2016 State of the Industry: Sports and protein drinks see steady growth
Category remains solid performer due to health-and-wellness trends
At $11.2 billion and nearly $187 million, respectively, the sports drinks and ready-to-drink (RTD) protein drinks markets are expected to remain solid performers as a result of continued interest in health, convenience and function, according to market research analysts.
Sports beverages, like Purchase, N.Y.-based PepsiCo Inc.’s Gatorade and Atlanta-based The Coca-Cola Co.’s Powerade, are the fifth largest new age category by dollars and third by volume, according to New York-based Beverage Marketing Corporation’s (BMC) October 2015 report titled “U.S. Sports Beverages through 2019.” Gatorade and Powerade comprise 90 percent of the volume in the sports drink industry, it adds.