In Coca-Cola Co.’s quest to knock PepsiCo’s Gatorade off its sports drink pedestal, the company’s Powerade has entered the functional water market with Power Water, its first new product in five years.
The zero-sugar drink contains 50% more electrolytes compared to the leading electrolyte water on the market, according to Bodyarmor Sports Nutrition, the division of the Coca-Cola Company responsible for managing Powerade and other sports drink brands.
That competitor is PepsiCo’s Propel, which contains 270 milligrams of sodium and 70 milligrams of potassium, compared to Power Water’s 520 milligrams of sodium and 150 milligrams of potassium.
PepsiCo also continues to innovate with the 2024 release of its Hydration Boosters electrolyte drink mix.
Gatorade said in September 2024 that it continues to take strides to evolve its portfolio and “continue meeting those needs of different athletes and different consumers.”
Functional flavor beverage sales reached 52-week dollar sales of $1.21 billion, as of Sept. 9, down 2.9% from $1.24 billion during the same time period in 2024, according to Spins data. Total units sold in the functional flavor beverage category reached 373.4 million during the same period, down 5.2% from 393.8 million a year ago.
Power to the water
Power Water comes in 20-ounce single bottles and 16.9-ounce bottles available in six-packs. It is available in four flavors: Mountain Berry Blast, Strawberry Kiwi, Tropical Pineapple and Watermelon.
The drink is launching in retail stores in October and will be available on Amazon in 2026, the company said.
Bodyarmor plans to promote the new product in 2026 through high-impact partnerships, influencer-led storytelling and collaborations with leading voices in fitness.
“For decades, the enhanced water category has seen minimal competition and innovation – Power Water changes that,” said Sabrina Niland, VP of Innovation, Strategy and chief of staff at Bodyarmor Sports Nutrition, who said Bodyarmor is setting a new standard for sports nutrition with the product.
Market dominance
The top three sports drink market competitors make up 87.9% of the market, according to Euromonitor data reported in February, with Gatorade dominating 61.6% of the market, Powerade 14.5% and Bodyarmor 11.8%.
Gatorade’s market dominance is so strong that its two sports drink holdings combined are still less than half of Gatorade’s.
Coca-Cola took a 15% ownership stake in Bodyarmor in 2018, and in 2021 bought the remaining 85% for $5.6 billion.
While Power Water is Powerade’s first new product in over half a decade, Coca-Cola gave the sports drink brand an overhaul in 2023, adding 50% more electrolytes and redesigning the packaging and labeling.
Bodyarmor rebranded
Bodyarmor got its own rebrand in April, with a new word mark, bold packaging and its first brand icon.
The drink maker also launched its “Choose Better” master brand campaign focused on athletes and consumers who challenge the status quo. The marketing effort emphasized hydration, better-for-you ingredients, better taste and the absence of artificial flavors, sweeteners and dyes.
“Bodyarmor entered the market in 2011 as the challenger brand, and quickly redefined the sports drink category,” said Tom Gargiulo, Bodyarmor chief marketing officer, in April. “Over the years, the landscape has evolved but our DNA remains the same – bold, authentic and unapologetically real.”
