Calorie-Free Powerade Zero Released In Effort To Revive Growth

Coca-Cola's Powerade brand, in an effort to "build on the success of diet drinks Coke Zero and Sprite Zero," has introduced a zero-calorie sports drink called Powerade Zero, according to Theresa Howard of USA TODAY. Tennis player Venus Williams will "endorse the drink in print ads next week." Additional ads in Us Weekly and Men's Health will advertise the drink's "zero calories vs. Gatorade products by showing calories per 8 ounces: 50 for Gatorade, 25 for G2 and 10 for flavored Propel Fitness Water." Powerade sees the new drink "as a way to revive growth." Beverage Digest indicated that volume for Powerade's line, which represents 19% of the sports-drink market, "slid 1.5% in the [Q1], ... while volume for all sports drinks grew 1.3% and Gatorade rose 2%." Gatorade's reduced-calorie G2 has been out "just four months and already has captured 8% of all sports-drink sales" (USA TODAY, 5/7).