We’re all for small businesses embracing their entrepreneurial spirit, but Wakey Wines may have taken things a tad too far with its exploitative upselling of the popular PRIME sports drinks. If you’re one of the few who are lucky enough to have avoided the viral videos from the account on TikTok, here’s a brief rundown on the internet’s latest obsession: Wakey Wines is a Wakefield-based corner shop situated in the heart of the North of England. PRIME is yet another energy drink company that somehow managed to sell out everywhere due to the fact that divisive yet popular YouTubers KSI and Logan Paul are behind it.
Following the drink’s success, the owner of the aforementioned corner shop, Mohammad Azar Nazir, saw an opportunity to make a pretty penny while also enjoying a bit of time in the TikTok limelight.
Up until recently, the scarce and highly sought-after PRIME drink was available from Nazir’s shop, but with a more than modest markup. The drink—which retails at £1.99 when it isn’t sold out—was being sold by Nazir for £100 a pop. Customers who visited Wakey Wines in search of it eventually found themselves on TikTok alongside Nazir sharing the glory—or shame, you decide—of their cross-country pilgrimage.
@wakey_winesofficial All the way from Sheffield to buy a 12 pack of prime cans#wakeywines #wfdsweets
♬ original sound - Wakey Wines
While it may seem utterly ridiculous to some of you, people really are that desperate to get their hands on a can of PRIME, with customers reportedly travelling hours across the UK just for a chance to taste the popular beverage.
One visitor spent £1,200 on a box of the drinks, topped off with a single packaged pickle. You’ve got to see this for yourself.
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KSI took to TikTok to criticise the drink flipping entrepreneur, begging fans to not waste all that money on the beverage. The YouTuber turned rapper exclaimed “Oh my God, noooooo! He can’t keep getting away with it. Stop buying at these prices.”
Soon after, the controversial account was removed from the platform, leading Nazir to post a statement on Instagram. The corner shop owner claimed that a “well-known influencer” was trying to tarnish his business and that all his videos were just “for fun.”
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The account, which had amassed an impressive 530 000 followers, has since been reinstated, with Nazir continuing to do what he does best on the platform—sell overpriced energy drinks to impressionable youths. Credit where credit is due though, the corner shop owner has managed to capitalise on the hype and sell his own brand of sweets alongside the extortionate sale of the PRIME sports drinks. More power to you Nazir.