For more than 50 years, Gatorade has reigned supreme as the most popular sports drink in the world. In 2023, the company sold five times more than the next-highest competitor but could another sports beverage be primed to become a major player in the market? Find the most popular sports drinks in the world based on their total sales in 2023.
Key Highlights
- Gatorade is the best-selling sports drink with over $7B in sales, up 11.5% YoY
- Gatorade is 5x more popular than the next-highest sports drink
- Logan Paul’s PRIME jumps to No. 4 on the list after a 1,676.6% sales increase in 2023
High-performance athletes need to stay hydrated but few sports drinks have truly been able to break through the market.
Since launching in 1965, Gatorade has become the most popular sports drink in the world with over $7 billion in sales. In fact, the drink that was once named after the University of Florida’s football team is 5x more popular than the next-highest drink (Body Armor) and that discrepancy has continued to grow, according to Circana.
Over the past year, Gatorade sales are up 11.5 percent, a stark contrast to its top two competitors. Body Armor (-10.6 percent) and Powerade (-2.4 percent) have experienced declining sales due to increased competition from an up-and-coming beverage that has taken the sports world by storm.
Logan Paul and KSI’s PRIME drink has brought in a whopping $377 million in sales in 2023, making it the fourth-most popular sports drink in the world. Sales are up an astounding 1,676 percent over the past year alone, allowing it to surpass Electrolit in the top five.
Here are the five most popular sports drinks in 2023.
- Gatorade — $7B
- Body Armor — $1.4B
- Powerade — $1.2B
- PRIME — $377M
- Electrolit — $370M
1. Gatorade — $7B in Sales, Up 11.5% YoY
As legend has it, a team of scientists invented Gatorade in a University of Florida lab to help quench thirst and keep the Gators football team hydrated at the request of head coach Ray Graves.
Ten players on the Florida Gators football team tested the first version of Gatorade during practices and games in 1965.
The rest is history.
The drink has since become the most popular sports drink in the world by a wide margin, grossing $7 billion in sales in 2023, 5x more than the next most popular beverage.
Not only is that number up 11.5 percent year-over-year, but Gatorade is still growing while its top competitors Body Armor (-10.6 percent) and Powerade (-2.4 percent) have started to lose sales to emerging brands in the market.
2. Body Armor — $1.4B in Sales, Down 10.6% YoY
Body Armor is next on the list of the most popular sports drinks.
The late Kobe Bryant made a significant investment in the company in 2013 before it was eventually acquired by Coca-Cola in 2021 for $8 billion.
In 2023, Body Armor earned $1.4 billion in sales but that number appears to be on the decline. Sales decreased by 10.6 percent in 2023, the biggest decline of any company in the top five.
3. Powerade — $1.2B in Sales, Down 2.4% YoY
Another Coca-Cola product, Powerade was first released by the company in 1987.
A popular sports drink, Powerade was marketed to athletes to help keep them hydrated. It’s been a popular brand and was the official sports drink of the Olympics in 2020.
This year, Powderade has earned a total of $1.2 billion in sales, but like Body Armor, the drink is also declining in market share. While it didn’t take a huge hit, Powderade sales are down 2.4 percent in 2023, making it only the second company with declining sales in the top five.
4. PRIME — $377M in Sales, Up 1676.6% YoY
Owned by Logan Paul and KSI, PRIME has made a huge splash on the sports drink scene.
As the official drink of UFC, Arsenal, and the L.A. Dodgers, fans can’t get enough of the product. With genius marketing, PRIME sales are up a whopping 1676.6% compared to 2022.
The sports drink brand is less than two years old and has already had tremendous success. PRIME has sold more than $377 million in drinks in 2023, allowing it to crack the top five most popular sports beverages.
5. Electrolit — $370M in in Sales, Up 20.9% YoY
Marketed to consumers as a healthy alternative sports drink, Electrolit has increased its sales by 20.9 percent in 2023. The company brought in $370 million in sales this year alone, making it the fifth-best-selling sports drink in the world.
The sports drink is approved by the World Health Organization (WHO) and offers a lot of nutritional value to help regenerate calcium, potassium, sodium, and magnesium after physical activity.
The scientifically designed drink is made with pharmaceutical grade ingredients to optimize hydration for athletes.
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