Plant-based products have been proliferating in the food and beverage industry, and sports nutrition is quickly catching on to the trend, Innova said. Pea protein and rice protein showed up in 32% and 21% of plant-based launches in 2019, respectively. Going forward, other alternatives such as fava bean, microalgae and pumpkin seed proteins are expected to appear more frequently in formulations.
About one third of sports nutrition product debuts in 2019 carried clean label claims, up from 20% in 2015, Innova said. No additives and no preservatives claims also double penetration over the same period.
Personalization also is permeating the sports nutrition category, driven by Gen Z and millennials expressing interest in products that meet their individual needs or tastes, Innova said. Products geared toward pre- and post-workout needs and those with benefits related to performance, endurance and energy are still prominent. However, newer diet trends such as keto and paleo are affecting new sports product launches, as well as ingredients for alternatives needs such as adaptogens, nootropics and CBD.