An Inclination Towards Physical Fitness: A Guide to Top Sports Drink Brands in the World

The increase in demand for the sports drink has impacted the market growth as it helps to enhance performance and allows athletes to do vigorous exercises. The number of sports players and athlete population in developing countries is set to boost market development.

As per a report by Fortune Business Insights™, the market for the sports drink is projected to grow from USD 27.22 billion in 2021 to USD 36.35 billion by 2028, with a CAGR of 4.2% over the forecast period.

Fortune Business Insights™ Profiles Top 10 Key Players/Companies in the Sports Drink Industry

1. PepsiCo. Inc

The company was established in 1898 and is headquartered in New York, U.S. It is an American beverage, food, and snack manufacturing company. It has a presence in more than 200 countries globally. Its complementary beverage and convenience food portfolio includes Cheetos, Lays, Doritos, Gatorade, and others. The company’s increasing focus is on delivering energy-boosting and nutritious sports drinks to strengthen its presence in this industry.

• May 2021: Pepsico, Inc. introduced ‘Gatorlyte Rapid Rehydration, a range of new lesser-sugar sports drinks containing strawberry kiwi, cherry lime, and orange flavors in its formulation.

2. The Coca-Cola Company

The company was established in 1892 and is headquartered in the U.S. It is an American multinational corporation that sells, manufactures, and markets other non-alcoholic beverages such as syrups and alcoholic beverages. The company is functional in more than 200 countries globally. The company has engaged in partnerships with more than 225 bottling partners to supply refreshing drinking products. The company has more than 200 brands and numerous beverage products.

• November 2021: The Coca-Cola Company invested USD 5.6 billion to acquire Bodyarmor SuperDrink, an American sports drink maker, to back its presence in the U.S. market of sports drinks.

3. BioSteel Sports Nutrition Inc.

The company was founded in 2009 and is headquartered in Canada. It manufactures products that are required as dietary supplement products for exercise enthusiasts and athletes. BioSteel Sports Nutrition Inc. is a provider of a widespread range of sports hydration and hydration mix products in Canada. The company’s drinks contain various electrolytes such as magnesium, sodium, potassium, calcium, and chloride.

• January 2022: BioSteel Sports Nutrition, Inc. introduced its hydration and sports drink products to nearly 15,000 stores to deliver its products in the U.S.

4. Ajegroup

The company was founded in 1988 and is headquartered in Peru. AJE is a Peruvian multinational company known to manufacture, distribute, and sell alcoholic and non-alcoholic beverages. The company offers its services to more than 20 countries in Latin America, Asia, and Africa. It holds more than 10 brands, including Free Tea, Bio, Pulp, CIELO, and others. The company focuses on partnering with sports clubs to supply energy drinks to sportsman and build brand image.

• December 2021: Ajegroup, in partnership with Paris Saint-Germain Football Club, agreed to supply its official energy drinks through the club partner in Columbia, Peru, Bolivia, and others.

5. Britvic Plc.

The company was founded in 1845 and is headquartered in the U.K. Britvic is a drinking product manufacturer having sales operations in more than 100 countries worldwide. It consists of a portfolio of brands such as Fruit Creations, Robinsons, Barley Water, Family Favorites, and others. The company provides beverages made of natural ingredients and added minerals & vitamins to meet the consumer demand for sustainable drinking products.

• May 2021: Britvic plc. in partnership with Rockstar, a PepsiCo, Inc,-owned brand, supplied premium-based flavored energy drinks and built its digital presence in the U.K.

6. MyDrink Beverages

The company was founded in 2008, headquartered in Lithuania, and has a sales office in the U.K. It provides research, beverage development, contract manufacturing, and formulation. The company offers various products such as energy drinks, alcoholic beverages, health drinks, and functional beverages. The company concentrates on delivering sports drinks of different flavors and nutrients to make its product portfolio strong worldwide.

7. The Kraft Heinz Company

The company was established in 2015, headquartered in the U.S. The American multinational company is the third-largest food and beverage company in North America and ranked fifth with annual sales of over USD 26.0 billion globally. The company’s various brands are Oscar Mayer, Kraft, HEINZ, CLASSICO, Orelda, Velveeta, and others. The company focuses on providing sports drinks made of different flavors and a blended version of electrolytes and water to mark its strong presence in the U.S. market.

8. Nestle S.A.

The company was founded in 1866 and is headquartered in Switzerland. The company manufactures food & drinking products with a presence in more than 190 countries worldwide. The company acquired over 2,000 brands globally and 31 industrial units in Brazil. The company is acquiring beverage manufacturers to build its functional beverage industry presence.

• May 2021: Nestle S.A. acquired Nuun, a sports hydration products maker, to strengthen its presence in the market. The company delivers sports drinks made of low-sugar electrolytic solutions, relaxation ingredients, vitamins, and minerals.

9. Suntory Holdings Limited

The company was established in 1899 and is headquartered in Japan. Suntory Holding Ltd. is a Japan-based global consumer packaged goods market having a portfolio of beverages, premium spirits, wellness, and beer & wine products. The company holds a significant share in the Japanese non-sugar Ready-to-Drink (RTD) industry. Its core brands include Suntory Green Tea Lyemon, Suntory Tennensui, BOSS, and others. The company mainly offers energy and sports drinking products to football athletes in the U.K.

10. Abbott Nutrition Co.

One of the top sports drinks brands, Abbott Nutrition Co. was founded in 1888 and is headquartered in the U.S. This American medicinal devices and healthcare products manufacturer was in more than 160 countries. In 2021, the company collected a revenue of USD 43.1 billion in sales from its products. The company delivers unique formulation-based drinking products to build its position in the global beverages industry.

• December 2020: Abbott Nutrition Co. introduced a range of sports drinks under its brand Pedialyte in the global market. The range includes several sports and nutritional drinks such as Pedialyte Sport, Pedialyte with Immune Support, Pedialyte Electrolyte Water, and Pedialyte Organic.

Increasing Demand and Production of Healthier Products to Augment Market Growth

Producers are progressively adding natural ingredients as they are health-friendlier compared to regular sports beverages, which acts as an opportunity for market growth for top sports drink brands. The rising inclination of the millennial population toward physical and fitness-related alternatives is some of the important factors surging the demand for the product.