Gatorade Makes Surprising Foray Into New Industry
Gatorade is gearing up to make a major foray into a new industry by fusing its classic sports formula with an energy drink.
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Gatorade is an undisputed leader in the sports drink industry. The brand’s formula has been fueling athletes since the mid-1960s. Gatorade is now branching out from its tried and true formula. The company is about to go head to head with the likes of Red Bull as it makes its first major push into the energy drink space.
Gatorade’s new energy drink was aptly named. It’s called Fast Twitch and has been reported to contain an amount of caffeine that is equal to two cans of Red Bull. That much caffeine is sure to get anyone twitching fast!
Gatorade likely decided to enter the energy drink space in order to try and capitalize on a new trend that is currently sweeping the beverage industry. That trend is the fusion of two historically separate drink categories. Gatorade’s parent company PepsiCo has already started dabbling in the space with its other brands. Now it’s Gatorade’s turn. With Fast Twitch, the company is hoping to appeal to athletes and energy drink enthusiasts alike. Although, Gatorade specifically touted the cocktail as being meant for an extra pre-workout boost.
In an attempt to both add to the hype and make its new energy sports drink hybrid more visible to the masses, Gatorade has secured a partnership with the NFL. Considering that Gatorade got its start with none other than the Florida Gators, it is unsurprising that it was able to secure this exclusive sponsorship. Professional football players will be gulping down Fast Twitch this fall. Fast Twitch’s public launch is scheduled for February.
Gatorade is also hoping to use its NFL sponsorship as a chance to highlight the fact that it worked with leaders in sports medicine to develop the Fast Twitch formula. In doing so, it is hoping to combat health stigmas associated with energy drinks. According to CNBC, this stigma is about 32 million people strong. Anuj Bhasin, general manager of Gatorade, pointed to the fact that Fast Twitch is unlike other energy drinks because it contains no added sugar or carbonation.
Gatorade’s new Fast Twitch energy sports drink fusion will make its debut in 12-ounce bottles. The size is small enough that most athletes can finish it prior to a workout without feeling any liquid sloshing around in their stomachs. Each 12-ounce bottle will contain exactly 200 milligrams of caffeine. “Two hundred milligrams is the right amount to help athletes seeking benefits for exercise performance,” said Matthew Pahnke, who is the senior principal scientist at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute. This is in addition to Gatorade’s classic concoction of electrolytes and B vitamins.
Gatorade’s new Fast Twitch drink will reportedly be marketed to adults 18 and over. The company also highlighted the importance of keeping hydrated subsequent to downing a Fast Twitch. This is due to caffeine’s natural diuretic properties.
Gatorade’s push into this category comes at a time when many other companies have come to the forefront with the same idea. Two well-positioned competitors for Fast Twitch are Celsius and Bang Energy. Interestingly though, Gatorade owner PepsiCo has a stake in both companies.
