Dietrich Mateschitz

It’s 1982 and a toothpaste salesman from Austria walks into the Mandarin Oriental Hotel in Bangkok.

Jetlagged and weary from the long haul flight he turned to the local drink Krating Daeng as a recommendation to help pick him up.

Krating Daeng was an energy drink created by Chaleo Yoovidhya for truckers, farmers, construction workers and anyone else in need of an energy boost.

That first sip was the start of the end as a toothpaste salesman. 5 years later and Dietrich, in partnership with Chaleo, would rebrand and market Krating Daeng as an energy drink called; Red Bull. It worked out pretty well.

Moral of the story? Embrace the culture, you never know what might taste good.