Japan, I found that energy drinks were considered novelty beverages, so I established a comprehensive website in 2013 to share the true appeal of energy drinks. As an energy drink enthusiast, I began drinking them seriously again, collecting over 7,000 varieties of energy drinks from various countries. I am also active as a critic and expert, receiving media interviews.
Since 2001, Energy Drink Maniac has been drinking energy drinks and providing the most detailed reviews of global energy drinks based on firsthand research.
1540 flavors reviewed.
User reviews: 438 comments.
The collection includes approximately 7,000 types of energy drinks from different countries, sizes, and designs.