Organic, non-GMO Gatorade?
We’ve talked about the irony behind PepsiCo’s Tropicana brand sporting itself as a non-GMO product (if you haven’t read Tropicana Non GMO Label Just a Marketing Gimmick, Part 1 and Part 2, click the links to get up to speed), but apparently, PepsiCo is just getting started. Most recently, they revealed plans to create organic Gatorade in 2016, as part of their initiative to re-brand a selection of products in a healthier light —
Yes, you read that right. As the soda market dwindles and consumers increasingly seek out beverage products with good-for-you ingredients and other health-related attributes, PepsiCo executives are hoping to capitalize on a market trend of non-GMO product sales reaching $800 billion by 2017. Gatorade, estimated to command 77 percent of the U.S. sports drink market, already includes a variety of natural ingredients and flavors, Fortune reported.
While it’s clear Gatorade is jumping on the non-GMO bandwagon, it isn’t clear yet which ingredients will be reformulated and swapped for organic alternatives. And organic or not, there’s a question as to how healthy Gatorade is because of its sugar content. According to healthline.com, Berkeley researchers say the sugar in sports drinks may be contributing to the child obesity. Unless a person engages in prolonged, vigorous physical activity for over an hour, especially in hot conditions, water is most likely a better alternative than a sports drink.
Still, PepsiCo is determined to market Gatorade alongside brands perceived as healthy.
Along with healthy brand lines Naked Juice, Pure Leaf Iced Tea, Quaker Real Medleys bars and Smartfood Delight Popcorn, the Tropicana products will be distributed in PepsiCo’s newly-reinvented vending machine called Hello Goodness.
Organic Gatorade will be more easily accessible. Question is, will consumers want it? Click the pic to view original photo on triplepundit.com
The machine features a digital point-of-sale screen with product nutrition information, suggested healthy food pairing ideas and a cashless payment system. Several thousand units will be placed throughout the U.S. in 2016 in a variety of locations, including select healthcare, recreational, transportation, governmental, workplace and educational facilities.
This begs the question — is the reformulation of the often celebrity-endorsed, sugary, neon sports drink enough to sway consumer consumption? We shall see.
To read this article in its entirety, visit:
http://www.triplepundit.com/2016/01/gatorade-goes-organic-responds-consumer-demand-non-gmos/
