In the next stage of its evolution from sports drink to sports performance innovator, The Gatorade Company, a division of PepsiCo, will launch G Series Pro. The new variant of its recently launched G Series range shall hit the US through a distribution alliance with GNC, the nation’s premier specialist retailer of nutritional products for the active consumer.
G Series Pro was originally developed by The Gatorade Sports Science Institute to meet the needs of professional and aspiring pro athletes. Positioned as ‘the performance pinnacle’ of the Gatorade sports performance range, G Series Pro until now has only been available in locker rooms and specialised training facilities.
G Series Pro will be available from 1 May to a broader segment of athletes. The range will be distributed initially through an exclusive co-marketing and co-distribution collaboration with GNC and its network of almost 5,500 outlets nationwide.
"Make no mistake, Gatorade is all about the athlete," said Sarah Robb O’Hagan, Chief Marketing Officer of Gatorade. "Our 2010 product range focuses on the intersection between the insights of pro athletes and the advantages of our peerless scientific approach to product development.
“G Series premiered on the Super Bowl sidelines, where we promoted the ‘before, during, and after’ system of sports performance, and G Series Pro raises the bar even higher. Up to now, we have kept these products in the locker room, but the compatibility between G Series Pro athletes and GNC customers persuaded us this is a product line of genuine interest to those looking to go pro."
"The Gatorade brand has enormous credibility with GNC’s sports nutrition customers, and the G Series Pro line will be a valuable addition to GNC’s sport performance product line-up," said Joe Fortunato, Chief Executive Officer at GNC. "We have the right retail presence and marketing muscle to drive G Series Pro through our nearly 5,500 US stores."
Gatorade claims it is uniquely placed to capitalise on this growth through its distinctive heritage in the category, whole-hearted commitment to understanding the needs of the athlete and ruthless focus on science-based innovation.
"We recognise different needs of specialised and distinct groups of athletes across the spectrum of the whole category," said Massimo d’Amore, CEO of PepsiCo Americas Beverages. "G Series Pro is a manifestation of this insight – the elite athlete, with his or her particular nutrient requirements, needs a highly customized product.
“G Series Pro is such a product, made available through premium distribution channels such as GNC. A pioneer and leader in its field, GNC is a company that has been responsible for contributing to the success of major sports nutrition products in the marketplace for more 75 years."
