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In the world of sports, nutrition has always been a cornerstone of athletic success. From carb-loading before marathons to electrolyte consumption during races, athletes rely on nutrition to fuel their bodies. Today, advancements in technology are transforming this field, enabling athletes to train smarter, recover faster, and perform better than ever before. Here is how tech-driven sports nutrition has been evolving and reshaping performance.
The Global Sports Nutrition Market, valued at $30.1bn in 2023, is projected to reach $32.3bn in 2024, with a 6% CAGR from 2023 to 2027. Key growth drivers include rising health-consciousness, increased e-commerce, growing incomes, and a demand for plant- based products.
The U.S. leads the market, with expected revenues of $19.9bn in 2024 and $24.3bn by 2027, supported by its established fitness culture and high prevalence of health consciousness. In Europe, the market is set to reach $4.3bn in 2024 and grow to $5.3bn fueled by preference in ethical products with healthy ingredient lists, innovative products (such as clear protein) and convenient products.
Indeed, McKinsey’s Global Future of Food Survey 2022 found that consumers are looking to eat more healthily since COVID-19 across the UK, US, Germany and France. Some sports nutrition companies are changing their marketing strategies to target health and wellness of mass-market consumers, rather than specifically gym goers. For example, The Hut Group rebranded MyProtein in 2023 to target “the wider wellness consumer” and Bulk successfully shifted the focus of their products from muscle building and weight loss to health and wellbeing over the 2010s.
Other key drivers include global ecommerce penetration expected to grow from a forecasted 40.5% in 2024, approaching 50% by 2029 as consumers are increasingly digitally native. Sports nutrition is an inherently online business since consumers not only look online to purchase nutrition products, but also to research nutrition products and inform themselves of the benefits – The Feed or Healf for instance.
Income levels also significantly influence the adoption of nutritional products, as higher- income individuals can more easily afford health-conscious choices. Rising incomes are expected to drive increased purchases of such products, particularly in lower-income countries, mirroring trends in wealthier nations.
As a growing proportion of the population is adopting plant-based and vegan diets (for either health or environmental reasons) there is a greater demand for plant-based sports nutrition products and supplements.
Drivers
While the Sports Nutrition market appear to be dominated by global supplements brands like Optimum Nutrition, Think!, Cellucor, Muscle Milk, MyProtein, and MuscleTech (which together held 17% of the global market in 2022), emerging companies have two key areas to play in: Management and personalization of nutrition, and Innovative supplement formulations.
The personalized nutrition market is still in its early stages, with few major players currently addressing the growing demand for tailored solutions. This presents an opportunity to create a compelling product designed for long-term customer engagement, well-suited to a subscription-based model. However, a potential challenge lies in the market’s niche nature and its currently limited scope. Companies like Zoe, and EatMyRide are leading innovation here.
The market for innovative supplement formulations demonstrates significant growth potential, driven by the ability of effective new products to gain traction through word- of-mouth promotion. First-to-market products can command high profit margins. However, there are notable challenges, including substantial R&D costs required to develop innovative formulations, the vulnerability of product lifecycles to shifting consumer trends, and the high risk of replication by established competitors. Maurten and Fitbiomics, as well as AG1, are examples excelling in this area.
Emerging Brands
Emerging trends in consumer health and wellness are driving a focus on targeted, niche solutions that enhance performance, metabolism, and overall well-being. Two notable innovators in this space, Ketone-IQ and Plasmaide, have developed advanced formulations tailored to athletes seeking to improve both performance and recovery.
Ketone-IQ is centered around the delivery of exogenous ketones, which serve as a highly efficient energy source. This product is well-suited for endurance athletes aiming to sustain energy levels during prolonged physical activities. Key benefits include providing sustained energy without relying on sugar or caffeine, reducing muscle fatigue, and supporting mental clarity. Among its advocates is professional triathlete Sam Long, a long-distance competitor with 32 professional podium finishes, who utilizes Ketone-IQ to enhance his athletic performance.
Plasmaide, on the other hand, focuses on promoting optimal blood health by stimulating nitric oxide production. This mechanism improves oxygen delivery and nutrient circulation, making it ideal for enhancing endurance, boosting recovery, and supporting focus, immunity, and sleep quality. Its formula incorporates natural ingredients such as Maritime Pine Bark extract to promote healthy blood circulation. Plasmaide is currently endorsed by Norwegian triathlete Gustav Iden, the 2022 Ironman World Champion, who is also a two-time Ironman 70.3 World Champion (2019 and 2021).
Maurten has gained significant traction in the sports nutrition market with its endurance products that leverages simplicity and Innovation
The company focuses on clean formulations, free from artificial additives, preservatives, and sweeteners, appealing to health-conscious consumers. Maurten has raised $23.8m in funding, primarily in 2024, and has built a strong brand reputation driven by product innovations like the Maurten Bicarb System, which uses Hydrogel Technology to encapsulate bicarbonate for efficient absorption. This approach mirrors the success of their Gel 100 and Drink Mixes, which revolutionized carbohydrate delivery for endurance athletes. By combining transparency and cutting-edge technology, Maurten has positioned itself as a leader in sports nutrition.
Gel 160 offers 40 grams of carbohydrates per serving, designed for athletes requiring more energy than Gel 100 for extended training or racing. It uses patented Hydrogel Technology to encapsulate carbohydrates, facilitating efficient digestion and absorption. The simple ingredients include water, glucose, fructose, and gelling agents such as calcium carbonate, gluconic acid, and sodium alginate.
Scientific innovations are revolutionizing the sports nutrition industry, offering athletes more efficient ways to fuel performance. As the global market continues to grow, emerging companies are capitalizing on trends such as personalized nutrition and advanced supplement formulations. Brands like Ketone-IQ, Plasmaide and Maurten demonstrate how combining scientific innovation with simplicity in product design appeals to both health-conscious consumers and elite athletes. These advancements, alongside rising e-commerce and growing wellness interest, point to a promising future for companies that can differentiate themselves and leverage technology effectively in this competitive landscape.
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In the world of sports, nutrition has always been a cornerstone of athletic success. From carb-loading before marathons to electrolyte consumption during races, athletes rely on nutrition to fuel their bodies. Today, advancements in technology are transforming this field, enabling athletes to train smarter, recover faster, and perform better than ever before. Here is how tech-driven sports nutrition has been evolving and reshaping performance.
The Global Sports Nutrition Market, valued at $30.1bn in 2023, is projected to reach $32.3bn in 2024, with a 6% CAGR from 2023 to 2027. Key growth drivers include rising health-consciousness, increased e-commerce, growing incomes, and a demand for plant- based products.
The U.S. leads the market, with expected revenues of $19.9bn in 2024 and $24.3bn by 2027, supported by its established fitness culture and high prevalence of health consciousness. In Europe, the market is set to reach $4.3bn in 2024 and grow to $5.3bn fueled by preference in ethical products with healthy ingredient lists, innovative products (such as clear protein) and convenient products.
Indeed, McKinsey’s Global Future of Food Survey 2022 found that consumers are looking to eat more healthily since COVID-19 across the UK, US, Germany and France. Some sports nutrition companies are changing their marketing strategies to target health and wellness of mass-market consumers, rather than specifically gym goers. For example, The Hut Group rebranded MyProtein in 2023 to target “the wider wellness consumer” and Bulk successfully shifted the focus of their products from muscle building and weight loss to health and wellbeing over the 2010s.
Other key drivers include global ecommerce penetration expected to grow from a forecasted 40.5% in 2024, approaching 50% by 2029 as consumers are increasingly digitally native. Sports nutrition is an inherently online business since consumers not only look online to purchase nutrition products, but also to research nutrition products and inform themselves of the benefits – The Feed or Healf for instance.
Income levels also significantly influence the adoption of nutritional products, as higher- income individuals can more easily afford health-conscious choices. Rising incomes are expected to drive increased purchases of such products, particularly in lower-income countries, mirroring trends in wealthier nations.
As a growing proportion of the population is adopting plant-based and vegan diets (for either health or environmental reasons) there is a greater demand for plant-based sports nutrition products and supplements.
Drivers
While the Sports Nutrition market appear to be dominated by global supplements brands like Optimum Nutrition, Think!, Cellucor, Muscle Milk, MyProtein, and MuscleTech (which together held 17% of the global market in 2022), emerging companies have two key areas to play in: Management and personalization of nutrition, and Innovative supplement formulations.
The personalized nutrition market is still in its early stages, with few major players currently addressing the growing demand for tailored solutions. This presents an opportunity to create a compelling product designed for long-term customer engagement, well-suited to a subscription-based model. However, a potential challenge lies in the market’s niche nature and its currently limited scope. Companies like Zoe, and EatMyRide are leading innovation here.
The market for innovative supplement formulations demonstrates significant growth potential, driven by the ability of effective new products to gain traction through word- of-mouth promotion. First-to-market products can command high profit margins. However, there are notable challenges, including substantial R&D costs required to develop innovative formulations, the vulnerability of product lifecycles to shifting consumer trends, and the high risk of replication by established competitors. Maurten and Fitbiomics, as well as AG1, are examples excelling in this area.
Emerging Brands
Emerging trends in consumer health and wellness are driving a focus on targeted, niche solutions that enhance performance, metabolism, and overall well-being. Two notable innovators in this space, Ketone-IQ and Plasmaide, have developed advanced formulations tailored to athletes seeking to improve both performance and recovery.
Ketone-IQ is centered around the delivery of exogenous ketones, which serve as a highly efficient energy source. This product is well-suited for endurance athletes aiming to sustain energy levels during prolonged physical activities. Key benefits include providing sustained energy without relying on sugar or caffeine, reducing muscle fatigue, and supporting mental clarity. Among its advocates is professional triathlete Sam Long, a long-distance competitor with 32 professional podium finishes, who utilizes Ketone-IQ to enhance his athletic performance.
Plasmaide, on the other hand, focuses on promoting optimal blood health by stimulating nitric oxide production. This mechanism improves oxygen delivery and nutrient circulation, making it ideal for enhancing endurance, boosting recovery, and supporting focus, immunity, and sleep quality. Its formula incorporates natural ingredients such as Maritime Pine Bark extract to promote healthy blood circulation. Plasmaide is currently endorsed by Norwegian triathlete Gustav Iden, the 2022 Ironman World Champion, who is also a two-time Ironman 70.3 World Champion (2019 and 2021).
Maurten has gained significant traction in the sports nutrition market with its endurance products that leverages simplicity and Innovation
The company focuses on clean formulations, free from artificial additives, preservatives, and sweeteners, appealing to health-conscious consumers. Maurten has raised $23.8m in funding, primarily in 2024, and has built a strong brand reputation driven by product innovations like the Maurten Bicarb System, which uses Hydrogel Technology to encapsulate bicarbonate for efficient absorption. This approach mirrors the success of their Gel 100 and Drink Mixes, which revolutionized carbohydrate delivery for endurance athletes. By combining transparency and cutting-edge technology, Maurten has positioned itself as a leader in sports nutrition.
Gel 160 offers 40 grams of carbohydrates per serving, designed for athletes requiring more energy than Gel 100 for extended training or racing. It uses patented Hydrogel Technology to encapsulate carbohydrates, facilitating efficient digestion and absorption. The simple ingredients include water, glucose, fructose, and gelling agents such as calcium carbonate, gluconic acid, and sodium alginate.
Scientific innovations are revolutionizing the sports nutrition industry, offering athletes more efficient ways to fuel performance. As the global market continues to grow, emerging companies are capitalizing on trends such as personalized nutrition and advanced supplement formulations. Brands like Ketone-IQ, Plasmaide and Maurten demonstrate how combining scientific innovation with simplicity in product design appeals to both health-conscious consumers and elite athletes. These advancements, alongside rising e-commerce and growing wellness interest, point to a promising future for companies that can differentiate themselves and leverage technology effectively in this competitive landscape.
Accelerate Ventures
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