Sports nutrition products, vitamins and minerals cover a huge global market that over the years has undergone unparalleled growth, from the appearance of new consumers, development of sales channels and products, and improved regulations to dynamic market trends. Designed to enhance fitness goals or enrich health and wellness, this segment of food, be it in the form of sports drinks, protein powders, energy bars and snacks or dietary supplements, today incorporates more than athletes, bodybuilders, marking increased popularity among new active and recreational nutrition users, as well as the healthy eating everyday consumers.
With the expanded consumer demographic, new consumer needs and intense interest in the sports&nutrition segment due to a heightened awareness of health and wellness, brands and importers from all over the world are working on innovating products to seize the benefits of this exciting, profitable, niche market, forecasted to an annual growth rate of 10.9% from 2021 to 2028.
Sports nutrition market drivers
When it comes to the times of modern days, consumers are in general savvier than before due to easier access to information, thus consumers are increasingly educating themselves about healthy living and eating habits, especially younger generations who are exposed to the influence of social media when it comes to body image.
At the same time, rapid urbanization, hectic or sedentary lifestyles, time scarcity and daily stress had taken a toll on several people, raising awareness about lifestyle-related diseases, especially after considering the rising healthcare expenditures. With these concerns in mind, consumers have become more focused on self-care, preventive healthcare and fitness, to maintain a nutritious diet and active lifestyle, not to mention the recent Covid crisis, that encourages the sick population to consume immunity-boosting sports nutrition products.
Another important market driver for the sports nutrition segment is the proactive development of sales channels, including the retail and the e-commerce segment, the latter witnessing a fast growth in the wake of Covid. Additionally, the rise in online fitness courses and the reopening of gyms, health clubs and worldwide sports events, coupled with brand collaborations, new product development and marketing and promotional activities has created a new wave of increased sales for the sports and nutrition category.
What do consumers want?
In terms of buying patterns, the casual sports nutrition consumer is more relaxed and on the look for affordable, flavourful, traditional low sugar, high protein products that promote energy boost while the performance seeker is more interested in product functionality, source or quality.
Personalization
For active gym goes and especially athletes, for whom every sport has different exercise goals and different strains on their bodies, there is a need for products that supply the right nutritional needs, to achieve peak performance potential. Mass market pre-workout and post-workout sports supplements have shifted to products enhanced with niche benefits for various needs, like gut health, skin health, joints help, energy boosters, sleep promoters, weight management, immunity enhancement, muscle growth, endurance help, fatigue help, focus help and so on. The personalization trend in sports nutrition food plays a significant role in the market, where consumers are increasingly demanding products tailored for their issues since nutrition is one pillar of wellbeing success.
Clean & green
When it comes to the appeal of product packaging, today`s consumers seek brands that promote ethical consumerism and eco-friendliness, but also transparent labels with clean ingredients. Given the rise of veganism and green eating, the demand for plant-based ingredients in food and drinks is fastly growing worldwide since many have felt the vegetarian advantage, also linked with high protein and free-from trends.
Healthy snacking
With the increased hectic lifestyle but an increased range of sport nutrition products and availability, people are re-evaluating their snacking habits and shift towards convenient, healthy to-go snacks like protein and energy bars, trail mixes or sports drinks. The recent pandemic and increased home seclusion have increased the interest and frequency of snacking, thus to live healthier lives, people are spending more time online, researching the benefits of sports nutrition foods that are increasingly substituting unhealthy snacks, especially since brands and constantly introducing new flavours and innovations.
Key markets and stakeholders
Regarding market shares, North America takes the podium with more than 30% of the global sports nutrition market due to its wide customer base, a preponderance of lifestyle diseases and wide marketing and product development. In Europe, the second-largest market for sports nutrition products, vitamins and minerals, the recent fast growth is driven by the rise in health centres and busy lifestyles of a wide range of consumers while in the Asia Pacific, especially Japan and China, healthy eating and convenience is a daily must.
Strong growth is forecasted to continue, through the expansion of sport supplement users and product technologies, among developed and emerging markets. Despite the high competition of giant market players like Ultimate Nutrition Inc., Abbott Nutrition Inc., or PepsiCo Inc., importers and distributors of sports nutrition products, vitamins and minerals are increasingly interested to be introduced to top prospects and get a share of this long term profitable market.
3 Sports Nutrition Food Importers:
Sports Supplement Nutrition Co.
Address: New Delhi New Delhi, Delhi, India
Phone: +91 11 4509 3400
Website: ssncindia.in
Bcambodia
Address: 79 Preah Sihanouk Boulevard (274), Phnom Penh, Phnom Penh, Chamkarmon, Cambodia
Phone: +855 96 423 8285
Website: bcambodia.com
Yuh Hua Trading Company
Address: Lot 47701, Unit 10 & 11, Spg 128-11-26, Bandar Seri Begawan, Daerah Brunei-Muara, Mukim Gadong B, BE3791, Brunei
Phone: +673 265 0176
Website: yuhhuatc.com
To get access to a list of active baby food importers and distributors from around the world, you can access the Sports Nutrition Products, Vitamins & Minerals Importers Database.