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IN-STORE EVENTS CALENDAR

Sports Nutrition

Market Overview

Sports and performance drink sales steadily increased 18% during 2015-20, a trend that’s expected to continue. While category growth was slow but steady during 2014-19, with the arrival of the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, dollar sales declined nearly 6%. Mintel forecasts sales to rebound in 2021 and projects the category to resume fairly steady growth through 2025.

More than half of consumers say that flavor is important when choosing a sports/performance/protein drink, and 70% agree that brands should offer more flavor varieties for sports and performance drinks.

More than eight in 10 adults take steps to remain active, reporting that their routines involve some kind of exercise. Thirty-nine percent of adults say that maintaining their exercise routine has become a higher priority because of COVID-19.

Key Issues

The COVID-19 pandemic has driven consumers to increase at-home cooking and snacking. While this has benefited most snack categories, it undercut those options oriented toward meal replacement and eating on the go. Seeking healthier options and snacking more often were the top two reasons for consuming more bars in 2020.

When asked “Are you eating nutrition/ performance bars more often this year compared to 2020?” 34% are eating more and half say that it’s due to having healthier options.

When asked “Are you drinking sports/performance drinks more often at home this year compared to 2020?” 35% say that they are.

A third of sports/performance/protein drink consumers say that it’s important for the drink to be low in calories and free from artificial ingredients.

Of consumers drink sports drinks, while 22% of consumers eat performance bars. FOR MORE INFORMATION, VISIT WWW.MINTEL.COM OR CALL 800-932-0400

What Consumers Want, and Why

Ingredients are top of mind for both sports/ performance drinks and bars. To increase consumption frequency and reduce the incidence of product swaps, there’s opportunity for brands to incorporate functional ingredients that boost immunity, promote mental clarity and/or aid gut health.

Many use bars between meals, and more than a quarter use them to replace meals altogether. Secondary benefits — boosting energy, providing nutrients and improving health — suggest the many functional benefits that can help enhance and differentiate bars. This supports the potential for functional bars to take an even more central role in a post-pandemic landscape in supporting well-being, bolstering immunity and addressing a range of health concerns.

Consumers maintain a flavor-first strategy when shopping for sports/performance drinks, suggesting that brands should focus on flavor, too. Low sugar, vitamins/minerals and low calorie counts are also top-tier influencers. Natural ingredients and clean-label formulations will be at the top of sports drink consumers’ minds for the foreseeable future.