Photo Courtesy of Maya Yngve
By Maya Yngve
TAMPA, Fla. – Walking across campus, one thing is hard to miss: students carrying oversized clear cups wrapped in bright blue and red koozies. In a sea of familiar faces, the colorful cups have become a campus staple. STORM drinks are a key component of the University of Tampa lifestyle.
STORM is a Tampa-born drink shop that opened in 2021, taking over social media with its colorful energy drinks. Founder and St. Pete native, Molly Mills, and her fiancé, Cole Schaller, wanted to create an affordable and clean drink that could become a daily essential without the side effects
The classic 32-ounce electrolyte drink is referred to as a “STORM,” with each drink including one serving of STORM’s raw unflavored vitamin complex. Created from scratch, it consists of: Vitamin B6, B12, Calcium, Magnesium, Zinc, Chloride, Himalayan Pink Salt, Sodium, Potassium, Green Tea Extract and Ginseng Root Extract.
What makes STORM different from traditional canned energy drinks is that they source natural guarana root from Brazil to naturally caffeinate drinks. This prevents full body tingles and jitters that can come from drinking other brands of energy drinks that contain synthetic caffeine like Alani Nu and C4 Energy.
Every order is unique to each customer with completely customizable options. Extra flavor, creatine and collagen can be added to each order.
Caffeine levels can also be adjusted accordingly. Ordering “full caffeine” in store adds 185 mg of caffeine and “half caffeine” adds 90 mg of caffeine. “Half caffeine” is recommended for customers who want an afternoon pick-me-up but do not need the extra caffeine. No caffeine is also available.
The flavor possibilities are endless. From flavor combinations of blue raspberry, mango and pineapple to strawberry, kiwi and banana, each customer can discover what beverage speaks to them the most. The most popular flavors are: St. Croix, Sugar Daddy, Cherry Marg and Pink Starburst.
Sophomore Mykenzie Walsh is an advocate for STORM. “I go 6 times a week and my favorite flavor is pink bikini with added raspberry flavoring.”
While Molly created all the original STORM flavors, she aims to create more flavor combinations inspired by what people in the community want.
To switch it up, STORM drops flavors at the beginning of every month. November’s flavors add an autumn twist to the hot Florida days, with three new
flavors called The Gobbler (Raspberry, Cranberry, Orange), Turkey Spritz (Cherry, Lime, Orange) and Swinter (Watermelon, Strawberry, Kiwi, Lemon, Coconut).
STORM Plant-Based Protein is gluten, dairy and soy free and made of only six ingredients: pea protein, MCT, brown rice protein, agave inulin, sodium chloride, and stevia extract. One serving of this powder is included in the Protein Shakes, along with the Protein Smoothie Bowls. Customers cannot get enough of the Peanut Butter Cup, Banana Bread, Bayshore Blvd and Strawberry Banana.
STORM has three locations in Tampa and they just opened a new location in St. Pete on Oct. 30. All four locations are open from Monday-Friday, 7 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday, 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.; STORM is closed on Sundays because Molly and Cole like to honor God. “We truly believe he has blessed us 10 folds for doing this.”
STORM has become an essential business to help a variety of University of Tampa clubs and organizations raise money. With it being so popular among students, customers can order a custom drink specifically supporting a certain organization. On Nov. 3, people could order the “Spartan Strawberry Swish” to support the
UTampa Women’s Club Basketball Team. A portion of the sales for that drink went towards the team.
Mia Cammarata serves as the Fundraising Chair for Delta Zeta. She believes that STORM is super community oriented and their team is very communicative and easygoing to collaborate with. “We have hosted fundraisers with Storm for 2-3 years now and every single year we have a great turnout with so much love shown for our Delta Zeta drink.”
Beyond campus, STORM serves the community by doing pop-up events, military and first responder discounts, and drink drop-offs to nearby hospitals.
STORM offers more than just healthy, flavorful drinks; it provides a place for people to connect, bringing the community and students on campus together, one drink at a time.