Sports drink Gatorade is launching a new category …water. Known for their fruit-flavored recovery sports drinks in neon colors, it’s betting that they can get in on the huge market for what’s called ‘functional water’ which means water that has ‘additional health benefits.’
Aiming for release next year, the ‘Gatorade Water’ is electrolyte-infused, unflavored water that’s filtered with a 7-step filtration process, according to the company, and contains alkaline as well an ‘enhanced pH levels.’
There’s a huge market for ‘functional’ water; it’s estimated to reach 18 billion in sales in the next two years, so you can see why Gatorade wants in.
Right now, Smartwater, is the market leader with nearly 27% of the US market share.
Though there is no medical evidence that drinking ‘enhanced’ water has any value, people are still lapping it up.