FrieslandCampina Ingredients outlines the trends that will drive the active sports nutrition segment this year

Photo © iStockphoto.com/Starcevic

FrieslandCampina Ingredients ((Amersfoort, The Netherlands) released a new report, Nutritional Food: Shaping the Future of New Ingredients, which outlines trends and developments for the future of performance and active nutrition, is based on extensive research conducted in late 2020.

“Right now, we’re seeing behavior and needs shifting faster than ever before,” said Vicky Davies, global marketing director, performance, active and medical nutrition, in a press release. “COVID-19 has brought health and wellness to the fore, and it will be essential for brands to keep in tune with these evolving concerns in 2021 and beyond. In our report, we aim to shed light on the trends set to shape the performance and active nutrition industry and its future. At FrieslandCampina Ingredients, we pride ourselves on our understanding of consumer interests and buying behaviors, so we are always rethinking how we can innovate with our dairy ingredients and continue to collaborate with our partners to create timely and relevant solutions.” 

FrieslandCampina Ingredients identified four leading trends that will shape the performance and active nutrition this market:  

• A renewed outlook on health and well-being. Six out of 10 consumers globally state they are more conscious about their overall health and wellbeing as a result of COVID-19, which means they care more about eating well, exercising, and products that support their health and overall quality of life. Health-related food and beverage products that offer clean and simple labels, convenience, hydration, protein fortification, gut health, brain health, and immunity will experience strong growth.
• Personalization, identity, and technology. Personalized, nutritious products that can be easily incorporated into work and social life are growing in popularity, as are female-based products. Women account for a growing proportion of the performance and active nutrition market, but still lack products that align with their goals and preferences. Products tailored to individual needs, driven by breakthroughs in technology and science, look set to attract consumer attention.
• Convenience is key. With 51% of active consumers skipping most or all meals due to time pressure, there is clear demand for snack products that are nutritious and convenient. Evolving mealtime habits, perceptions of time-scarcity and a greater focus on health than ever before will drive demand for products that offer convenient nutritional boosts for active consumers. 
• Authentic storytelling and sustainability. Consumers’ trust in some brands has begun to diminish as people look for ethical, sustainable options. Clean labelling and transparency will be more important than ever in 2021, as power continues to shift to consumers.