From e-sports to protein gummies: driving sports nutrition growth in 2023
Sports nutrition will be one of the major nutraceutical growth markets in Europe during the next 2–5 years, with the category already being worth €3.4 billion.1 According to Euromonitor, protein products alone are predicted to surpass €4 billion by 2026 (up from €2.5 billion in 2021).
In fact, throughout Europe, its analysts forecast a CAGR of 7% for the next 5 years. This is clearly a high-growth segment in which CDMO innovation and product development is helping nutraceutical brands to stay ahead of and even define the big trends of 2023.Read More : Sports nutrition innovation despite pandemic supply challenges When we look at sports nutrition, however, most people within the industry are drawn only to powders, drinks and bars. And, although certainly that has been the dominant product narrative until now, we do see big shifts under way in the market in 2023.
In fact, some of the biggest growth areas are likely to come from a widening of traditional definitions, as well as sports nutrition products coming to market in alternative dose and delivery forms. For example, as the sports market shifts towards “grab and go” options, we expect gummies to grow quickly.2
Another interesting aspect of the market in Europe is the unusually large dominance of one country; the United Kingdom accounts for nearly half (45%) of current sports nutrition sales, with growth occurring at rates of nearly 10% per year. Other prominent markets (Figure 1) are the Nordic countries (15%), Germany (11%) and Italy (7%).
Delving deeper into what to expect in 2023, we anticipate a shifting picture. If we first look to define subcategories, we can then examine how this might shape market opportunities throughout Europe. What we see are three broad types of sub segments, with products aimed at
The active lifestyles class is focused on areas such as joint health, cognitive function and energy, whereas e-gaming products look to enhance concentration and eye health. The latter is a group we expect to see a surge in demand from during the next few years … and a market we believe could become a defining trend.
The opportunities in Europe’s leading sports nutrition market, the UK, have never been greater. Historically, thanks to the country’s large gym-going population, this has been led by the active class of products.
This is a demographic that is well known to invest in additional supplements to support their workouts and recovery; and, in recent years, this market has expanded to encompass general sports and exercise markets.
Yet, despite this, we see that relatively few truly innovative products have entered the market in the last few years. Brands often rely on dissolvable powders and energy bars, supported by tablets — with key ingredients being caffeine, L-theanine, creatine, whey powders, electrolytes and L-carnitine.
For the most popular product ingredient (whey proteins), what has not yet been widely attempted is to encourage consumers to take their protein requirements gradually during the day.
This could then be done during a workout or exercise and is one of the reasons why we anticipate surging gummy demand. Not least because many consumers report that whey-based protein products are rarely enjoyable and come with other disadvantages (such as high water intake).
Part of the reason that this has yet to take off is that it’s only recently become possible to dose each gummy appropriately. The first-generation of products can typically deliver a protein load of 1.25 g.
lready, though, we have second-generation products in development that can accommodate higher loads. The consumer benefit here is clear: rather than cramming a large amount of protein into an often unpleasant and undesirable dosage form (whey bar or powder-based drink), the user gets to reach their desired daily protein intake in a more pleasant and enjoyable way by consuming protein gummies throughout the day.
Creatine gummies could also be a very promising area, especially for at-gym performance; creatine also benefits from an EFSA-approved health claim for “increased physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high intensity exercise.”4
However, rather than wait for new trends to emerge, what we are doing at Sirio is actively working with our customers to help them create and build new product classes during the next few years.
In fact, throughout Europe, its analysts forecast a CAGR of 7% for the next 5 years. This is clearly a high-growth segment in which CDMO innovation and product development is helping nutraceutical brands to stay ahead of and even define the big trends of 2023.
In fact, some of the biggest growth areas are likely to come from a widening of traditional definitions, as well as sports nutrition products coming to market in alternative dose and delivery forms. For example, as the sports market shifts towards “grab and go” options, we expect gummies to grow quickly.2
Another interesting aspect of the market in Europe is the unusually large dominance of one country; the United Kingdom accounts for nearly half (45%) of current sports nutrition sales, with growth occurring at rates of nearly 10% per year. Other prominent markets (Figure 1) are the Nordic countries (15%), Germany (11%) and Italy (7%).
Delving deeper into what to expect in 2023, we anticipate a shifting picture. If we first look to define subcategories, we can then examine how this might shape market opportunities throughout Europe. What we see are three broad types of sub segments, with products aimed at
The active lifestyles class is focused on areas such as joint health, cognitive function and energy, whereas e-gaming products look to enhance concentration and eye health. The latter is a group we expect to see a surge in demand from during the next few years … and a market we believe could become a defining trend.
The opportunities in Europe’s leading sports nutrition market, the UK, have never been greater. Historically, thanks to the country’s large gym-going population, this has been led by the active class of products.
This is a demographic that is well known to invest in additional supplements to support their workouts and recovery; and, in recent years, this market has expanded to encompass general sports and exercise markets.
Yet, despite this, we see that relatively few truly innovative products have entered the market in the last few years. Brands often rely on dissolvable powders and energy bars, supported by tablets — with key ingredients being caffeine, L-theanine, creatine, whey powders, electrolytes and L-carnitine.
For the most popular product ingredient (whey proteins), what has not yet been widely attempted is to encourage consumers to take their protein requirements gradually during the day.
This could then be done during a workout or exercise and is one of the reasons why we anticipate surging gummy demand. Not least because many consumers report that whey-based protein products are rarely enjoyable and come with other disadvantages (such as high water intake).
Part of the reason that this has yet to take off is that it’s only recently become possible to dose each gummy appropriately. The first-generation of products can typically deliver a protein load of 1.25 g.
lready, though, we have second-generation products in development that can accommodate higher loads. The consumer benefit here is clear: rather than cramming a large amount of protein into an often unpleasant and undesirable dosage form (whey bar or powder-based drink), the user gets to reach their desired daily protein intake in a more pleasant and enjoyable way by consuming protein gummies throughout the day.
Creatine gummies could also be a very promising area, especially for at-gym performance; creatine also benefits from an EFSA-approved health claim for “increased physical performance in successive bursts of short-term, high intensity exercise.”4
However, rather than wait for new trends to emerge, what we are doing at Sirio is actively working with our customers to help them create and build new product classes during the next few years.
Source: nutraceuticalbusinessreview.com
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