Gatorade Prices

Gatorade has such a pervasive presence that everybody who has ever needed rehydration – or for a refreshing ice-cold drink during the day or night, for that matter – has heard of it. The sports drink brand – it doesn’t consider itself as an energy drink brand – has been around for more than 50 years and sold in more than 80 countries. The multi-flavored beverage has changed the way we see dehydration and rehydration in sports and everyday activities, as well as the culture of sports.

According to estimates, consumers drink 100 billion ounces of the sports drink every year, an impressive number by any measure. In fact, Gatorade sales account for about 75% of the market in the United States sports drink niche. The likes of Powerade and Vitamin water lag in comparison.

Below are the latest Gatorade prices.

Overview

Gatorade is the signature line of The Gatorade Company, Inc., an American producer of a wide range of sports-themed food and drink products.  But PepsiCo, the giant multinational corporation, is the current manufacturer of Gatorade.  Stokely-Van Camp was the owner of the brand before 1983.

The original drink was actually developed by a team of scientists for a team of student-athletes so it wasn’t just a spinoff of an existing product. In 1965, a team of researchers from the University of Florida College of Medicine created a sports drink upon the request of Ray Graves, the head coach of the University of Florida’s football team. The team members included Robert Cade, Harry James Free, Dana Shires, and Alejandro de Quesada.

The drink was designed to replenish the carbohydrates burned and to replace the body fluids (i.e., sweat) lost by the body during strenuous physical activity, such as during practices and games. The ingredients included water as the base, as well as a mixture of sugar, sodium, and phosphate for fluid replacement, and lemon juice for flavoring. Food coloring was also used to make the drink look more appealing.

The original drink was obviously used for oral rehydration therapy. While the original goal is still true for the current Gatorade line-up, the beverages are now promoted as a way to boost physical performance without the use of caffeine and the like.

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Drink Profile

The current Gatorades are so varied, as well as more palatable, that the original drink will probably not be accepted into the lineup, so to speak. The composition of these sports drinks, furthermore, vary depending on the specific product itself and the country where it’s being sold. For example, Gatorade Frost is aimed at the active thirst segment while the G2 is targeted for people who engage in yoga and for athletes off the field.

For nearly 20 years, Gatorade was only available as a single product line, the still-popular Gatorade Thirst Quencher. The line, which came in Orange and Lemon Lime flavors and in liquid and powder forms, proved to be such a bestseller that the company didn’t see the need for added products.

But by the mid-1980s, new products were added not only to provide consumers with a wider variety but also to keep Gatorade at the top of the game. In 1983, the fruit punch flavor was added, which was followed by the release of Citrus Cooler in 1988. Michael Jordan was instrumental in the nearly meteoric rise in popularity of Citrus Cooler, especially when he signed a 10-year endorsement deal.

By the mid-1990s, more lines and flavors were introduced including the following:

• Gatorade Thirst Quencher flavors included Watermelon, Strawberry Kiwi, Cherry Rush, and Mandarina
• Gatorade Frost, a new sub-product line, with flavors like Alpine Snow, Riptide Rush, and Glacier Freeze, which has been described as light-tasting, fruit-flavored drinks.
• Gatorade Ice (2002) flavors included Orange, Lime, Strawberry, and Watermelon, which were lighter in flavor than the original Gatorade as well as transparent and colorless despite the flavors. This was rebranded as Gatorade Rain (2006) and the flavors were also changed.
• G2 (2007), a low-calorie line, comes in several flavors including Fruit Punch, Orange, Lemon-Lime, and Grape.

With consumers always looking for better sports drinks, Gatorade will likely release more lines and flavors.

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Interesting Facts

Gatorade’s history is characterized by interesting twists and turns.

• The first batch tasted terrible so much so that players said it was like drinking “body waste”. But players still drank it because of the boost in their performance.
• The addition of lemon juice to the initial mixture was suggested by Mary Cade, Robert Cade’s wife. It definitely improved the taste while also adding vitamins to the mix.
• The drink was credited for the University of Florida winning the Orange Bowl in 1967 over the Georgia Tech yellow Jackets. Even the latter’s head coach, Bobby Dodd, said that Gatorade made the difference!
• The current Gatorades may not be suitable for younger children but the original formula actually saved the lives of babies at the UF Health Shands Hospital.
• Jim Burt, a New York Giants defensive tackle, is generally credited as the originator of the Gatorade shower prank when he poured ice-cold Gatorade on Bill Parcells, the head coach, in 1985. Today, it’s an NFL tradition where players douse their head coach with a cooler of ice-cold Gatorade after a big victory.