Table of Contents
Overview
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- What you need to know
- Key issues covered in this Report
- Definition
- COVID-19: Market context
Executive Summary
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- Top takeaways
- Market overview
- Majority of adults take steps to remain active
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- Figure 1: Fitness segmentation, November 2020
- Category buoyed by focus on health and wellness
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- Figure 2: Total US retail sales and fan chart forecast of sports and performance drinks, at current prices, 2015-25
- Impact of COVID-19 on sports and performance drinks
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- Figure 3: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on sports and performance drinks, February 2021
- Challenges and Opportunities
- Consumption frequency needs a boost
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- Figure 4: Consumption frequency, November 2020
- Brand loyalty only goes so far
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- Figure 5: Product swaps, November 2020
- Consumers ask for natural ingredients, but use remains low
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- Figure 6: Attitudes toward natural sports and performance drinks, November 2020
- Taste matters > health
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- Figure 7: Purchase influencers, November 2020
- Stack the functional benefits
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- Figure 8: Attitudes toward sports and performance drinks – functionality and wellness, November 2020
The Market – Key Takeaways
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- Health and wellness trends support stable growth
- Legacy sports drinks gets pandemic boost
- The future is functional
- Multifunctional beverages can fuel body performance
- Cleaner labels can cast a wider net
Market Size and Forecast
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- Broad health and wellness trends provide catalyst for steady growth
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- Figure 9: Total US retail sales and forecast of sports and performance drinks, at current prices, 2015-25
- Impact of COVID-19 on sports and performance drinks
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- Figure 10: Short-, medium- and long-term impact of COVID-19 on sports and performance drinks, February 2021
- Lockdown
- Re-emergence
- Recovery
- COVID-19: US context
- Learnings from the last recession
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- Figure 11: Total US sales and forecast of sports drinks, at current prices, 2007-2012
Segment Performance
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- Sports drinks dominates more than 80% of the market
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- Figure 12: Total US market share of sports and performance drinks, by segment, 2020
- Pandemic drives consumption frequency of popular sports drinks
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- Figure 13: Total US retail sales of sports and performance drinks, by segment, at current prices, 2015-20
- Majority shop “other” channels for sports and performance drinks
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- Figure 14: Total US market share of sports and performance drinks, by channel, at current prices, 2020
- Figure 15: Total US retail sales and forecast of sports and performance drinks, by channel, at current prices, 2015-20
Market Factors
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- Functional beverage space is crowded
- The fitness factor
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- Figure 16: Fitness segmentation, November 2020
- Consumers of all ages exercise
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- Figure 17: Fitness segmentation, by age and gender, November 2020
- Workouts occur at home
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- Figure 18: Exercise location, by gender, November 2020
- Create opportunity among aging population
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- Figure 19: Population aged 18 or older, by age, 2015-25
- Family households embrace sports/performance drinks
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- Figure 20: Percent of households with children, 2009-19
- Unemployment spikes and confidence wavers as a result of pandemic
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- Figure 21: Consumer confidence and unemployment, 2000 - October 2020
Market Opportunities
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- Blurred functional lines can create connections with value
- Nudge beyond sports drinks basic functionality with immunity
- Blur energy with sports/performance
- Gut check for performance brands
Companies and Brands – Key Takeaways
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- Established brands must defend market share
- Other brands blow away category’s growth pace
Market Share
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- Smaller producers challenge big brands’ market share
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- Figure 22: Multi-outlet sales of sports and performance drinks, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
- PepsiCo drives sports drink segment sales with growth of G-Zero
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- Figure 23: Multi-outlet sales of sports drinks, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
- Variety of players contribute to performance drinks segment
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- Figure 24: Multi-outlet sales of performance drinks, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
Competitive Strategies
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- BODYARMOR shifts strategy to include everyday exerciser
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- Figure 25: Multi-outlet sales of BODYARMOR sports drinks, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
- CELSIUS’ clean, functional ingredients backed by science
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- Figure 26: Multi-outlet sales of CELSIUS performance drinks, rolling 52 weeks 2019 and 2020
The Consumer – Key Takeaways
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- Fitness focus drives frequency and category participation
- Traditional sports drinks have broadest appeal
- Workout drinks offer added value
- COVID-19 drives at-home consumption of sports drinks
- Great-tasting underscored with health attributes will influence purchase
- Majority of users swap products for alternatives outside category
- Consumers want innovation to deliver flavors and health benefit
Sports and Performance Drinks Consumed
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- Traditional sports drinks are most popular
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- Figure 27: Sports and performance drinks consumed, November 2020
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- Figure 28: Repertoire analysis – sports and performance drinks consumed, November 2020
- Category engagement ties into fitness habits
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- Figure 29: Repertoire analysis – sports and performance drinks consumed, by fitness segmentation, November 2020
- Women under 45, and older consumers offer an opportunity
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- Figure 30: Sports and performance drinks consumed, gender and age, November 2020
- Families use all types of sports/performance drinks
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- Figure 31: Sports and performance drinks consumed, by presence of children in HH, November 2020
Consumption Frequency
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- Weekly consumption exceeds daily for most drink types
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- Figure 32: Consumption frequency, November 2020
- Work to sustain COVID-19 behavior shifts
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- Figure 33: Shifts in consumption, November 2020
- Athletes increase category engagement in the last year
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- Figure 34: Shifts in consumption frequency, by fitness segmentation, November 2020
Purchase Influencers
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- Taste matters
- Nutrition claims important – focus on clean ingredients
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- Figure 35: Purchase influencers, November 2020
- Underscore flavor with healthy ingredients for maximum reach
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- Figure 36: TURF analysis – importance of ingredient claims, November 2020
- Young men may forego flavor for protein
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- Figure 37: Purchase influencers, by age and gender, November 2020
- Parents seek organic, clean beverages
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- Figure 38: Purchase influencers, by presence of children in HH, November 2020
- Athletes prioritize organic, VMS and proteins
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- Figure 39: Purchase influencers, by fitness segmentation, November 2020
Product Swaps
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- Majority of users swap products for alternatives outside category
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- Figure 40: Product swaps, November 2020
- Brand loyalty is strong among athletes
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- Figure 41: Product swaps, by fitness segmentation, November 2020
Attitudes toward Sports and Performance Drinks
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- Consumers call for innovation that blurs lines
- Natural products need not be so niche
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- Figure 42: Attitudes toward sports and performance drinks, November 2020
- Re-invented formats attract younger adults
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- Figure 43: Attitudes toward sports and performance drinks, by age, November 2020
- Athletes may be wary regarding the efficacy of natural drinks
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- Figure 44: Attitudes toward sports and performance drinks, by fitness segmentation, November 2020
Appendix – Data Sources and Abbreviations
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- Data sources
- Sales data
- Forecast
- Consumer survey data
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
Appendix – The Market
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- Figure 45: Total US retail sales and forecast of sports and performance drinks, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2015-25
- Figure 46: Total US retail sales of sports and performance drinks, by segment, at current prices, 2018 and 2020
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- Figure 47: Total US retail sales of sports and performance drinks, by segment, at current prices, 2015-25
- Figure 48: Total US retail sales and forecast of sports drinks, at current prices, 2015-25
- Figure 49: Total US retail sales and forecast of sports drinks, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2015-25
- Figure 50: Multi-outlet sales of sports drinks, by value and volume, 2015-19
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- Figure 51: Total US retail sales and forecast of performance drinks at current prices, 2015-25
- Figure 52: Total US retail sales and forecast of performance drinks, at inflation-adjusted prices, 2015-25
- Figure 53: Multi-outlet sales of performance drinks, by value and volume, 2015-19
- Figure 54: Total US retail sales of sports and performance drinks, by channel, at current prices, 2018 and 2020
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- Figure 55: US supermarket sales of sports and performance drinks, at current prices, 2015-20
- Figure 56: US convenience store sales of sports and performance drinks, at current prices, 2015-20
- Figure 57: US sales of sports and performance drinks through other retail channels, at current prices, 2015-20
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- Figure 58: Average household spending on sports and performance drinks, by segment, 2015-20
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Appendix – The Consumer
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- Figure 59: TURF analysis – importance of ingredient claims, November 2020
- Methodology
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