Revamped, more complete product lines that are connecting with new customers are driving growth in the sports nutrition market, according to a new report.

The report, by Global Industry Analysts, Inc., projects that the global market for sports and fitness nutrition supplements will reach $6.17 billion by 2018. The report lists as a key driver something that has been noted in recent product launches, namely the ramification of the market in terms of product offerings, target consumers and sales outlets.

Sports nutrition offerings have historically followed the market, the report notes. In years past, the people most devoted to sports and fitness were a select crew, either certain physically-active groups such as professional athletes or body builders who formed their won distinct subculture and spent most of their time in dedicated gyms. The exercise engaged in by most people was fairly gentle by modern standards.

Average Joes

Now, however, many more regular people have embraced far-ranging fitness goals even as, paradoxically, populations in the Western world continue to get fatter. Marathon running races in the US continue to set attendance records, and new branded fitness regimens like Zumba or CrossFit show up regularly.

The new customers groups that are increasingly becoming an area of interest for various sports and fitness nutrition supplement companies include weekend fitness or sports enthusiasts and people who are interested in maintaining their health by using supplement products, the reports authors note.

With growing interest from such users, sports nutrition products, which were previously available only in gyms and health food stores, are now available in mainstream mass market outlets such as super markets and convenience stores, they said.

Sports supplement manufacturers seeking a greater share of the market are therefore leveraging this trend and are investing substantially in research to develop novel products that can carry a natural claim, the authors note.

Move toward natural

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Global sports nutrition market to top $6 billion by 2018, report says