Gatorade is an American sports drinks and food brand based on its exclusive line of sports drinks. Gatorade is currently manufactured by PepsiCo and sold in more than 80 countries. The drink was first made in 1965 by a team of researchers led by Robert Cade. Gatorade accounts for 75% of the sports drinks sales in the United States alone.
Gatorade is the only beverage permitted for drinking on the bench at an NBA game, other than water. Gatorade spends a reported $18 million a year for the right to be the only non-water beverage in basketball.
Gatorade is often given to refugees because of its ability to help those who are seriously malnourished.
In 1988 Gatorade introduced “Gatorlode,” a carbohydrate-based version of Gatorade.
Gatorade tried to market Gatorgum for a short period of time. People preferred to quench their thirst with a drink as opposed to chewing gum.
“Gatorgum” was created in lemon-lime and orange, but was discontinued in 1989.
Gatorade drinkers in Russia and Australia can buy rainbow Gatorade. It’s a mix of different flavors.
A “Rainbow” flavor of Gatorade is available in Russia and Australia.
Worldwide, Gatorade has a 46% market share of the sports drink sales.
The original name was “Gator-Aid”, but it was changed because the FDA stated that would classify it as something other than a sports drink.
The first batch of Gatorade that was made during its development cost researchers $43. The researchers included Robert cade, Dana Shires, Alejandro de Quesada, and Harry James Free.
An unopened Gatorade can last nine months past its shelf life.
There was once a substance in Gatorade that the FDA banned in 1969. It was called cyclamate, which is a carcinogen that is known to cause bladder cancer. Cyclamate was replaced with fructose, which is becoming known as an ingredient that can contribute to type II diabetes and obesity.
Gatorade has its own research lab named Gatorade Sports Science Institute which was established in 1985.
The value of the Gatorade brand is estimated by Forbes to be worth at least $4.8 billion.
Chicago Bulls’ Michael Jordan drank Gatorade throughout the infamous “Flu Game” in the 1997 NBA Finals against the Utah Jazz.
Royalties are paid to the University of Florida for the development of the Gatorade drink and the deal to use the mascot of the university’s football team for its brand. At least $150 million has been paid to the university so far.
26 Gatorade flavors have been discontinued including lemonade and Gatorade AM.
Gatorade is available for purchase in 86 countries around the globe. The flavors and bottles are not always the same in different parts of the world but the drink is basically the same formula.
The first Gatorade shower was during a regular season NFL game.
The first three Gatorade flavors were orange, fruit punch, and lemon-lime and they continue some of the most popular. Orange and lemon-lime were introduced first under the Gatorade Thirst Quencher line, and fruit punch came along 20 years later.
Gatorade became the official sports drink of the NFL in 1973 and is currently the only company that sponsors all 32 teams in the league.
The first shower of Gatorade at a sports game occurred during an NFL regular season game.
There was a Gatorade and beer concoction named Hop’n Gator.
In the beginning Gatorade tried to claim that the drink moved through the body faster than water – 12 times faster. It was later found that this was not true. This claim had to be removed from the ads.
