The Harrowing Story Behind Firebird Energy

How the Ideal Energy Drink Was Born Out of Pain, Suffering, and the Ability to Rise From the Ashes

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla., April 3, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Firebird Energy is a revolutionary protein coffee drink that comes from New Zealand and will soon be available in the US. It features a unique formula that starts with a punchy 150mg of real caffeine sourced from locally roasted coffee and is reinforced by a sustaining 16g of clean whey and casein protein for short- and long-term energy endurance. The story behind Firebird Energy is much deeper than a catchy name or a healthy initiative. The brand was born out of the fire of adversities that trace their origin back to company founder and first responder Shaun Winstanley.

Winstanley was involved in a deadly incident on the morning of July 20, 2023, when he was part of a team of first responders who confronted a gunman in downtown Auckland. The ensuing tragedy led to the deaths of two individuals, along with another 10 who were injured. One of those injuries involved Winstanley, who was shot in the face while on the 18th floor of an elevator shaft on a high-rise construction site.

In the aftermath, Winstanley was described as the "luckiest unlucky guy on that day" due to the fact that he looked the right way when he was shot, leading to a severe injury rather than a mortal wound. Nevertheless, paramedics on the scene initially thought he wouldn't survive — something Winstanley himself refused to accept.

"I was completely determined, one, to get out of that building, and two, to move forward from there," he explained to a news journalist in a recent interview. He added that the fierce desire to survive started the minute everything happened, giving him the initial energy to get 18 stories down and run out into the parking lot where emergency vehicles were waiting. After the incident, Winstanley embarked on a long journey of recovery. He had around 90 pellets in his face and began going through more surgeries than he could count. (To date, 30 of those pellets remain in place.) Nevertheless, he remained hopeful and determined to resume life. He has even expressed a willingness to return to work, saying, "I have a burning desire to be amongst the team and do the job that we signed up to do."

Winstanley has further added that his family was instrumental in the midst of the struggle to survive and recover. He said, "In relation to my boys…part of being resilient after the incident was to show them that whatever happens, when you physically can, if you can, get up and move." As Shaun Winstanley continued to recover physically from his wounds, he found that this desire to fight for a better tomorrow had birthed a fresh passion, one that sought to equip himself and others with the energy to thrive every day. As he sought nourishment during extended periods of time when he couldn't eat solid foods, he developed proactive and energetic solutions — including the creation of the protein-powered, coffee-infused formula for Firebird Energy.

This personal solution was so good that it quickly led to requests from family and friends, and before long, Winstanley had the business up and running. While the product was the perfect grab-and-go drink to combat burnout and exhaustion from long days, the heart of the company remained firmly embedded in Winstanley's past experience. The company's mission remains explicitly stated: "Firebird Energy is on a mission to empower everyday people to rise up and win the day."

The theme of rising from the ashes and striving for a better future is baked into Firebird Energy's DNA — and it comes directly from its founder. As the brand, which is already popular in New Zealand, expands to the US, it offers tired and strung-out consumers the opportunity to take back control and fight for a life worth living, not just in general, but on a daily basis.

You can read about Shaun Winstanley's entire story and watch an in-depth interview he gave to a local New Zealand news station here.

About Firebird Energy
Firebird Energy, Ltd. was created in May of 2024. The company operates out of Auckland, New Zealand, and is 100% owned and operated by Kiwi police officer Shaun Winstanley. Shaun was severely injured in the line of duty, and his path to recovery led to his Phoenix-inspired brand. Firebird products have caffeine from real coffee, are low in sugar (less than one gram), and contain a blend of clean proteins for quick absorption and long-lasting effect. Learn more about the brand's unparalleled energy solutions at firebirdenergy.co.nz.

Contact:
Shaun Winstanley
P: +64 22 6309 108 
W: [email protected]

SOURCE Firebird Energy