PepsiCo releases organic Gatorade line

PepsiCo Inc. is introducing a version of Gatorade that’s certified as organic by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, testing whether a product created in a lab with artificial flavors and colors can adapt to America’s growing naturalfood movement.

After two years of research, the company is now selling strawberry, lemon and mixed-berry G Organic in some Kroger Co. supermarkets, said Brett O’Brien, Gatorade’s senior vice president and general manager. It plans to expand the rollout to select grocery, natural and convenience stores over the next few weeks.

Gatorade, which controls 70 percent of the sports-drink market, is facing increasing pressure from new challengers such as coconut water as consumers are focused more than ever on ingredients. Organic food industry sales in the U.S. reached $43.3 billion in 2015, up 11 percent from the year before, while broader food sales gained 3 percent, according to the Organic Trade Association.

“We heard pretty loud through the locker rooms, through our work with nutritionists, that there is an interest and a desire among athletes to go organic,” O’Brien said. “Somewhere around 10 [percent] to 12 percent of athletes are saying they’re interested in purchasing organic products.”

To be considered organic, the new Gatorade had to shed artificial ingredients and PepsiCo needed to refine its manufacturing. Every step of the process was approved by the USDA.