100PLUS is a proud winner of the Reader's Digest Trusted Brands Award 2006 What is the first thing that crops up in our minds immediately when one brings up the subject of sports and beverage? 100PLUS, of course. And the votes of confidence from Reader’s Digest’s readers concur with this answer, judging from this year’s Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands poll. 100PLUS was voted by consumers as one of the Gold Trusted Brands in the Soft Drink category of the survey, outdoing other competitors for both qualitative and quantitative scores. Being the first isotonic drink to be introduced in Malaysia, 100PLUS’s illustrious growth over the past five years is evident from its omnipresence in stores around the country. “From being anchored, initially, as an active sports drink, 100PLUS is, today, very much a lifestyle drink, meant for consumers who need to recharge themselves,” said Jenny Wong, Marketing Manager of F&N Coca-Cola (Malaysia) Sdn Bhd. From a consumer’s standpoint, 100PLUS’s position as an active lifestyle drink is really quite unique and it is in sync with today’s hectic life. “Being an isotonic drink, it supplies the correct ratio of glucose and minerals that our body needs, while instantly replacing lost electrolytes (sodium, potassium and chloride) and energy during physical activities. It is also formulated to rehydrate and replace body fluids better and faster than water. In other words, it’s the ultimate hydrating beverage,” explained Wong. “Besides that, 100PLUS is also the only isotonic beverage that is endorsed by the National Sports Council. With trust being the main theme of the eighth consecutive annual Reader’s Digest consumers survey, 100PLUS is truly a top-of-mind brand that consumers believe in when it comes to its thirst-quenching ability. Understandably, trust doesn’t occur overnight. The invisible bond that binds consumers to the brand has been built upon years of strategic marketing, faithful brand promise and the manufacturing company’s foresight and commitment to innovation, quality and excellence. How did the 100PLUS name come about anyway? You may ask. “We were celebrating our 100th anniversary in 1985, and to signify our presence in the market, we decided to introduce a new variety of beverage that was different from the rest. Hence, the R&D team in Singapore formulated 100PLUS, a drink that became the first isotonic beverage in the country,” reminisced Wong. “Though it took some time to convince the public on the concept of an isotonic drink when it was first rolled out, 100PLUS currently retains a lion’s share in the isotonic drink market in Malaysia, of more than 90%, according to AC Nielsen’s audited figures,” she added. From the initial 100PLUS Regular, other effervescent variants have been added into the 100PLUS family over the last few years, namely, the 100PLUS lemon Lime, 100PLUS Tangy Tangerine, and 100PLUS POWER. The inclusion of the latest 100PLUS Aqtiv only took place about a month ago. It is of no wonder the company scored well in the Reader’s Digest Trusted Brands poll this year, with a new qualitative score being taken into consideration: innovation. “We take innovation and reinvention very seriously, in order to stay close to the changing trends of consumer’s lifestyle. “A lot of grassroots study and market research have been conducted to contribute to what we are today,” emphasized Wong on F&N’s culture of winning, creativity and dedication to meeting consumer’s demands and expectations. True to the 100PLUS tagline, the brand constantly “outdoes itself” by challenging the status quo in all that it is engaged in.