Nutrient-enhanced water

Drug Store News,  May 20, 2002  by Rob Eder

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When beverage players the size of Pepsi and Cadbury-Schweppes throw their hats in the ring, retailers can be assured that the nutrient-enhanced fad that began with bottled water brands, such as Vitamin Water and O2 Go, has some legs to it.

Aquafina Essentials, which launched this month, comes in four flavor/benefit varieties, such as Multi-V with vitamins B-complex, C and E, and a subtle watermelon flavor.

In January, Pepsico's Gatorade brand group-operated by Pepsico's Quaker Foods division-introduced a new line of nutrient-enhanced waters under the new Propel label. Propel contains essential B vitamins, as well as the antioxidant vitamins C and E, and comes in four flavors: black cherry, lemon, orange and berry.

Snapple's Elements (Cadbury-Schweppes)line features two energy drinks in lemon and berry, and two replenishment drinks in orange and lime. Elements goes beyond vitamins and minerals to include herbal ingredients, such as ginseng and guarana. The replenishment drinks are positioned a against isotonic offerings, such as Powerade and Gatorade.

While there is no hard data available on what some are calling the functional water segment, in 2001 bottled water sales reached more than $152 million in chain drug stores, up almost 27 percent. Isotonic sales in drug chains reached almost $66 million, a gain of 34 percent.

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