Bill Giebler, NBJ Content & Insights Director
Delivery formats continue to diversify, and it's all about flavor. Within this, dissolvable melts, though still a meager showing, are growing. Chews, too (the foil-wrapped things not to be confused with chewable wafers) are rising as gummy growth flattens. More than others, though, it's powders. And while there is no clear successor to gummies as the next industry-transforming format, stick packs—elevated by the hydration category—are now finding traction beyond fizz and beyond hydration. On the ingredient front, probiotics are back, no longer content to be overshadowed by prebiotics' spotlight position (though prebiotics are still in the spotlight). These ingredients were seen in every corner of the show floor, well beyond supplements.
Erika Craft, NBJ Market Research Analyst
A clear and consistent theme I saw on the show floor was Collagen peptides. It seems clear that consumers are more educated that “vegan collagen” is nothing more than a booster, and that animal (bovine and marine) collagen provides multi-benefit solutions potentially addressing multiple different conditions. Most of the collagen products I saw weren’t even positioned towards hair, skin or nail health, suggesting that consumers are using it more for general health and creating an additional way to ingest protein. That leads me to my next theme and trend, sports nutrition. NBJ is predicting sports nutrition will be the highest growing category in 2024, and it seems most brands are tuned in to that estimate. With new grass-fed whey protein powders alongside many plant-based protein powders, consumers are looking for cleaner, higher protein-per-serving powders to supplement both their active and non-active lifestyles, simply just to meet their daily protein goals.
Hannah Esper, NBJ Managing Editor
The vibe at Expo West 2024 was decidedly reminiscent of pre-pandemic days, with optimism filling every corner of the campus. With fear-filled days in the rear-view, the community seemed joyous to be together to continue its work of bringing health to people and planet. In particular, the energy around climate solutions was palpable, with regenerative agriculture dominant in education and conversations, and regenerative certifications adorning product labels and booths throughout the show floor. The "Common Ground" film screening, a highlight of the week, provided the kind of inspiration that propels us all throughout the year. A focus on sustainable packaging solutions continued to be another source of light at the show, which I'd love to see more of as brands work to bring new products to market in the remainder of the year.
Robyn Lawrence, Senior Editor
Sea moss has been around for ages but got trendy during the pandemic, and now it’s ubiquitous in the sports performance category. Collagen peptides also appear to be running ahead of collagen protein. The peptides were everywhere and the proteins were more scarce.
Rick Polito, NBJ Editor in Chief
Cognitive health is a hot category for supplements, with 2024 NBJ growth projections at 9%. What was interesting in the Expo aisles was how the category is being tied to other conditions and use cases with a range of tie-ins that are innovative but will, at the same time, seem natural and obvious to any consumer. Sleep and brain health are an intuitive fit, but energy and stress coupled with brain health benefits are also solid match-ups. Solarary has a set of brain health supplements that can be stretched out across the day, from waking-up to de-stressing to crawling into bed.
