Pepsi Launches A Sleep Beverage: What You Need To Know About Driftwell

Individuals troubled with insomnia or stress might have found an unusual solution in beverage maker PepsiCo, Inc. PEP with their new beverage launch.

What Happened: PepsiCo CEO Ramon Laguarta held an internal competition for employees last year to create a new and exciting product.

The winning product Driftwell, an enhanced water drink intended to help individuals de-stress and relax in the evening, was the result, CNBC reported.

Driftwell contains 200 milligrams of L-theanine, an amino acid that’s found in green and black teas and some mushrooms, as well as 10% of the daily recommended value of magnesium.

Some studies indicate that L-theanine could help improve sleep quality and lower physical symptoms of stress, the report said. 

"From a scientific and regulatory perspective, we feel really good about making that claim around L-theanine," Emily Silver, vice president of innovation and capabilities at Pepsi's North American beverages unit, told CNBC.

"Specifically, we have safety in clinical data to prove that it works," she said.

Driftwell will be available nationwide on e-commerce sites in December and in grocery stores by the first quarter of 2021.

Why It's Important: Water-based health beverages are a $3-billion industry in the U.S. that is expected to grow nearly 5% in 2020, according to data from Euromonitor International.

"It's a nascent category, and it's one frankly that we think we can build from a liquid refreshment beverage perspective," Silver said.

What's Next: Driftwell will come in a 7.5-ounce mini can in one flavor: blackberry lavender.

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