Talk about an energized market. Rising consumer concerns about health, growing awareness of the benefits of exercise and the perceived need to cope with increasingly busy lifestyles have combined to boost demand for performance-related foods and beverages. Moreover, these influences have effectively moved many products—once regarded as specialist nutrition lines—out into the mainstream. Meanwhile, marketers have embraced lifestyle-driven product positioning.
This growing market includes energy boosting products as well as sports nutrition lines and there is considerable overlap between the two categories. Both are characterized by the dominance of drinks in the marketplace. Likewise, both categories are pushing for mainstream use by developing and promoting products for a wider range of consumers and consumption occasions.