We’ve all seen it on social media haven’t we? #FitFam, #NoPainNoGain, #InstaFit. And in light of research, those muscles are just going to get bigger and more defined, meaning this is the perfect time for health businesses to tap into new sports nutrition demographics and latch onto emerging healthy ingredients.
According to recent market research the sports nutrition market in Europe is expected to reach $15.45bn by 2020, with the protein supplements segment being the fastest growing market growing at a CAGR of 9.6% during 2014-2020.
What has caused this spike in growth?
The 3 key drivers for growth are:
• Increased customer awareness around sports nutrition
• Increased uptake of people conscientiously living a healthy lifestyle
• Increased number of new fitness centres & health clubs
Thanks to the digital age, there has been a shift in buying behaviours. Consumers are more educated when it comes to buying decisions, having been fed a constant stream of content around healthy living sparked by various factors such as obesity, malnutrition and weak immune systems.
People are now accustomed to conducting research prior to making a purchasing decision – 81% of consumers conduct online research, including search engines, customer reviews and browsing competitor sites. When it comes to sports nutrition however, it’s not necessarily the cost that is being compared; it’s the ingredients.
There’s been a notable increased demand for caffeine free products over the last few years, implying natural plant and animal based products are high on consumers agendas; the animal protein segment dominated the market with approximately 55% of market share in 2015. However what the sports nutrition sector offers is essentially fast food, with a twist.
Our always-on-the-go culture hasn’t dwained, so products that enable people to maintain their busy lifestyles but reap all the health benefits are proving the most satisfying. The sports drinks segment is the largest product, valued in at 8.21bn litres in 2013, which reinforces the notion that people want quick fixes and meal supplements, such as whey and soy proteins.
Beefing up your marketing
We can’t lie; the nutrition landscape is bigger than Arnie’s biceps circa 1990, but in order to stand out, your brand needs to adopt new marketing methods to approach the health and fitness conscious. Educated consumers who are adamant they know what they want are putting pressure on businesses to deliver innovative products containing trending ingredients to satisfy the demand. The global soy market is predicted to grow by a CAGR of more than 7% during the forecasted period.
Investing in R&D will facilitate this requirement, but reaching the sports nutrition market will depend upon your marketing strategy and deployment tactics.
The world’s biggest sports nutrition brand, USN, is a leader in encouraging a fit and healthy lifestyle with its scientifically backed products. Being aware of the changes in buying behaviour, they developed an ecommerce website to align with the statistic that 80% of millennials admit to making impulse online purchases. Not only are they responding to digital shifts in order to drive more sales and brand awareness, but their product innovation is reactive to societal changes. Despite being the main sponsor for BodyPower, USN have developed ranges for weight loss and management, tapping into the consumer demand derived from the rise in obesity.
Garnering in-depth research about your personas and fluctuating marketing is the first
step towards offering your audience exactly what they want. This data analysis will form the foundations of your business strategy, positioning you in a space where you can compete with shelf space, manufacture products that speak to the emotional behaviours of your personas and drive meaty growth for your business.
For more insight into the sports nutrition market and how a digital marketing approach can help churn serious sales gains, contact us here. Protein shakes on the house.