Australian comedian Merrick Watts has made a career out of making people laugh – but it’s his latest endeavour that could be his most genius career move yet.
As he found himself down a research rabbit hole about the gladiators of Rome during the COVID-19 lockdowns, the 51-year-old discovered Posca, an ancient sports drink renowned for its health benefits.
Feeling inspired, the SAS winner set out to create his own version of Posca designed for modern-day warriors.
Enter Posca Hydrate.
Speaking exclusively with New Idea, Merrick said he had no plans on launching a sports drink prior to reading up on Posca.
“It was purely a case of finding the formula and starting to make it and create it and falling in love with it.”
“The history of it and the benefits of the drink as well. It’s remarkable, the story is amazing. [Posca] is 2,500 years old, some of the most famous people in human history have consumed Posca including myself,” he jokes.
Favoured by Roman warriors, Merrick tells New Idea that his version of the hydration drink is significantly less “bracing” than its predecessor.
“The original formula would have been a combination of red wine vinegar, salt, water, and maybe mixed with herbs or honey and would have been really bracing. So [to avoid that] we’ve dialed it back a little bit so it’s a bit more refreshing and zesty and zingy. And it’s really nice and palatable to drink.”
“We have four electrolytes in ours and the benefits of red wine vinegar so it’s vastly superior to what ancient Romans would have been drinking.”
“But having said that, it’s still based on ancient wisdom,” he adds.
As Australia’s first sugar-free sparkling hypertonic drink in a can, with zero sugar, all-natural ingredients, and zero stimulants, it’s clear Merrick has done his due diligence when it comes to getting the formula right.
But he says it was a long road to get Posca Hydrate perfect for Aussie consumers.
“I’m not going to lie, some of the earlier versions of Posca were awful,” he laughs.
With a rich source of antioxidants and numerous health benefits including sustained hydration and enhanced electrolytes, it’s safe to say Merrick has successfully reinvented the original sports drink of the ancient world.
Currently, there are three flavours of Posca Hydrate available (Pineapple, Grape, and Yuzu), but Merrick says he has big plans to expand this range in the future.
You can shop Posca Hydrate nationally at major and independent convenience stores and petrol stations as well as select gyms and fitness centres in a 330ml can.
