Thirst for Red Bull accelerates

Red Bull sponsors Formula One racing teams

Demand for Red Bull reached a peak last year, with its Austrian owner reporting record sales of the high-energy drink.

An accelerated performance in Africa, South America and Asia helped to lift the firm's sales by 17% to 3bn euros ($4.4bn; £2.3bn).

It said the drink that "gives you wings" sold 3.5 billion cans worldwide, as fans shrugged off concerns about caffeine levels.

Red Bull is a private firm, 49% owned by its founder, Dietrich Mateschitz.

"Productivity and profits also improved in 2007 compared with the already impressive 2006 figures," the company said.

It added that the figures "represent an all-time high in Red Bull's history."

The company has come under fire in the past for being linked with health problems.

But these have never been proved and its popularity has soared with sponsorship of extreme sports and, most notably, Formula One racing teams.