Gatorade Gets Functional

, Assistant Editor

PepsiCo unveiled plans at this week’s National Association of Convenience Stores show in Chicago that mark a change in course for Gatorade, the hydration category’s marquee brand.

After four decades of doing one thing and one thing only, pending Gatorade line extensions and reformulations will include functional ingredients.

Sub-line Tiger will undergo a reformulation while its eponymous spokesman is out of commission. The re-launched Tiger will be subtitled “Focus” and include functional ingredients to enhance mental acuity.

The current formulation of Tiger debuted in March and differs from core Gatorade only by including more electrolytes. Tiger and the low-sugar G2 extension, introduced last year, mark the brand’s only currently-available and substantive departures from the original sugar-salt-and-water formula established at the University of Florida in 1965.

The brand will also take on Muscle Milk with their currently-named “Be-Strong” protein drink that, as of the show, comes packaged in bottles that strongly resemble those of potential competitors Muscle Milk and Labrada Lean Body On The Go.

Gatorade AM (which is currently Gatorade in morning-friendly flavors) will be renamed “Shine” and include energy qualities – though it will not include caffeine.