The protein category continues its explosive growth, particularly in ready-to-drink formats using whey protein, though rising whey prices may open doors for plant-based and casein alternatives.
“So as the price goes up of whey protein, you might see some other proteins start to surge,” said Dicker, senior director of market insights at SPINS. “There’s going to be a lot of room for opportunity.”
Beyond protein, another sports nutrition staple long tied to the powder tub is also expanding: creatine, which is now showing up in a growing range of convenient formats.
“It’s everywhere,” said Dicker. “We’re seeing so many creatine gummies. We’re seeing creatine bars, creatine drinks. A lot of things are going on within creatine. But as we talked about so many times before, it’s really a booming ingredient and so I think it’s going to have another strong year.”
With so many formats to choose from, he said many consumers will choose accessibility over tradition—with the exception of powder loyalists.
“A consumer who’s been taking creatine since they were in high school, I think they’re going to still stick with the powder, but in the past few years, we’ve seen a lot of people enter the creatine market,” he noted.
But creatine isn’t the only ingredient making waves. Collagen has followed the same trajectory into convenient formats, while hormonal support supplements featuring ingredients like shilajit are expanding from women’s health into men’s.
Looking ahead, Dicker said fiber differentiation will be a major focus for brands, alongside continued momentum around healthspan, hormonal health and joint support.
