PepsiCo discontinues 'natural' Gatorade

PepsiCo has discontinued a line of Gatorade it marketed as “natural,” even as people increasingly look for foods and drinks that are positioned as such.

The Purchase, N.Y. company said in a statement that through “engagement with athletes on their fueling needs, we found that Gatorade Naturals and G2 Naturals did not resonate with this core consumer.”

On its website, the company said the drinks provided the benefits of regular Gatorade while using ingredients like sea salt. The line had limited distribution in select Whole Foods and Kroger locations.

It's not clear why PepsiCo didn't invest more heavily in marketing Gatorade Naturals. Americans in recent years have shifted toward foods they feel are natural, with a growing number shunning processed foods that contain chemicals they don't recognize.