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Body Armor may have showed the potential of disruptor brands to crack longstanding hegemony of Gatorade and Powerade in sports drinks, but it's still not a category for the faint of heart. That was reinforced earlier this week when Congo Brands cut its entire staff supporting wholesalers of its foundering Prime Hydration and Prime Energy brands (BBI, Oct 29). Now it's Mark Anthony Brands that's undertaken a sweeping cutback in staff on its Mas+ by Messi sports drink launched a year ago in collaboration with iconic soccer star, from what we've heard over past day. It's pivoting from emphasis on DSD to greater focus on direct-to-retail and direct-to-consumer channels while it tries to get brand on growth trajectory. As we reported, co had signaled at natl sales meeting recently that it was planning pivot from half-liter PET bottle to 12-oz sleek can after its first-year sales missed 5-mil case target by over two-thirds (BBI, Oct 3). Among the changes are formula enhancements that include increased potassium, magnesium, sodium and vitamin B. Tho co had indicated the new year would be one of brand tinkering in hope of reigniting it in 2027, it wasn't clear that restage would involve cutting much - maybe most - of staff. Still, source familiar with strategy emphasized that there's no thought to discontinuing the brand. Rather, hard-won learnings from past year and a half are being applied to consumer targeting, product, positioning and occasion. So 2026 will bring smaller distribution and channel focus while refinements are tested out. That includes heavier tilt to DTC and DTR rather than the beer houses that carry Mark Anthony's White Claw, Mike's and other alc brands. Rivals in hydration space fault MAB for expanding too quickly, particularly when initial launch market of South Florida - where Messi plays for Inter Miami team - didn't set the world on fire. "MAS+ went to a 50% ACV in just over a year or so," one told us today. "Seemed like they had no channel strategy."Tho it's undeniable retreat, recall that even Body Armor had rough run in its first year or two as a "super drink" whose ingredient bill of dozens of functionals made it expensive and challenging to the palate. With help from Vitaminwater vet Mike Repole, its founder Lance Collins undertook pivot that knocked ingredient list down to half a dozen, lowered price and clarified messaging with big assist from Kobe Bryant. It ultimately exited to Coca-Cola for $6 bil.Tho Mark Anthony founder Anthony von Mandl over the decades has displayed patience in building out brands, he's also not hesitated to act decisively if things are not working - as he did in Aug, in slashing majority of positions at 440K-sq-ft plant in Hillsdale, NJ, as hard seltzer boom moved into reverse. And it continues to enjoy its share of successes in challenging period for alcohol, winning largest share of $$ in beer in 4-wk Circana scans ended Oct 12 on strength of White Claw, Cayman Jack, MXD and Clawtails brands.As for pivot to cans, so far that's an unproven format in hydration, bringing greater sustainability cred than PET format but negatives that include modest liquid amount and non-resealability. Still, new cadre of canned options under brand names like LMNT, Cadence and Wet Hydration have been generating some early momentum and MAB clearly is hoping it's about to catch next packaging wave in fast-evolving segment. With Messi having reupped with Miami after another spectacular year on the field and World Cup headed to N Amer shores, could brand attain a second wind in coming year?

Mark Anthony Brands Downsizes Mas+ by Messi Sports Drink; Tilting More Heavily to DTC, DTR

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