With the Australian Open underway, tennis superstar Novak Djokovic announced a major investment in Austrian functional beverage company, waterdrop.
Waterdrop launched in 2016, looking to combat sugary drinks and reduce the use of plastic bottles.
It recently launched waterdrop Microlyte, a hydration-boosting cube that contains five electrolytes and nine vitamins. Its format as a dissolvable cube means less can and bottle waste, a factor that made Djokovic get on board.
Waterdrop said its products significantly reduce plastic use and CO2 emissions through the individual recyclable packaging of each cube. The plastic contained in a single cap of a traditional plastic bottle, is equivalent to 10 Microdrinks, the company said.
Looking to fight plastic waste with the company, Djokovic said that a healthy lifestyle should include proper hydration with no concessions on environmental impact.
“Becoming an athlete doesn’t just rely on talent and training, but also on the choices you make for your body. I had to unlock many different spheres of knowledge and apply them to my everyday life.
“I made the decision to take responsibility for my choices as an athlete, as a public figure but also as a father, and to stop promoting the use of any of these pre-filled beverages,” said Djokovic.
Compared to traditional sports drinks, waterdrop Microlyte is naturally flavored, and has no sugar or caffeine.
In Australia, leading non-alcoholic beverage companies reported that low/no sugar options accounted for 50 per cent of all sales as of 2022. In the fourth progress report on the Sugar Reduction Pledge, the Australian Beverages Council said that the industry was on track to achieve its target to reduce sugar in non-alcoholic beverages by 20 per cent by 2025.
Sugar reduction in products is being driven by the reformulation of existing products, launching new no and low sugar beverages and investing in marketing to drive sales of no and low sugar products.
Consumption trends uncovered in research published in 2021 showed that during over two decades of drink consumption in Australia, there had been a long-term shift in Australians’ non-alcoholic drink choices.
The company has also partnered with Plastic Bank, pledging to collect one plastic bottle for every 12-pack sold.
Waterdrop has over 2 million online customers, 300 employees, is listed in more than 20,000 retail outlets and operates more than 40 stores in Europe, the USA and Singapore.
Microlyte can be purchased through waterdrop's website.
