While protein powder shows no signs of peaking with sustained double-digit growth and a 75% repurchase rate, fiber is emerging as a significant opportunity–though Dicker said it will not match protein’s dominance.
“About 90% of Americans do not get the recommended fiber, so there is a need there,” he noted. “That being said, it’s probably not going to hit the levels of protein.”
Dicker compared fiber to “cats” and protein to “dogs”—while consumers can specifically identify protein types like dog breeds, fiber remains largely undifferentiated and more of a generic “cat.”
“People always think about, you know, is it whey protein? Is it an isolate? Is it plant-based? Is it collagen?,” he said. “And really people aren’t super educated on what different types of fibers are out there, so I anticipate brands will start to differentiate and how to position their different types of fiber sources.”
If brands are successful at educating consumers on the various fiber sources and their specific benefits, Dicker predicted that one day fiber could reach mainstream status. He also noted fiber’s emerging role as a functional ingredient in beverages and its potential for differentiation in the market.
With the U.S. in the midst of a spa boom and consumers increasing comfort supplementing with pharmaceuticals, Dicker anticipates testosterone and hormone support will become major trends.
“We saw the barrier between people taking pharmaceuticals along with their nutraceuticals really go away with GLP-1s,” he said.
Similar to GLP-1 drugs helping to normalize the use of pharmaceuticals alongside nutraceuticals, Dicker said he sees a similar opportunity emerging around testosterone therapy (TRT), with interest in both natural alternatives (like how berberine was positioned as “nature’s Ozempic”) and support products.
He added that the natural testosterone booster category was already popular in sports nutrition 10 to 15 years ago, giving it a foundation of consumer awareness and existing products. Ingredients likely to gain attention include basics that address deficiencies—such as zinc, magnesium and vitamin D—as well as minerals like boron, certain herbs and combination formulas. Overall, Dicker forecasted that the testosterone boosting products are on track to take center stage in the near future.
“There’s been an uptick in interest from women as well and so I think that’s going to be a big thing that we’ll be talking about next year,” he said.
