Electrolit takes on a classic with latest blue raspberry flavor launch
Blue Raspberry is the fourteenth addition to Electrolit’s global sports drink portfolio, which includes flavors like Strawberry Kiwi, Cucumber-lime, Horchata, Berry Bliss, Grape, and others. The Blue Raspberry beverage is formulated with natural glucose and contains 326 mg of electrolytes. Electrolit beverages are available at Walmart, Kroger, HEB, 7-Eleven, Circle K, and other digital and retail channels.
"This time around, we wanted to master a classic ... Americana flavor of blue raspberry,” said Jake Sloan, senior director of marketing at Electrolit. “It's been a staple of convenience stores since the first Slushy, and so we wanted to master that flavor, and we believe we've done that because we've seen very ... strong retail sell-in thus far.”
Differentiating on premium formulation
Launched nearly 70 years ago as a children's hydration drink in Mexico, Electrolit hit US store shelves in 2015. With a goal “to help people feel better through hydration,” the brand aims to differentiate itself by providing a premium hydration experience, Sloan said.
“For me, [a] premium hydration beverage really signals that we have an ability to replenish your electrolytes in a world-class way, and it's world-class because we use premium, pharmaceutical-quality-grade ingredients.”
A key piece of its formulation is “the use of natural glucose as the vehicle to deliver electrolytes to the cell faster than say, high-fructose corn syrup, which is used by some leading brands today,” Sloan said. By using natural glucose as its sweetener, "it metabolizes in the body more efficiently, to deliver fuel to the muscles and cells faster, but it also helps deliver those electrolytes and ions much faster to allow for hydration to happen faster," he added.
Growing by tapping into great awareness of hydration, supporting retailers
Looking to the year ahead, Electrolit aims to boost the brand, while also addressing the demand for hydration solutions, Sloan explained.
Over the years, isotonic beverages have become “a much more everyday solution for hydration,” as consumers are “more aware of their hydration intake and the effects of dehydration,” Sloan said. At the same time, consumers are realizing “the effects of dehydration can happen in any occasion — from sports to fitness to the morning after night out to just forgetting to hydrate in the morning,” he added.
This year, Electrolit is focusing on how it can further support its retail partners, with an aim "to drive foot traffic and build the category" by "leaning in deep with [its] retail partners to do things that really excite consumers with the sports drink category," Sloan said. The brand also plans to grow its convenience store position, while expanding more in grocery and mass retailers.
“We're very proud to be disruptors in this space, and we welcome the excitement. But when you look at our dollar volume paired with our growth rate, there's really no other brand growing the sports drink category like … we are, and we plan to continue holding that position for many, many years to come.”
