Pepsi to introduce new beverage to relax drinkers, induce sleep

Sept. 14 (UPI) -- PepsiCo announced Monday it will soon begin selling a new "enhanced" water beverage that will help drinkers relax and fall asleep.

The new beverage, called Driftwell, is scheduled to make its debut later this year. Pepsi said it will contain L-theanine. Theanine is commonly used to ease anxiety and improve mental function.

The drink will contain 10% of the daily value of magnesium and 200 grams of L-theanine.

"I think we're launching this at a time when there's more consumer interest than there previously was, given everything that's going on from a macro perspective," said Emily Silver, vice president of innovation and capabilities at Pepsi's North American beverages unit.

"From a scientific and regulatory perspective, we feel really good about making that claim around L-theanine. Specifically, we have safety in clinical data to prove that it works."

Silver said PepsiCo will position Driftwell as a wellness product. The concept for the beverage originated with workers in an employee incubator program early this year.

"We started this project before COVID, but especially now with all the stress, we're juggling a lot of things and need sleep," Silver added. "The concentration around sleep wellness or sleep hygiene has massively increased in the last few years."

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