PepsiCo is set to remove artificial colours from key variants of its flagship sports drink Gatorade, as part of a broader strategy to reposition the brand from a performance-focused beverage to an everyday hydration solution.
The company announced that its popular Gatorade Thirst Quencher flavours—fruit punch, lemon lime, and orange—along with Gatorade Zero, will transition to colours derived from fruits and vegetables starting this fall. The brand’s powder stick portfolio will follow suit by spring next year.
The move is part of PepsiCo’s wider effort to eliminate artificial colours across its portfolio by 2027, aligning with evolving consumer preferences for cleaner labels and natural ingredients.
“This is about maintaining the bold Gatorade identity while moving toward more natural formulations,” said Mike Del Pozzo, President of PepsiCo Beverages U.S.
Long associated with athletic performance, Gatorade is now targeting a broader consumer base by addressing everyday hydration needs. The repositioning comes as rising awareness around hydration reshapes beverage consumption habits.
According to the company, while 95% of Americans recognize the importance of hydration, nearly 150 million experience mild to moderate dehydration weekly—highlighting a significant opportunity beyond sports.
PepsiCo plans to tap this demand through new product innovations, including Gatorlyte Longer Lasting, featuring a proprietary electrolyte blend designed to deliver longer hydration than water. The product will roll out later this year, with nationwide availability expected by 2027.
The company has also introduced Gatorade Lower Sugar, which contains 75% less sugar than the original and excludes artificial flavours, colours, and sweeteners.
The Gatorade overhaul is part of a larger transformation initiative led by CEO Ramon Laguarta, who has outlined plans to refresh multiple flagship brands, including Quaker, Lay’s, and Tostitos.
In parallel, PepsiCo has already reformulated snack brands such as Doritos and Cheetos with colour-free variants, signalling a company-wide shift toward cleaner ingredient profiles.
To simplify consumer choices, Gatorade is also introducing a new labelling system categorizing products based on hydration benefits—such as “better,” “faster,” and “longer” than water.
The repositioning comes amid intensifying competition in the hydration segment, where consumers are increasingly exploring alternatives like coconut water and low-sugar beverages.
While sports drinks continue to dominate, changing preferences toward natural and functional drinks are pushing legacy brands to evolve. Gatorade’s pivot aims to leverage its decades of sports science research while expanding relevance to everyday consumption occasions.
“We’re taking the science of sports into the science of everyday life,” Laguarta said earlier, underscoring the brand’s next phase of growth.
With this shift, PepsiCo is betting that hydration—rather than just performance—will define the future of one of its most iconic beverage brands.