CHICAGO - Despite the ubiquity of energy drinks and shots, sales of relaxation drinks, led by brands Drank, Slow Cow, Purple Stuff and Jones GABA, are on the rise, Reuters reports.

"There is clear potential for further growth in the coming years," said Cecilia Martinez, market analyst at UK-based beverage research group Zenith International.

Roughly 22.4 million cases of relaxation drinks were sold in 2010, double the amount sold in 2008. By 2014, U.S. sales are expected to reach 50 million cases, or 79 million gallons.

The sales increase is significant, but still well below those of energy drinks, which sold 357 million gallons in 2009, according to Zenith.

"Consumption trends of America show that Americans are always willing to try out new things ?" relaxation drinks might be one of those things," said NPD Group Food & Beverage analyst Darren Seifer, who said smaller niches are poised to reap greater market share over the next ten years.

"Relaxation drinks could bring new life into beverages," Seifer said.

For more on relaxation drinks, see "Time to Chill" in the January 2011 issue of NACS Magazine.