Gatorade Just Announced Its First Ever Line Of Energy Drinks

The market for energy drinks is rapidly expanding, with much of its growth coming from what, at first glance, may seem an unlikely source. As Future Market Insights explains in a recent press release, the market for energy drinks is expected to grow from $68 billion this year to $98 billion by 2032, with demand fueled largely by the health and fitness sector.

Which begs the question: Are energy drinks healthy? Well, as Bang Energy drinks have shown, they absolutely can improve sports performance. Boosted by caffeine and super creatine, but without any sugars or fat, Bang's energy drinks have been tested in more than 20 university trials, including a study with Division I college athletes, and had positive results in terms of energy, reaction time, and focus. (via Bang Energy)

Given this combination of expanding market share and the proven potential of energy drinks to positively affect athletic performance, it should come as no surprise that the leading sports drink brand is now entering the energy drinks arena. What is interesting, however, is how Gatorade — which accounts for roughly a 70% share of the sports drink market, per Beverage Digest – is introducing its new energy drink to the world.

According to CNBC, Gatorade's new Fast Twitch energy drink won't be available to the public until February 2023. But it will be seen in a very high-profile setting this fall courtesy of the National Football League (NFL), which will make Fast Twitch available to its players on the sidelines through an exclusive partnership with Gatorade's owner, PepsiCo. The public release in February, not coincidentally, aligns with the NFL's biggest event, the Super Bowl.

"Our expectation is this is a big bet launch," notes Michael Del Pozzo, President and GM Gatorade Performance Portfolio, in Beverage Digest. "We would scale out similar to how you would see us scale one of our big launches on Gatorade or across our PepsiCo business. We anticipate scaling pretty quickly."

The name Fast Twitch comes from the muscle fibers necessary for explosive, quick burst activity, and is an explicit reference to the sports and fitness market category the energy drink is courting. Per Beverage Digest, Fast Twitch will contain 200 milligrams of caffeine in each 12 oz. bottle but will have no sugar or carbonation, and about the same electrolyte profile as the typical Gatorade sports drink. Gatorade's Fast Twitch flavors are expected to include Cool Blue, Glacier Freeze, Orange, Strawberry Lemonade, Strawberry Watermelon, and Tropical Mango.