2021 means exercising and energy products are waiting

In what was effectively Part One of this feature, back in November (see how we put the healthy stuff either side of Christmas?) we wrote, “The process of mainstreaming extreme performance has only been accelerated by the pandemic, which has made everybody pay more attention to the state of their bodies. So if you can buy something tasty that is not only guilt-free but can help turn you into a fitter person, what’s not to like?”

Although the category improves all the time, and is unrecognisable from its position in the Noughties (was the London Olympics the watershed?), it took a bit of bashing in sedentary 2020, falling -5 per cent YTD in the impulse channel. People not going out much were people who needed fewer energy top-ups.

That picture was not by any means universal, though. Mark Tanner, Head of Wholesale and Independents at Carabao Energy Drink UK&I, points out that Carabao continued to buck the trend, showing figures of +6.9 per cent over the same period – which goes to show that the brands you stock really matter to category sales.

And with a little hindsight it is possible now to be more enthusiastic about the prospects of sports and protein products in 2021.

Lucozade Sport, which recently teamed up with England footballing superstar Raheem Sterling, is bullish about this fresh new year. “Consumers are actively seeking healthier alternatives, which will likely continue throughout the category irrespective of the radical changes brought on by coronavirus,” says Matt Gouldsmith, Channel Director, Wholesale at Suntory Beverage & Food GB&I. He cites figures showing that 63 per cent of consumers report eating (and presumably, drinking) healthily all or most of the time, “showing just how crucial this segment of the market is in helping achieve overall growth.” Gouldsmith adds that it is important to have the right range available to shoppers, to help drive sales from those looking for healthier soft drink options.

There are many energy and sports drinks on the market, with some of them, such as Boost and Carabao, particularly and loyally targeted at the convenience channel. And it is true that sports and protein products, drinks, snacks and meal ingredients, which once were consumed mainly by bodybuilders and athletes, are now used by the UK’s everyday exercisers.

That means exercise-minded customers are increasingly coming into your shop as casual amateurs, along with weekend enthusiasts and serious trainers, so it’s vital to have the right SKUs in stock for all of them. And it’s not only the brands that matter but the format, as Gouldsmith points out: “In recent months we’ve seen an increase in drink-later formats,” he says, “with the market growing over the onset of the pandemic and SBF’s drink-later portfolio growing by +15 per cent. Multi-packs have played a large part in driving this, experiencing a growth of +17.9 per cent, as the winter season drew in.”

He says that SBF has a wide range of drink-later formats to accommodate this, including multipacks for a range of Lucozade Sport flavours. On the whole, with customers pretty much trapped at home, the consumer on-the-go popping in for a single bottle or can (while it still happens all the time) has been joined by the less frequent shopper stocking up for the evening or weekend, so get those multipacks front of mind – and front of store.

Red Bull, too, reports that multipacks are on the increase. In the latest six months, Red Bull sold 37.7 per cent more Sugarfree volume through multipacks (Nielsen latest 26 weeks volume to Aug20)– with those variants growing penetration by 40.4 per cent in the same period (Kantar). Think big, think format!

Eat up!

In addition to drinks, it is also foods and nutrition of all kinds boasting extra protein, not least snack bars, vegetarian/vegan and dried meat products, that have grown increasingly popular. An appreciation of plant as well as meat protein is now demonstrated in such initiatives as this month’s Veganuary.

Mintel research found that as many as one in four (24 per cent) Brits have consumed a sports nutrition product in the past three months, rising to 42 per cent of men aged 16-24.

Protein is indeed the watchword, as people try to cut the carbs, and protein is what food has while drinks in addition continue to explore more wholesome ingredients than refined sugar, with plant-based alternatives such as stevia or agave taking the lead.

A pioneer in healthy protein eating is Quorn, founded as far back as 1985. Before that, mushroom-based mince substitute could be bought in small, clear plastic bags from health-food shops, but it was Quorn who took the product into the mainstream and educated the nation about its benefits.

Now, Quorn Foods has launched a new campaign to encourage people to think more about their protein choices by “Helping the Planet One Bite at a Time”.

The brand will be making changes to its communication plan in 2021 and will be investing heavily to show shoppers that switching to Quorn is an easy change we can all make, that comes with benefits to people and the planet alike.

Launched during this Veganuary, the campaign comprises TV, social, PR, OOH, VOD, shopper support, a bold new pack design and a partnership with Liverpool Football Club, all aimed at encouraging consumers to lower their carbon footprint by reducing their meat intake.

“It’s now or never,” says Gill Riley, Marketing Director at Quorn Foods. “We must all play our part in the change our planet and future needs. 2021 is the time for Quorn. We want to kick start a movement, change behaviour and be the food for our future. We’ll be creating a rallying cry to make people feel part of a collective change for good and encouraging them to join Quorn by helping the planet one bite at a time.”

The new pack design will continue to display the carbon footprints of products, an initiative the brand believes needs a collective effort from across the food and drink industry to empower more consumers to make food choices based on their environmental impact.

“Our mission at Quorn is to help reduce the impact that our diets have on the planet and our health. To do that, we need to appeal to the masses. Our new comms strategy has been designed to be relevant to all and to engage every shopper whether they are vegan, vegetarian or the flexitarian mainstream – meat eaters with a conscience,” concludes Gill. Certainly one to stock.

Eatlean is another protein-packed food-source for the health and sports-minded. Since exhibiting at BodyPower Expo in 2018, the awareness for the brand has grown significantly within the bodybuilding and sports industry.

George Heler, Eatlean’s Founder & Managing Director, explains that his cheddar contains 90 per cent less fat but 45 per cent more protein than regular cheese, and is already popular amongst bodybuilders and athletes looking to bulk-up by building muscle and cutting down on body fat.At the same time, Eatlean is also gaining a reputation among “amateurs” – everyday consumers – and specifically the Weight Watcher and Slimming World community.

Heler says Cheese is a great way to boost protein intake because it’s bought by everybody in the UK (actually, by 98 per cent of households, which means everybody) and that last year Eatlean was even approached by sports nutritionists at several professional football clubs interested in adding it to their players’ dietary plans.

In fact, the “sports protein” audience is only Eatlean’s second-highest constituency, behind slimmers. Half of the company’s customers are concerned with weight loss or calorie reduction, and 35 per cent use Eatlean for sports performance alone to increase protein intake.

“The demand for low-calorie, high-protein products has been evident over the years,” says Heler. “However, this year in particular, we predict a further demand for high-protein, low-fat food products as consumers are becoming more conscious with their overall health and wellbeing, whilst introducing exercise into their everyday life, too.”

He points out that the UK government will enforce a 20 per cent calorie reduction in foods by 2024, and independent retailers will be expected to have a wide range of healthy food and snacks available. It’s time to look at Eatlean.

Drink up!

Carabao’s “Taste of the Nation” Report revealed that consumer attitudes towards energy drinks are centred around three key trends:

• Great taste: 71 per cent of shoppers said they would likely purchase an energy drink if it tasted great, yet only 8 per cent agreed that the energy drinks on offer did actually taste nice
• Lower sugar: 48 per cent of shoppers perceive energy drinks to be unhealthy
• Better value: 18 per cent of shoppers felt energy drinks were too expensive

While the demand for healthier energy drinks was already very evident pre COVID, the current pandemic has made shoppers even more conscious of what they consume and the desire to buy lower sugar, healthier drinks has skyrocketed, with 89 per cent of shoppers expressing an aspiration to eat & drink more healthily [Nielsen Impulse Channel, Sports & Energy Category].

“This is particularly important to note when discussing sports products,” says Carabao’s Tanner. “There is often a direct correlation between those that make conscious choices on what they consume and those who regularly keep fit.”

Carabao is famous for sponsoring the eponymous football competition and cup, which runs from January to April, and he says that for this reason independent retailers should ensure the brand is especially prominent within chillers during that period to benefit from the increased shopper awareness and demand.

“This coincides with the start of the year,” he adds, “when many consumers are more health conscious after the excesses of the festive season; at only 63 calories per can, a sugar content far lower than major competitors and a range of delicious fruity flavours, Carabao Energy Drink is a great option for those looking for healthier products.”

Red Bull Zero relaunched into the market a year ago in early 2020 with a reformulated taste profile to appeal to shopper demands. That was just before the pandemic and Red Bull Zero has succeeded in selling 1m cans since then and is one of the biggest NPD contributors of growth to the Sports & Energy category, adding almost £1.3 of value as part of Red Bull’s £23m YTD growth vs 2019.

“Due to the strong rate of sale, trade and shopper demand for this pack, we have launched a Red Bull Zero 250ml 4 pack to meet these needs,” said a spokesperson

Red Bull also announced in October 2020 that its Watermelon Summer Edition, launched in July, will be made a permanent SKU, extending the existing Editions range and will be renamed the “Red Edition”.

The Red Bull Energy Drink 250ml is worth over £132m and is a serious Must Stock. Red Bull thinks it is the perfect pack size for what they call “Functional Energy”, containing the same amount of sugar as a glass of apple juice and the same amount of caffeine as a cup of coffee. It’s a neat formula that has worked amazingly well for them.

If the category overall experienced a slight decline under lockdown, the technical, niche performance energy segment by contrast did very well and should be considered for shelf-space, as CCEP’s Senior External Communications Manager, Amy Burgess explains with reference to the success of Reign Total Body Fuel

“The performance energy segment in GB has grown at a rate of 62.7 per cent over the past six months, supported by almost half of people making an effort to keep active at home,” she reveals. Research has shown that getting back into the gym is a priority for Brits as lockdown restrictions are relaxed, so we expect this growth to continue.”

She says that Reign Total Body Fuel, in the one year-or-so that it has been on sale, has become the biggest performance energy drink in the UK, worth nearly £5m and more than three times bigger than its nearest competitor.

“As well as containing 200mg of naturally-sourced caffeine, the recipe is enriched with branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs) to help prevent protein muscle breakdown, L-Arginine to improve blood flow and stimulate the release of growth hormones, and Vitamins B3, B6 and B12, which can contribute to reducing fatigue and normalising metabolism,”

It apparently tastes great, too: the range includes Melon Mania, Razzle Berry, Lemon HDZ and Sour Apple, “with eye-catching warrior-themed packaging to create standout on shelf.”

Meanwhile, CCEP’s Monster Brand is also going on a flavour rampage, with three new variants designed to capitalise on current trends, as Simon Harrison, Vice President, Commercial Development at CCEP GB explains. He says that 72 per cent of energy sector growth over the last year has come from new products, and that much of this is thanks to the huge success of Monster’s new variants.

“We know there’s big demand in the market for new and exciting flavours, including in the low calorie energy segment. We’re confident that our latest launches, supported by impactful marketing campaigns that the Monster brand is known for, will appeal to new and existing energy drinkers and will drive sustained growth throughout this year.”

The first new arrival is Monster Mule – an energy twist on the famous Moscow Mule cocktail, and the new 500ml variant contains 32mg of caffeine per 100ml, with ginger with a hint of lime (available now).

The second is Monster Ultra Fiesta with a lot of mango but no calories and no sugar, also available now.

The third is Monster Juiced Monarch, bringing together a mix of peach and nectarine real fruit juice Named after the Monarch butterfly, it will be available from February, the new variant comes in eye-catching packaging with street culture-inspired butterfly designs.

Convenience retailers will be able to choose between plain and price-marked 500ml packs of Monster Mule, Monster Ultra Fiesta and Monster Juiced Monarch.

“Following 46 per cent growth for CCEP’s energy multipacks in 2020 and to help retailers cater for a variety of shopper missions and increased number of at home consumption occasions, all three new variants will also be available in four-packs later this year, and will be joined by Monster Pacific Punch, Monster Ultra Paradise and Monster Ultra Black,” advises Harrison.

Another great technical liquid is iPRO Hydrate, suitable for all customers and particularly those who have health and wellness at the forefront of their mind, and is widely endorsed by professional football clubs in terms of sponsorship and partnerships, from the big clubs like Coventry, Charlton and Blackpool, to local sides such as Dorking Wanderers FC Ladies.

In fact iPRO Hydrate’s partnerships range from the Irish FA and Scottish Rugby, British Basketball, Premier League and Championship Football clubs, through to Premiership and Super League Rugby clubs as well asthe grass roots clubs and organisations. That’s impressive.

iPRO Hydrate is described as natural-low-sugar hydration drink, free from all artificial sweeteners, colours and flavours, naturally sweetened using Stevia, a plant extract which is significantly sweeter than sugar, without the calorific content. It is described as a product for all, and good for lockdown conditions, too:

“Since the start of the pandemic, consumers are looking for easy ways to boost their health and immunity and with 100 per cent of your daily Vitamin C and added Vitamins B5, B6, B7 and B12, iPRO Hydrate is an easy and refreshing way to top up your vitamins whilst hydrating healthily,” commented and iPRO spokesperson.

iPRO Hydrate say they are proud to be the only product in the sports drink category that is also Halal certified. The company also points that an increase in the number of people taking on a Vegan or Vegetarian lifestyle must be catered for in the industry, something that it already does.

The company works closely with retailers to ensure that all customers are able to get the most out of stocking the product range on shelves. iPRO provides point of sale materials, targeted online marketing and planogram recommendations, and can draw on its high-profile sports partnership assets to support sales in-store (through targeted end-consumer money-can’t-buy VIP experiences).

Their sporting ambassadors include jockey Frankie Dettori, Norwich City’s Finnish international striker TeemuPukki, and Faf De Klerk, a professional rugby union player who is scrum-half for English Premiership club Sale Sharks and the South Africa national team.

iPRO’s profile appears to be the perfect mix of elite and aspirational with the democratic and would look fabulous in-store.

There is still space to mention one new arrival on the scene: Virtue Drinks, which is launching a Clean Energy drink range. The brandwas made available only to Sainsbury’s nationally from late October, which is why we didn’t cover it before Christmas, but it has apparently now rolled out to retailers across the UK.

Containing 80mg of natural caffeine from green coffee beans and enriched with b-vitamins, the new drinks are available in two flavours: Lemon & Lime and Berries. The drinks contain zero sugar and calories andare naturally sweetened with a combination of agave nectar and stevia plant extract.

“This is a very exciting launch for Virtue, with clean energy growing at double the rate of the category and 48 per cent of non-energy drink users seeing sugar as their main barrier to entry, we see this as a major opportunity to bring new consumers into the energy category,” Virtue drinks told us.

Do have an energetic and protein-packed 2021.