Investing in Innovation: The Promising Future of Electrolyte Drinks

The global electrolyte drinks market is projected to reach more than $74 billion in the next decade. With consumers more focused on living a healthier lifestyle, the search for enhanced hydration and conscious brands has been steadily growing. That’s according to Guy Lawrence – a key figure in the alcohol drinks market with more than 30 years’ experience and a major investor of ViDrate – the first zero-sugar hydration sachet with added vitamins and electrolytes and no artificial ingredients. Here Guy discusses the emerging trend in electrolyte drinks and the opportunities he sees ahead with his latest venture.

In recent years, the drive for health and wellbeing has grown, with younger generations in particular choosing to live better in all aspects, from exercising more, reconnecting with nature, spending money consciously and investing in their health through better nutrition.

Guy said: “Google Trends shows the searches for electrolytes are currently running four times higher than energy drinks - that trend has grown four times since January 2023, in the UK. This is a huge space to be innovating in.

“Vitamins and supplements, which include some of these products, are growing at about 9% per annum. Some competitive electrolytes are growing at +250% per annum or so in the grocery environment and ViDrate is growing far faster than that. 

“People are starting to understand that being hydrated really does help you “live better”. That’s what we are trying to do…help the world live life feeling fantastic."

Promising potential

While Guy's career has had a strong focus around some of the world’s most well-known alcohol brands – Guinness, Bacardi and Jägermeister to name a few - it all began with an alcohol-free bitter that unfortunately failed to impress consumers. Fastforward 35 years however, and the market has been shifting towards more alternative and unique beverages.

“I’ve always been involved with innovative new product concepts,” Guy explains. 

“I was part of the development of getting draught-quality Guinness into a can, a radical breakthrough at the time. And then worked on a similar project with Bacardi, which took quite a bit longer, but the iconic Bacardi Breezer went on to become a massive success with more than $500m in retail sales.”

A renewed focus

A first of its kind, ViDrate offers fruit flavoured electrolyte containing sachets with optional caffeine for a healthy boost of energy, nighttime hydration for better sleep and a children’s mini range to encourage hydration from a young age.

Upon meeting the ViDrate founders Nick Hird and Rob Bennett, Guy was drawn to not only their entrepreneurial spirit and unwavering tenacity, but how the product offered a unique way to not only look after personal health but also the planet’s health too.

“I was interested straight away by the sachet format of the product, and how it worked,” Guy added.

“There is a real consumer need that ViDrate is helping to solve. The majority of us do not drink enough water and frankly, consumers find the taste boring. Vidrate helps you absorb water faster, making everyday tasks easier, giving you more focus, clearer thinking, and energy. 

“But there is another level to this that caught my attention and that was the reduction of single use plastic, which is another huge challenge for so many soft drink brands that ViDrate had already considered. This was a brand that was really forward-thinking and I knew I wanted to be involved and that my experience could help.”

Looking up

While ViDrate is part of a new and emerging category, there are of course many connections to the wider drinks sector.

“Much of what I have been doing with the team has links with the work I have done for years with alcohol brands,” Guy said. 

“It’s all about building awareness, getting people to try, and communicating how the product should be used, as well as working on the right type of merchandising, whether that’s online or instore. That said, the team are doing phenomenally well, and I’m there as a resource every now and then, as and when I’m needed. 

“I believe the opportunity for ViDrate is massive – there's a lot of blue sky. And I strongly feel it could be a world beater. When you look at the insights, consumer feedback, the usage occasions, the global potential, and the associated benchmarks, this will be one of the best. But we are a small independent operator, so the executional challenges are heightened. 

“Everything is pointing to a future where consumers are looking for ways to improve their lifestyle – we have seen it in an increase of low and no alcohol products. And increasingly you now have products with real functional benefits like ViDrate. I started my career in this space, and it seems I’m going to end it here too.”

To find out more, visit https://www.vidrate.com/