Coca-Cola introduces its sports beverage Powerade in India

Coca-Cola, the local arm of American beverage maker, has launched its sports beverage Powerade in India. The new product will compete with rival PepsiCo’s Gatorade.

With this launch, the beverage maker has entered into the nascent sports hydration market. The company’s move comes at a time when increasingly consumers in urban India are seeking variety in both packaged foods and beverages.

Coca-Cola India has also signed Indian cricketer Mahendra Singh Dhoni to endorse Powerade. Priced at Rs 50 for 500 ml, the drink comes in two flavours, mountain blast and orange surge. The sports beverage contains no sugar.

Anoop Manohar, Director, emerging categories, Coca-Cola India, said, “A growing population of sports and fitness enthusiasts in India is looking for evolved hydration solutions. The launch reiterates our strategy to drive growth by expanding our category play and offering consumers more of the beverages they want for every occasion in their lives.”

In the last few years, the company has expanded its portfolio to include more hydration or functional beverages, and even milk-based drinks. The launches comprise of hydration beverages like Aquarius and Aquarius Glucocharge; Minute Maid smoothie and VIO flavoured milk.