Sports nutrition has undergone an incredible decade of development with the expansion of its consumer base. This growth has occurred not just in sports nutrition’s major markets (the US, the UK, Australia), but in other regions, such as Asia. Interest in sports nutrition is also expanding from its typical core users (bodybuilders and performance athletes) to a broader range of consumers focused on fitness and healthy living. These consumers have joined the category due to increased interest in protein from a nutritional perspective and are using products that are easy to use (bars, Ready-to-Drinks (RTDs)).

Sports nutrition market is dynamic everywhere but regional differences must be considered. In absolute terms, the traditional major markets continue to dominate and are still expected to grow, but Asia Pacific will be the region with the higher pace of growth in the future. This expansion is already happening in adjacent industries, such as vitamins and dietary supplements.

For the next few years, some trends impacting the market will include:

• Transparency/ clean label: consumers are looking for products with a reduced number of ingredients or more familiar ingredients that can optimise performance while keeping healthy.
• Healthy snacks: protein bars and beverages record the fastest growth as consumers are looking for convenient and nutritious products, which allow space for high protein and on-the-go formats.
• Sustainability: environmental and ethical issues are a rising focus. While organic is still an important factor in developing countries, in mature markets, concerns about animal welfare, farmers’ wellbeing and the environment are driving consumer purchases.

Protein products are the most popular products of the category, representing around 80% of the sports nutrition market, and will continue to be a driver.