Gatorade is made by PepsiCo, the global food and beverage giant that acquired the brand in 2001 when it purchased Quaker Oats Company, giving PepsiCo ownership of the world’s most recognized sports drink.
Gatorade is the number one sports drink brand in the world, holding more than 65 percent of the U.S. sports drink market and generating over $7 billion in annual sales in 2025 across drinks, powders, protein products, and nutrition bars.
PepsiCo, Inc. (Nasdaq: PEP), headquartered in Purchase, New York, owns Gatorade through its Gatorade Company subsidiary and produces it at bottling facilities across the United States and internationally through its global distribution network.
Knowing who makes Gatorade tells buyers whether their sports drink comes from a company with the scale, research backing, and quality infrastructure to justify the product’s market dominance.
This article covers PepsiCo’s ownership of Gatorade, where it is produced, the brand’s origin at the University of Florida, and how Gatorade compares to Powerade on ownership and market position.
So let’s get started.
Table of Contents
Who Makes Gatorade?
Gatorade is owned and manufactured by PepsiCo. According to the Gatorade Wikipedia entry, the brand is distributed in over 80 countries and was developed in 1965 by a team of researchers at the University of Florida led by kidney disease specialist Dr. Robert Cade.
PepsiCo acquired Gatorade in 2001 as part of its $13.4 billion purchase of Quaker Oats Company. Quaker Oats had owned Gatorade since 1983 after purchasing it from Stokely-Van Camp, which had held the brand since 1967.
PepsiCo produces Gatorade at its own bottling facilities across the United States and through its international manufacturing and distribution partnerships.
The concentrate formula is PepsiCo’s proprietary product, and finished Gatorade beverages are produced domestically for the U.S. market at multiple regional bottling plants.
Where Is Gatorade Made?
Gatorade is produced at PepsiCo-owned or PepsiCo-operated bottling facilities across the United States. Unlike Coca-Cola’s franchised bottling model, PepsiCo directly owns a larger portion of its beverage production infrastructure, including many of the plants where Gatorade is mixed and bottled.
PepsiCo has major U.S. beverage production facilities in states including Florida, Texas, New York, Illinois, and California that handle Gatorade production for regional distribution.
The specific plant of origin for any given bottle or can is typically not marked on consumer packaging.
Internationally, Gatorade is produced through PepsiCo’s global bottling and manufacturing network.
In markets where PepsiCo has franchised local partners, those partners produce Gatorade under license using PepsiCo’s concentrate and recipe specifications.
What Is the History of Gatorade?
Gatorade was created in 1965 by Dr. Robert Cade and a team of physicians at the University of Florida College of Medicine.
They developed the drink to help the Florida Gators football team replace the fluids and electrolytes lost through sweat during games in the extreme Florida heat.
The Gators went on to win the Orange Bowl in 1967, and the coach of the opposing team, Alabama’s Bear Bryant, famously asked why his team didn’t have Gatorade.
That quote helped fuel early national attention. Stokely-Van Camp acquired the commercial rights in 1967 and began national distribution.
Quaker Oats purchased Gatorade in 1983 for approximately $220 million when the brand was worth around $100 million in annual sales.
Under Quaker Oats, Gatorade expanded internationally and launched new flavors, growing to $2.2 billion in value by 2001 when PepsiCo acquired it as part of the Quaker Oats deal.
Gatorade vs. Powerade: Who Makes Each Brand?
Gatorade is made by PepsiCo and Powerade is made by The Coca-Cola Company, making the two brands the flagship sports drink products of the world’s two largest beverage conglomerates.
The rivalry mirrors the broader Pepsi vs. Coke competition but plays out specifically in the sports and active hydration category.
Gatorade holds a commanding market share advantage, with over 65 percent of the U.S. sports drink market compared to Powerade’s roughly 15 percent.
The gap reflects Gatorade’s earlier establishment, its long-running NFL partnership as the official sports drink of the league, and PepsiCo’s aggressive investment in the brand’s athlete endorsement ecosystem.
Both brands follow similar electrolyte-replacement formulations based on sodium, potassium, and carbohydrates, with the primary differences coming down to flavor profile preferences and brand loyalty rather than meaningful nutritional distinctions at equivalent product tiers. For more on PepsiCo-owned brands, see Who Makes 7UP and Who Makes RC Cola.
Frequently Asked Questions About Gatorade
Is Gatorade owned by Pepsi?
Yes. Gatorade is owned by PepsiCo, which acquired the brand in 2001 as part of its $13.4 billion purchase of Quaker Oats Company. PepsiCo operates Gatorade through its Gatorade Company subsidiary.
Where is Gatorade manufactured?
Gatorade is manufactured at PepsiCo’s bottling facilities across the United States, with production distributed regionally. Internationally, it is produced through PepsiCo’s global manufacturing and franchised bottling network in over 80 countries.
Who invented Gatorade?
Gatorade was invented in 1965 by Dr. Robert Cade and a team of researchers at the University of Florida. It was created to help the Florida Gators football team replace electrolytes lost during games in Florida’s extreme heat.
Is Gatorade the same company as Pepsi?
Gatorade is a brand owned by PepsiCo, the same company that makes Pepsi. It operates as a standalone brand under the Gatorade Company subsidiary rather than being merged into the Pepsi brand identity.
I am Jack Neel, a mechanical engineer, researcher, and writer. I created this website to share my knowledge about different brands and products with you. I research the manufacturers behind the brands and provide you with the information you need to make smart buying decisions.