September 2, 2022:-Gatorade joins the energy drink category with a caffeinated spin-off known as Fast Twitch.

It illustrates another example of beverage companies blurring the lines amid drink categories, which seek to leverage existing brand loyalty while entering fast-growing categories. PepsiCo has also expanded Mountain Dew into alcoholic and energy drinks.

The company said that Fast Twitch is designed to give athletes an extra boost before their workouts. The market for pre-workout powders is growing, fueled by industry leaders such as Cellucor C4 and RSP Nutrition. But few pre-workout drinks exist, and many consumers instead turn to carbonated, sugary energy drinks.

Anuj Bhasin, general manager of Gatorade, said that 32 million consumers reject the energy drink category for the adverse health effects. Fast Twitch seeks to attract those consumers, offering plenty of caffeine but no sugar or carbonation.

In February, the new drink is slated to launch, but NFL players will drink it on the sidelines in the upcoming season as part of an exclusive deal with the league. Bhasin added that Gatorade worked with the NFL and its sports performance experts to develop the specific formula.

The finished product comes in a little 12-ounce bottle with brightly colored packaging. While smaller, it tastes similar to traditional Gatorade. A bottle of Fast Twitch contains electrolytes, B vitamins, and 200 milligrams of caffeine. A 12-ounce can of Red Bull has nearly half as much caffeine but 37 grams of sugar. Bolt24, one more recent offshoot of Gatorade, has 75 milligrams of caffeine in its Energize line, which is being phased out.

“Two hundred milligrams is the correct amount to help athletes seeking benefits for exercise performance,” said Matthew Pahnke, principal scientist at the Gatorade Sports Science Institute.

“We know athletes will mix and match things,” Pahnke said. According to Bhasin, fast Twitch will target consumers 18 years or older due to the high caffeine content.