Let’s face it: 2020 has been one giant mood swing. We’re smiling one day, crying the next. We’ve lost loved ones and jobs and our sense of normalcy, and with that, we’ve lost a lot of sleep and gained a lot of stress. PepsiCo knows the struggle is real, and as a result, it’s created a new beverage to help ease the burden.
Meet functional wellness drink Driftwell, a calorie- and sugar-free, noncarbonated water that’s formulated with known stress reducers L-theanine (200 mg) and magnesium to promote relaxation. Emily Silver, vice president of innovation and capabilities at PepsiCo Beverages North America, told CNBC that Driftwell is the fastest new product to ever come out of the company—it was developed as part of an employee incubator program in January 2020. “We started this project before COVID, but especially now with all the stress, we’re juggling a lot of things and need sleep,” Silver tells Fast Company. “The concentration around sleep wellness or sleep hygiene has massively increased in the last few years.”
The water is subtly flavored with blackberry and lavender (a known sleep enhancer) and will come in 7.5-ounce mini cans. Silver told CNBC it’s the perfect size for hydrating before bedtime without requiring another trip to the bathroom. Driftwell is anticipated to launch online in December and will be available in stores in early 2021 ($18 for 10 cans).
