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As human needs evolve, so do our energy requirements.
It's evident that energy isn't one-size-fits-all, spanning from exhausted parents to elite athletes—everyone seeks heightened energy, mental clarity, and focus. In 2023, Glanbia Nutritionals initiated a comprehensive consumer study to gain profound insights into modern-day energy needs. This exploration delved into varied facets of energy.
Our study on modern-day energy needs revealed many key insights including:
Three energy need states emerge when we look at consumers today. Quick Burst, Gap Fill, and Sustained Vitality. Let’s break them down:
From managing children to sprinting a 100-yard dash, consumers seek energy across various life facets. Energy and alertness is the top health claim for global product launches and energy drinks dominate the $48B European functional beverage space, with an anticipated 9% annual growth in the next five years.2
Pre-workout ingredients, typically geared for bodybuilding, have expanded into energy drinks, bars, and healthier products. This trend aligns with consumers seeking diverse energy-providing ingredients across different formats, emphasising their energy needs specifically for Quick Burst or Sustained Energy.
Beverages account for 80% of ‘quick burst’ occasions which demonstrates consumer preference for a beverage over food for that need. Conversely, 90% of gap fill occasions are met by food choices.
When consuming energy drinks, they seek characteristics such as refreshing, great tasting and containing caffeine.
The preferred product choices for Quick Burst includes: Energy drinks, , functional iced coffees and waters, protein chips and cheese snacks.1
For gap fill, the product choice is protein bars, protein cheese snacks, protein balls and bites.
Consumers seek out both food and beverage on occasions for Sustained Vitality needs. The preferred beverages choices include sports and electrolyte drinks, super juices and functional smoothies and pre/probiotics. For all food snacking occasions, having a product with high protein is key. Food choices include protein and whole food bars, cheese snacks, protein balls, protein bites and protein chips/crisps.1
Consumers are willing to invest more money for higher quality ingredients that align with their energy goals, specifically in Quick Burst and Sustained Vitality need states. Interestingly enough, consumers interested in Quick Burst energy are more focused on taste rather than health, while Sustained Vitality leans towards health-led choices over taste preferences.
Because consumers energy needs are multi-dimensional, there are so many options in the marketplace to support energy. Here are some key ingredients to consider:
While caffeine remains prevalent, alternative sources like green tea or coffee extract appeal to consumers who are wary of caffeine's potential side effects. Consumer trends underscore a preference for natural, low-sugar, and high-protein options, with an emphasis on holistic health and vitality.
Consumers looking for ingredients helping with mental energy and focus continue to rise focus, cognition, mood, and sleep are four subcategories of brain health, although there is overlap with ingredients and products targeting several of these areas.3
Consumers are seeking solutions that meet a variety of differing energy management needs, emphasising the importance of offering a diverse range of products that are specifically tailored to need states. Understanding these energy states enables effective product development aligned with consumer energy demands.
Through our research we have also established the role of taste and its importance. If we look at functional food and beverage categories , taste is as important if not more important than function in every case. We also see that taste and flavour ranked higher than cost, convenience, environmental aspect and other key categories.4
The evolving energy landscape demands comprehensive solutions catering to diverse need states—whether it's Quick Burst or Sustained Vitality. Consumer preferences, formats, and ingredient trends shape the market, influencing the development of products optimising energy across varied scenarios.
Glanbia is committed to supplying high-quality solutions - from essential vitamins and minerals to functional proteins. Our range of bar solutions and our premium partially hydrolysed whey protein isolate, Provon IsoHi®, are just a few of the solutions that we offer.
We can help customers at every stage of the new product development/commercialisation cycle. Our collaborative approach to development and innovation is a key differentiator for Glanbia Nutritionals vs. our competition.
Contact us today to discuss your next product formulation for the energy space.
