Sports drinks provide athletes with a quick and efficient way replenishing electrolytes after a workout. These hydration benefits are worth it for serious athletes who do not mind the high sugar and calorie content of traditional sports beverages. However, the sugar content is a drawback for more casual athletes, who are exercising with the goal of losing weight or getting in better shape.
To address concerns about the sugar content of their products, sports drinks companies now offer low-calorie alternatives for people who want healthier post-workout drinks.
In 2007, Gatorade launched its G2 line of sports drinks in the United States. These lower-sugar versions of Gatorade are positioned to appeal to athletes away from the playing field or workout facility and for consumers who do lower impact exercise like yoga.
A 20oz bottle of G2 contains just 12g of sugar and 45 calories, in comparison to the 34g of sugar and 130 calories in a 20oz bottle of traditional Gatorade. G2 was an immediate success in the US market, generating $159.1 million in its first year of production. And despite some growing skepticism regarding the overall benefit of sports drinks, health-focused websites, such as Livestrong have promoted the benefits of G2 as an alternative to high-sugar sports drinks.
This fall, Gatorade announced the expansion of the G2 product line to the Australian market, where it will offer low-calorie sports drinks in three flavors – Glacier Freeze, Raspberry, and Citrus Burst; a smaller range of flavors than the eight flavors that are offered in the United States. (Orange, Fruit Punch, Grape, Lemon-Lime, Tropical Blend, Blueberry Pomegranate, Raspberry Melon, and Glacier Freeze.)
While Coca-Cola has offered its low-calorie Powerade Zero in Australia for the last ten years, this is the first time that Gatorade has offered a low-calorie sports drink to the Australian market.
Jamie Bruce, Marketing Manager for PepsiCo ANZ was quoted in Inside FMCG as saying, “G2 is an exciting new addition to the Gatorade portfolio. We now have a range of fuel to meet your needs, depending on your level of exercise intensity. G2 contains all the electrolytes you need, however, the reduction in sugar means that one bottle contains less than 55 calories, making it perfect for those looking to reduce their energy intake.”
Gatorade is planning a wide launch of its G2 line in Australia, offering it at major retailers across the country where it will retail for A$3.50.
As Gatorade is gearing up to launch its low-sugar version in Australia, their product team recently launched a no-calorie version of the beverage to the US market, Gatorade Zero. If this product is a success, perhaps it will also be launched to the global market as a completely guilt-free sports drink.
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