What Is 'Complete Nutrition'?

Complete Nutrition: An Emerging Category

Around the world, the pace of consumers’ lifestyles has been steadily rising. At the same time, consumer interest in healthy nutrition has never been higher. This can be a daily challenge for the busy, on-the-go consumer who struggles to find the time to prepare healthy, nutritious meals. 

This is where “complete nutrition” comes into play. Complete nutrition is an evolving hybrid niche that addresses this problem by offering ready-to-drink (RTD) and ready-to-eat (RTE) complete nutrition products for time-pressed consumers. Complete nutrition products are an evolution of meal replacements that targets mainstream consumers rather than weight management consumers.

New launches in this emerging category are largely centered on RTD beverages, a format increasingly associated with health and wellness. However, some brands are using bars and even gummies to deliver the complete nutrition of a meal. The messaging around complete nutrition products emphasizes their convenience and complete nutrition profile, along with their sustainability due to their ability to reduce food waste.

Key Characteristics of Complete Nutrition Products

In many ways, complete nutrition products are built on the same science that’s used to develop traditional meal replacement beverages. This means a nutrient-dense yet calorie-conscious formula that tastes good and also provides satiety as a regular meal would. 

A balance of macronutrients—protein, fats, and carbs (including fiber)—is essential in a complete nutrition product to replicate the nutrition and energy delivered by a regular meal. "High protein" claims are especially popular among these products and help differentiate them as health-focused. Fortification with a meal’s worth of essential vitamins and minerals is also key.

Like traditional meal replacements, complete nutrition products come in convenient, on-the-go formats such as RTD beverages. However, format opportunities are much greater in the new complete nutrition category and already include nutritionally complete heat-and-eat meals, snacks, and confections. The messaging and target consumer are also very different.

Brands Leading the Complete Nutrition Trend

Some complete nutrition brands appearing across Europe include yfood’s This Is Food (Germany) which includes RTDs, powders, and bars that are described on the company's website as “a practical, healthy meal.” Their Classic Drinks, for example, contain 22 grams of protein, 26 vitamins and minerals, and oat fiber in a shelf-stable, recyclable bottle.

Huel (UK) is another complete nutrition brand offering a variety of formats from RTDs and powders to bars and single-serve meals. Positioned as “the world’s no. 1 complete food,” Huel encourages consumers to keep family dinners but replace boring meals with Huel products to save time. Products include real food ingredients such as oats, peas, coconut, and flaxseed and are fortified with 27 vitamins and minerals.

In Asia, Comp (Japan) is a company that’s been tapping into Japan’s fast-growing home meal replacement market, as the country's tradition of long working hours continues to drive interest in convenient meal options. While Comp started with nutritionally complete powders, it’s the Complete Nutrition Gummies that have gained the most attention. One packet of ten gummies delivers 15 grams of protein and 4 grams of fiber, providing a healthy meal or snack alternative.

Your Partner for Complete Nutrition

As the trend in complete nutrition products catches on, brands will have more opportunities than ever to support consumers’ needs for healthy nutrition in practical ways that meet today’s lifestyles. Glanbia Nutritionals’ dairy-based and plant-based proteins, bioactive ingredients and custom premix solutions can help you make your next move a smart one.

Contact us to learn about developing complete nutrition products for your customers.