Pepsi to uncork new Gatorade in 2016

Global soft drink major Pepsi Co will launch Gatorade in new organic drink form next year. Pepsi is keen on exploring business potential beyond soda segment. The global soft drink major is considering that focusing solely on carbonated soft drinks may not contribute to the future growth plans.

PepsiCo is also launching non-GMO labeled Tropicana juices in 2016. The global soft drink major sees more growth areas outside the traditional soft drink market. PepsiCo CEO Indra Nooyi in October told investors that focusing on carbonated soft drinks was a thing of the past.

According to a report by Yahoo Finance, Pepsi Co has firmed up plans for launching organic version of the sports drink in 2016. Al Carey, CEO, PepsiCo Americas Beverages, said: "It's consumer interest. I think they're very interested in non-GMO and organic and to the degree you can make it meaningful to the consumer, do it."

Gatorade is considered to be world's most researched sports drink. Gatorade was developed in 1965 by University of Florida physicians. With optimal blend of fluids, electrolytes, and carbohydrates, Gatorade is scientifically developed sports drink. It helps in rehydrating, replenishing and refueling athletes.

PepsiCo is aiming for a bigger share in the organic market by pushing its products such as Mountain Dew Kickstart, as reported by Business 2 Community.

Carey additionally highlighted recent and upcoming new PepsiCo products such as Mountain Dew Kickstart (a take on Mountain Dew with ingredients like fruit juice and coconut water), flavored Aquafina water and vitage-inspired sodas like Caleb's Kola, 1893 and Dewshine.

Gatorade is competing with other sports drinks like Powerade from Coca-Cola. Alternative beverages including Dr Pepper Snapple (DPS) and Monster Beverage are also in the market competition. Gatorade is celebrating its 50th anniversary in 2015.

Gatorade is one of PepsiCo's $22-billion brands and it alone contributes over $1 billion in annual retail sales, according to Market Realist.

As per the Beverage Marketing Corporation, Gatorade generated 990 million gallons of volume in 2014. Several variants of Gatorade have been introduced in the market for several years.

Gatorade has become famous among sportsmen globally as it sold in over 80 countries. Since 1984, it's been the official drink of the National Basketball Association (NBA).

The brand has also been linked to other professional teams such as Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer and National Football League. Gatorade Performance Series drink is a sport nutrition product aimed at growth demand for healthier ingredients.