Gristedes and D’Agostino pull Logan Paul’s energy drink Prime from shelves due to concerns for children’s health – as FDA investigates drink’s sky-high caffeine levels

A major New York City grocery chain will stop selling YouTuber Logan Paul’s energy drink due to concerns for children’s health.

John Catsimatidis, CEO of Big Apple grocery store chains Gristedes and D’Agostino, announced the 28 popular stores across the city will no longer stock the drink that launched this year and has been a top-seller among young people.

The move comes less than a month after the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) began a probe into the drink’s sky-high levels of caffeine.

The drink contain 200 milligrams of caffeine per 12 ounces – six times the amount in a can of Coca-Cola and double a regular Red Bull. 

Mere days after the drink hit UK shelves, a child in Wales suffered a cardiac arrest after guzzling the drink and doctors had to pump their stomach.

While the drink is meant to be sold only to over-18s, it is still accessible and appealing to children with flavors like blue raspberry, tropical punch, and lemon lime. This tees up a tough battle for the FDA in its quest to better regulate the drink, an issue reminiscent of widespread youth use of flavored e-cigarettes.

John Catsimatidis, CEO of Big Apple grocery store chains Gristedes and D’Agostino has chosen to pull Prime energy drinks from shelves across nearly 30 stores in New York City

The drink, by YouTube stars KSI and Logan Paul, is under heightened scrutiny by the Food and Drug Administration over concerns that sky-high caffeine concentrations are harming children to whom the drink is marketed

Prime was co-founded by YouTube star Logan Paul and KSI and has gained popularity through feverish social media and influencer marketing.

By pulling the drinks from 28 stores city-wide, Mr Catsimatidis has taken a step further than the FDA in what he considers to be an important step toward protecting children’s health.

He said: ‘We listen to our customers and we have fears about the concerns for the health of kids as it relates to Prime and the beverage’s caffeine levels and marketing, so will not be stocking it at this time.

‘We could always reconsider, but we would put our own warning labels on the shelf.’

Prime has 200 milligrams of caffeine per 12 ounces – six times that of a can of Coca-Cola and double a regular Red Bull. And it is wildly popular among children.

Those who consume the beverage can suffer a rapid heart rate and disturbed sleep in the short-term and anxiety and difficulty sleeping in the long-term. 

School administrators including Rebecca Brown, health services coordinator for the  Wilmington, Massachusetts’ school district have said child ‘entrepreneurs’ have taken to bringing them to school and selling them to classmates at lunch.

Ms Brown said the drinks – which sold like gangbusters with the students – immediately started to give them health problems.

‘Not long after drinking them, the students showed up in the health office saying they didn’t feel good and that their hearts were racing,’ Brown added.

Eventually, she had to send a note to parents in the school district asking them to not send their students to school with the drinks.

The drinks have already been banned in schools across the United Kingdom and Australia.

Prime was launched by YouTube stars KSI and Logan Paul who have 24.1million and 23.6million followers, respectively 

According to a warning on the drink’s official website, it is not recommended for children under 18, pregnant or nursing women, or individuals who are sensitive to caffeine.

However, there are no known restrictions for purchasing the drink in the US. In the UK, on the other hand, the minimum age to buy them is 16.

A young student in Wales allegedly suffered a ‘cardiac episode’ upon downing the beverage back in May.

Administrators at the school sent a letter to parents about the incident, saying: ‘This morning a parent has reported that their child has had a cardiac episode over the weekend after drinking a Prime energy drink.

‘The child had to have their stomach pumped and although better now the parent wanted us to share this as a reminder of the potential harmful effects.’