The sports nutrition market has grown considerably in recent years. More than ever before, innovation is the name of the game. The design of a sports nutrition product goes through several different stages that JLB DEVELOPPEMENT can help you with. Find out more in our article on this subject.

 

Understanding the sports nutrition market

The sports nutrition market is growing. It is bursting with innovations and new product concepts. With the increased diversification of nutraceutical offerings, designing a product that stands out has become crucial. How can you design a product that will stand out from the crowd?

To come up with an effective product concept, you first need to understand the sports nutrition market properly. This requires full knowledge of market players and the existing products on offer.

Similarly, understanding how sporting practices change, in addition to the motivations of sports practitioners, can lead to an innovative product concept. These two facts represent the needs of consumers and help us understand the demand, so as better to adapt the offer.

 

 Defining your sports nutrition concept

Coming up with a solid concept depends on several factors; various criteria must be met to end up with a product that will be a market success.

Firstly, its target needs to be accurately defined. In the context of a sports nutrition product, this obviously means athletes. However, in this population, several further criteria must be defined and met to fine-tune the target. So the consumer’s age, the sport they practise and their objectives are all data that need pinpointing.

For example, an increasing number of new sports nutrition products target women. Today, one in two women practises physical exercise, according to an article written by the marketing agency PepsWork.

Then you have to choose the product promises that will meet the expectations of the core target. But beware of not delivering on your promises! A product that does not have the desired effect calls brand credibility into question.

Defining the product characteristics expected by the target is a key step. Product use, guarantees and ergonomics must be clearly stated, and if the product is accompanied by certifications and labels, all the better for increasing its sales!

Lastly, one area of information that must be pinpointed is the target market. Whether the product is intended for sale in France, Europe, the United States or North Africa makes all the difference. The socio-cultural, economic, regulatory and health criteria of the target country must absolutely be taken into account. Doing so can boost product success, but not doing so can lead to its total failure or even prohibition of sale.

You need to innovate! As we described in our previous article, the sports nutrition market has seen a new opportunity open up for nootropic products. These products act on neurons, neurotransmitters and brain plasticity, and promote sports performance.

 

Developing an effective formulation

Defining product promises is a key point, and the effects promised are based on the choice of ingredients.

The choice of specific, natural active ingredients is an avenue that should be thoroughly explored. A number of active ingredients are of much interest when it comes to sports nutrition. Proteins, amino acids such as BCAAs, and plants that promote recovery or joint comfort; various compositions may be considered. It is also of value to favour active ingredients supported by clinical studies.

Using ingredients associated with claims is a significant plus. It increases the credibility of the formulation and the product wins consumer trust.

 

Choosing the right product format

Product formulation goes hand-in-hand with defining its format. This involves selecting the appropriate dosage format. To do so, it is important to take into account the physico-chemical characteristics of its ingredients and also the commercial target.

Generally, athletes opt for practical formats and look for nutraceuticals that are easy to ingest and can be taken even while practising sport. Primary and secondary packaging choices will define the practicality of nutraceutical intake.

Being supported by a manufacturer such as JLB DEVELOPPEMENT during your sports nutrition product design venture is an asset for accelerating your time-to-market. As experts in your market, our team will provide you with the technical advice you need to achieve a unique product concept.