The leading energy drink and favoured by most athletes has decided to go healthy. PepsiCo announced that it's going to launch an organic Gatorade next year.
Business Insider reports that PepsiCo is working on an organic version of the sports drink and will be introduced in the market in 2016.
"It's a consumer interest," Al Carey, the CEO of PepsiCo Americas Beverages, said at Beverage Digest's Future Smarts conference on Monday. "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 known to replenish electrolytes and rehydrate the body. However, the drink includes sucralose and artificial food colouring that are not at all natural or healthy, reports Fortune. PepsiCo has not yet detailed what ingredients would be added or eliminated to make it organic. Currently, Gatorade commands almost 77 percent of the U.S. sports drink market.
The Organic Trade Association estimates organic product sales increased from $3.6 billion in 1997 to $39 billion last year. Non-food items although a small part of the organic market, is steadily growing as well.
Organic Gatorade is just one of a few new initiatives PepsiCo is planning to roll out in a bid to offer healthier options to its market according to Fox News. It has recently launched its "Hello Goodness" vending machines which exclude sugary drinks and instead, offer other PepsiCo brands such as Naked Juice, Smartfood Delight popcorn, Lay's Oven Baked Potato chips, Quaker Real Medley bars, Pure Leaf iced tea and Sabra's Ready-to-Eat Humus cups. These are enclosed in a dual climate-control machine that stores both perishable and non-perishable items.
"Consumers want more choices when it comes to what they eat and drink on-the-go and we're providing the choices they want," said Kirk Tanner, Chief Operating Officer, PepsiCo North America Beverages. "For years, PepsiCo has been transforming its portfolio to offer more and better food and beverages."
Next year, the company is also set to launch a line of Tropicana juices that are GMO-free and will sport a certification label from the non-GMO Project.
The company has recently shifted its focus from the traditional soda industry to other food items.
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