Sports nutrition is evolving at incredible speed, according to global solutions provider Glanbia Nutritionals, and the category is now worth £1.08bn ($1.5bn) in the UK.
Growing at a CAGR rate of 8.7% out to 2025, the sports, active and healthy nutrition market is increasingly catering to a mass consumer audience seeking holistic solutions that support fitness & performance goals. It is no longer a product segment restricted to athletes and body builders.
This market growth indicates a new emerging megatrend, according to experts at Glanbia Nutritionals, with consumers opting for products with active ingredients to support not only physical health but also immunity, sleep, and cognitive health. Brands looking to expand their portfolio to address consumer demand can effectively do so with health beneficial and science backed solutions such as bioactive ingredients.
Said Mayuresh Bedekar, Director Product Strategy for Bioactives at Glanbia Nutritionals: “Bioactives can be used for a huge variety of market segments and in a wide range of applications such as ready-to-mix powders, beverages, gels, bars and supplements in form of tablets, capsules, gummies or soft gels.”
Glanbia Nutritionals’ R&D team has developed revolutionary technologies to optimise amino acids. PepForm binds free form amino acids to peptides isolated from fresh sweet whey using advanced fractionation and separation technologies. PepForm peptide carrier technology significantly improves the solubility and utilisation of amino acids like BCAA, Glutamine, Tryptophan and Arginine.
Research reveals 55 per cent of Europeans have placed a greater emphasis on improving immunity because of COVID-192, with a further 58 per cent looking for immunity boosting claims in sports nutrition products, leading to brands seeking the addition of vitamins C, A, D, B12, zinc and iron.
In response to this demand, Glanbia Nutritionals offers Bioferrin lactoferrin which is a superior iron balancing solution that offers a gentler and safer alternative to inorganic iron sources. The strenuous activity of athletes can result in the depletion of iron levels, as 18 per cent of males and 38 per cent of females experience iron deficiencies. Lactoferrin provides athletes with a better tolerated iron delivery system that is backed by years of extensive research and which may have a positive impact on their performance.
Added Bedekar: “Research tells us that eight in ten (82 per cent) consumers cited ‘improving cognitive health’ as an important factor when seeking out sports nutrition products. Ingredients that can support better sleep, alertness, and focus (including nootropics) are now highly sought after, so companies are increasingly looking to adapt to this trend.”
Sports nutrition claims around improving strength and energy remain popular, however, this now extends beyond protein, with the Non-Protein Sports Nutrition market worth £203m ($282m) in the UK.
Concluded Bedekar: “Our bioactive solutions are an ideal option for food and drink brands entering or expanding into the sports nutrition and active lifestyle market, as they are immediately ready to be added during the manufacturing process, meaning new product innovations can be made available to purchase rapidly.” For more visit glanbianutritionals.com
