Accelerade's point of differentiation is that it’s "a protein enhanced sports drink that allows athletes to get the most out of their workout and their exercise. The 4:1 carbohydrate to protein ratio has been clinically proven to enhance endurance by 29% over ordinary sports drinks."

Even thought Accelerade is going against "Gatorade which is the dominant player and anyone who has tried to compete with them has not been successful," said Michael Mauze, managing director at VMG Equity, San Francisco. "Powerade has been able to get the distribution because it's a Coke product, but no one's been able to build the brand equity that Gatorade has."

Accelerade in its powder form already is popular among hard-core athletes. Dustin Cohn, director of innovations at Gatorade, Chicago, said that Accelerade and Gatorade are fundamentally different products. "Sports drinks are supposed to replenish and hydrate. Our scientifically proven formula works for athletes. Protein is for post workout. It's an active ingredient that helps recovery. They are two different things."

Michael Sands, former CMO at Snapple and co-founder of all-natural snack company LesserEvil, Tuckahoe, N.Y., said because Gatorade has evolved into an every day refreshment beverage, Accelerade has a "chance to backfill the position of the legitimate sports drink. It's the real deal. Workout extremists swear by it. Gatorade is great, but it's at the point that my kids drink it for breakfast."

Accelerade claims to increase endurance by 29%, speed muscle recovery for 40% greater endurance during a second workout and hydrate 15% better than traditional sports drinks. "Endurance athletes have used it in powder form for years," said the Cadbury exec. "It's been reformatted and we're making it available to a wider audience.

For More information please visit www.accelerade.com