All the major beverage brands have already jumped on the ‘Functional’ bandwagon. It’s definitely the Next Frontier in recreational drinks – both fizzy and plain. But how far will they go? And will they remove or replace unheathy ingredients?
It’s been a veritable stampede, which started when arch fizzy-bev competitors Coke and Pepsi both announced they were adding protein and other functional ingredients to their flagship products.
Food Drive reports: “Over the past six months, several big brands have created functional versions of their classic recipes or otherwise reformulated their offerings, including Capri Sun with electrolytes and Pure Leaf tea with focus-boosting properties. Across demographics, consumers are increasingly seeking out more hydrating beverages, as well as drinks that include naturally occurring caffeine, collagen and added vitamins.”
Getting crowded
The ‘functional beverage’ category used to be pretty thinly populated. There were sports drinks, ex-emplified by the original, Gatorade. And there were protein shakes, espouses mainly by elite athletes, body builders and their ilk. Out on their own spur line, ride the meal replacement lines – Boost and Ensure – leading a smaller, more-clinical sector.
But now, the distinction between functional and purely recreational bevs is blurring – fast. And that’s creating a new, crowded, blended-identity sector where it’s getting hard to tell the good guys from the bad guys…
What’s happening?
Pure Leaf Tea
Pure Leaf is launching its first fizzy drink – combining the caffeine from its flagship product with ad-ded L-theanine, an amino acid from tea leaves meant to improve mental focus.
Bodayarmor
The Coca-Cola-owned perforance boosting brand is extending a tentacle into the consumer space with a new fizzy version – Bodyarmor Fit – including electrolytes and caffeine, along with choline and green tea extract. It’s designed to, “goes beyond workouts to fit into consumers’ daily routines.”
Pepsi enhances Muscle Milk
Already a player in the shake-meal replacement sector, Muscle Milk will see enhancements designed to elevate both its functional content and brand image. The new formulation will deliver more pro-tein with fewer ingredients, and contain no artificial sweeteners, flavors or colors.
Capri Sun
The brand that caters to kis with straw-equipped, spill-proof punch packagi9ng, is reaching out to its primary market with new functional drinks specifically targeted to kids. The company boasts that new Capri Sun Hydrate delivers added electrolytes, vitamins and 50 percent less sugar than the leading sports drink. And contains has no artificial flavors, colors or preservatives.
Premier Protein
Premier, an upstart challenger to Boost and Ensure, is breaking into the fizzy drink space with Premier Protein Sparkling Soda, coming later this year. The line will offer 15 grams of protein per serving, in four different fruit flavors.
Gatorade reaching out to consumers
The performance electrolyte brand is reaching deeper into the consumer market with new formulat-ions and new products. Gatorade Zero will contain no artificial flavours or colours. And new Gatorlyte Longer Lasting, will be based on a proprietary electrolyte blend designed to keep consumers hydrat-ed longer than water.
My take
Judging from the race by fizzy drink powers to get deeper into the meal replacement and fortified bev-erage markets in general, and the reverse plunge by classic shake and sports drinks makers to carve out a space in the fizzy market… It appears all the bev makers will be playing in all the spaces in a year or two.
That might be good for consumers in terms of expanded options. But the confusion about which product contains what, and who they’re intended for, will just get worse…
~ Maggie J.