China’s Fitness Boom Paving Way for Huge Gains in Sports Nutrition

The past five years (2012-2017) has seen significant growth in global sports nutrition, up from $7.7 billion in 2012 to $13.6 billion in 2017. China, one of the fastest growing markets, enjoyed a compound annual growth rate of over 20%, according to statistics from Euromonitor as outlined by Aaron Gong (brand manager of Aland) during China’s 5th Nutraceutical Industry Development Conference.

China’s government has fostered growth in this sector through enactment of favorable national policies and prioritization of lifestyle and fitness to combat China’s healthcare issues. According to government statistics the number of sports participants rose from 360 million in 2015 to 434 million in 2016.

Sports nutrition products including high protein and vitamin fortified foods and beverages are gaining traction amongst general consumers despite traditionally being associated with athletes. As Aaron mentioned, “Our target consumers have shifted from the fairly niche demographic of bodybuilders to everyday men and women who want firm abs or beach bodies, beauty and health.”

Protein products account for more than 85% of the sports nutrition market globally. Vitamin D, fiber, plant protein gained popularity in 2017. Despite the dominance of protein products, the sheer size of the market combined with current optimistic projections means that niche product categories also present an interesting investment opportunity for stakeholders. Product development should factor in current trends shaping consumer preference such as organic, minimal use of synthetic preservatives, sustainability, plant-based etc.