Gatorade is pivoting away from sucralose with the launch of Gatorade Fit, the only current product from the sports drink leader that does not include either sugar or artificial sweeteners.
The five-SKU line is positioned as Gatorade’s offering for natural “healthy real hydration,” anchored by the addition of watermelon juice and sea salt to deliver the same level of antioxidants as Gatorade Thirst Quencher. Fit features no added sugar and no added colors, and is available in 16.9 oz. (MSRP $1.49) and 28 oz. bottles (MSRP $2.99) in Tropical Mango, Watermelon Strawberry, Citrus Berry, Cherry Lime and Tangerine Orange.
According to the PepsiCo-owned brand, the development of Fit was sparked by consumer interest in beverages with no added sugars or sweeteners, which presents a formulation challenge for sports drinks that need to balance against higher sodium content. By using naturally sweet and electrolyte-rich coconut water as the base of its sports drinks (along with cane sugar), Gatorade’s chief rival, Coca-Cola’s BodyArmor, has been able to decrease its sodium content to around 30 mg per 12 oz. bottle while landing at 90 calories and 21 grams of sugar.
In contrast, stevia-sweetened Gatorade Fit features 230 mg of sodium per 16.9 oz. bottle, but with 10 calories and no added sugar, plus 100% DV of vitamins A and C. The new line is Gatorade’s only current product to use stevia exclusively and not paired with sucralose, an artificial sweetener.
With BodyArmor now complementing Powerade in Coke’s portfolio following 2020’s $5.6 billion acquisition, sports drinks appear to be one theater in which the conglomerate’s eternal battle with PepsiCo is set to play out over the coming years. Together, the two giants control nearly all of the $8 billion-plus sports drink category, which has enjoyed an 18.3% increase in dollar sales (as well as double-digit price hike) over the last 52-weeks ending on February 12, according to NielsenIQ data.
Along with the launch of Gatorade Fit, the brand is planning multiple new flavors for each of its lines, according to the release. Watermelon and Mixed Berry are currently rolling out as new Gatorlyte flavors, while Lime Cucumber will be introduced as a permanent addition to G Zero after its successful LTO run with Thirst Quencher. Finally, G Zero with Protein will introduce Glacier Freeze and Grape in both its RTD and powder formats.