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Powerade

{{short description|Sports drink brand}}

{{For|the hockey arena|Powerade Centre}}

{{Infobox Beverage

|name = Powerade

|image = Powerade logo.png

|image_size = 250px

|type = Sports drink

|manufacturer = The Coca-Cola Company

|origin = United States

|introduced = {{start date and age|1988}}

|website = {{URL|http://www.us.powerade.com/|powerade.com}}

}}

Powerade is a sports drink created in 1988 and distributed by the Coca-Cola Company. Its primary competitor is Gatorade, which is owned by PepsiCo since 2001.

History

Powerade was created by the Coca-Cola Company and first released in 1988. The company developed the soft drink as an alternative to sports drinks, which were becoming more and more popular. Powerade was originally marketed to athletes, who needed a drink that would keep them hydrated during strenuous workouts.{{Cite web |date=2022-09-19 |title=Powerade History (New Research) - UpThirst |url=https://www.upthirst.com/powerade-history-new-research/ |access-date=2023-01-17 |language=en-US}}

In 2000, Powerade became the official sports drink of the Olympics, alongside Aquarius, another sports drink made by Coca-Cola. It is a rival of another sports drink, Gatorade.[http://www.conocepepsecola.com/default.cfm Coca-Cola English – Productos] {{dead link|date=June 2016|bot=medic}}{{cbignore|bot=medic}}

In July 2001, the Coca-Cola Company launched a new formula for Powerade including vitamins B3, B6 and B12, which play a role in energy metabolism.{{cite web|url=http://www.foodaq.com/html/Non-Alcoholic-Drinks/36447.html|title=Powerade vs. soda? - FoodAQ|work=foodaq.com|access-date=6 April 2015}}

In July 2002, the Coca-Cola Company started in Toogoolawah by updating the bottles of the standard Powerade (previous logo styling) to a new sport-grip bottle.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}} The redesign came to North America in 2005.{{Cite web |date=2005-07-31 |title=Bottle sports a gripping redesign |url=https://www.packworld.com/leaders-new/materials/labels/article/13339956/bottle-sports-a-gripping-redesign |access-date=2024-09-10 |website=Packaging World |language=en-us}}

In 2002, the Coca-Cola Company introduced Powerade Option to the United States, in response to Gatorade's popular Propel. Option is a "low Calorie sports drink" that is colorless and sweetened with high fructose corn syrup, sucralose, and acesulfame potassium, to provide sugar-conscious consumers with another rehydration choice. Powerade Option took 36% of the Fitness Water category behind Propel's 42%.{{Citation needed|date=September 2024}}

In 2007, Powerade Zero was released, a sports drink with electrolytes, which contains no sugar, no calories and no carbohydrates.{{Cite news|url=http://avenueform.com/best-sports-drinks/|title=Best Sports Drinks|author=Kristin Goett|date=June 9, 2016|access-date=June 23, 2016|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160811063724/http://avenueform.com/best-sports-drinks/|archive-date=August 11, 2016|url-status=dead|df=mdy-all}}{{cite web|url=https://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/2008-05-06-powerade-zero_N.htm|title=PowerAde's zero-calorie sports drink takes on Gatorade — USATODAY.com|work=usatoday.com|access-date=6 April 2015}}

In 2007 Coca-Cola acquired Fuze Beverage, a leading energy drink company.{{Cite news |date=2 February 2007 |title=Coca-Cola to Buy Fuze Beverage |url=https://www.nytimes.com/2007/02/02/business/02drink.html |access-date=10 September 2024 |work=The New York Times}}

In June 2009, the Coca-Cola Company bought Glacéau, owner of brands such as VitaminWater and SmartWater, for $4.1 billion, a price tag that signaled the company's seriousness in pursuing growth of non-carbonated beverages.{{Cite news |date=2007-05-25 |title=Coca-Cola to buy Glaceau for $4.1 billion |language=en |work=Reuters |url=https://www.reuters.com/article/us-coke-glaceau-idUSN2544359220070525 |access-date=2022-05-31}} Since then, the company has also given its Glacéau management team control of its Powerade sports drink brand.{{citation needed|date=May 2020}}

Competition

Powerade's main competitor is Gatorade marketed by the Quaker Oats Company, a division of PepsiCo. Gatorade, which was branded at the University of Florida in 1965, was the first commercially available sports drink in the United States. It now holds a commanding share of the market. As of 2011, Gatorade held a 70% market share compared to Powerade's 28.5%.{{cite web|url=http://adage.com/article/news/watch-spot-2-powerade-launches-underdog-campaign/233082/|title=Watch the Spot: No. 2 Powerade Launches 'Underdog' Campaign - News - Advertising Age|author=Shareen Pathak.|date=2 March 2012|work=adage.com|access-date=6 April 2015}}

All Sport is a competitor marketed by All Sport, Inc. and distributed by Jel Sert. All Sport was marketed by PepsiCo until 2001, when Gatorade's maker, the Quaker Oats Company was acquired by PepsiCo. All Sport was sold to the Monarch Beverage Company soon after. Powerade and All Sport have each been distributed through their own direct store deliver channels.{{Cite journal|title = Assessing the Consequences of a Channel Switch|jstor = 40057143|journal = Marketing Science|date = 2008-05-01|pages = 398–416|volume = 27|issue = 3|first1 = Xinlei (Jack)|last1 = Chen|first2 = George|last2 = John|first3 = Om|last3 = Narasimhan|doi=10.1287/mksc.1070.0311}} It was subsequently purchased by Gary Smith, the Chairman & CEO of All Sport, Inc. of Austin, Texas.

Outside the United States, the Lucozade energy drink (manufactured since 1927 by the pharmaceutical company now known as GlaxoSmithKline) competes with Powerade.{{citation needed|date=January 2024}} Lucozade's formulation differs in that it uses primarily glucose and contains caffeine. The more direct competitor to Powerade and Gatorade is Lucozade Sport.

Sponsorships

Ingredients

= United States =

{{Infobox nutritional value

|serving_size=20 fl oz (591 mL)

|kcal=130

|fat=0

|satfat=0

|transfat=

|cholesterol=0

|sodium_mg=400

|potassium_mg=130

|carbs=34

|fiber=0

|protein=0

|vitA_ug=0

|vitC_mg=18

|calcium_mg=0

|iron_mg=0

|sugars=34

}}

Source:{{cite web|url=http://www.bevnet.com/reviews/powerade/facts.asp|title=Powerade|work=bevnet.com|access-date=6 April 2015}}

= Germany =

{{Infobox nutritional value

|serving_size=500 mL

|kcal=90

|fat=0

|satfat=0

|transfat=

|cholesterol=0

|sodium_mg=650

|carbs=20.5

|fiber=0

|protein=0

|sugars=20.5

}}

Source (ingredients for Mountain Blast flavor):{{cite web|url=https://www.coca-cola.com/de/de/brands/powerade|title=Powerade|work=bevnet.com|access-date=11 April 2025}}

Criticism

Like its main competitor, Gatorade, Powerade is made with sugar, syrups, and salt.{{Cite news|url=https://www.nytimes.com/2005/08/22/business/22soda.html?ex=1186372800&en=6331daea5be3b848&ei=5070|title=Critics Say Soda Policy for Schools Lacks Teeth|author=Melanie Warner|work=New York Times|date=August 22, 2005}}{{Cite web|last=health|first=shefinds|date=2017-12-13|title=Why You Should Never Drink Powerade, Like, Ever|url=https://www.shefinds.com/collections/never-drink-powerade-sports-drinks-bad-for-you/|access-date=2021-02-21|website=SheFinds|language=en-US}}

One Powerade ad campaign stated that Powerade's ION4 is superior to Gatorade, due to it being the only complete sports drink on the market. The claim, made by Coca-Cola, the parent owner of Powerade, was contested by Pepsi co. The parent owner of Gatorade as deceptive and false.{{cite news|url=https://transcripts.cnn.com/show/sitroom/date/2006-03-21/segment/02| work=CNN|title=CNN.com}} The courts ruled in favor of Powerade as of August 2009.{{clarify|date=April 2025}}

Being high in sugar, Powerade may contribute to diabetes and weight gain if combined with other sugar sources.

References

{{reflist|2}}

{{Coca-Cola brands}}

{{Sports Drinks}}

Category:Coca-Cola brands

Category:Non-alcoholic drinks

Category:Products introduced in 1988

Category:Food and drink introduced in the 1980s

Category:Sports drinks

Category:Soft drinks