Webinar Recap: Navigating the Growth Potential of Energy & Performance

Here are some of the key learnings:

Energy Is a Primary Need for Performance Products

Energy is a top need for performance consumers. 73% of global consumers use products before a workout to supply them with sustained energy, while 68% use them for energy boosts, according to FMCG Gurus.¹ In the sports performance category, energy includes both physical and mental aspects.

Since energy is about priming or stimulating action, it begins with the brain. However, energy is ultimately aimed toward better physical performance—e.g., faster, higher, or stronger. 

In endurance nutrition, energy is a need in electrolyte, gel, chew, and bar products, while in aesthetic nutrition (i.e., for muscle building), it shows up in pre-workout, amino acid, and nitric oxide booster products. Energy can be seen as a gateway into the category of performance nutrition.

Expanding Definitions of Energy and Performance

While energy is the top claim among pre-workout products in North America and Europe, other segments are also grabbing hold of the energy claim, albeit to meet different needs. This includes products for gamers, a demographic of 3 billion globally and growing, according to e-Sports market research firm Newzoo.²

Energy products for gaming (such as energy powders and RTDs) are particularly relevant for fueling performance, as well as “fueling the lifestyle,” i.e., consumption at nongaming occasions to identify oneself with gaming culture. These products tend to contain less caffeine than pre-workout products and include other ingredients associated with mental focus and brain performance like tyrosine and gingko. 

Another big trend in energy that redefines performance is energy products for daily optimization. The messaging here is to help you be your best, i.e., to optimize your performance on a daily basis—at work and in life. Although energy is the primary claim for these products, most do not actually contain caffeine but instead rely on a wide range of wellness ingredients from bioactive botanicals to amino acids.

A World of Opportunity in Energy and Performance

These new ways of looking at energy to support performance point to the many opportunities available to brands in this area. Energy is a fundamental consumer need, and the opportunities for innovation are significant. 

Natural energy is one such opportunity, with 60% of active consumers reporting they would like a pre-workout product that provides energy from natural sources.³ Vegan and sustainability claims also offer ways to differentiate since few energy brands have taken these on despite high demand. Energy products tailored to women, especially female athletes, are another key opportunity. 

With energy claims showing up on products from vitamin waters to superfood supplements, it’s clear the interest in energy is strong. Innovative positioning, formats, and ingredients will all play a role in the future of energy products. To support this growing interest, we offer NutraShield™ Triple Layer Caffeine—an encapsulated natural caffeine sourced from coffee beans, FitNox^®—a plant-based non-stimulant pre-workout ingredient, and more.

Watch our webinar for more insights into the growth potential of energy and performance.

References

1. FMCG Gurus, The Potential of Performance Nutrition in 2021 – Global Report, February 2021.
2. Newzoo, Global Games Market Report 2021, July 2021.
3. Glanbia Nutritionals, Performance and Active Nutrition U&A Survey, US, 2022.