Program

We are working on the program for the 2025 summit. In the meantime, below are the key themes that were covered in 2024 summit:

• The Evolving Sports Nutrition Market

  As the market mainstreams, consumers are seeking more accessible products, with softer branding and multi-functional benefits, to integrate into their active lifestyle. They are also seeking brands with core values that go beyond just muscle building and power. This session heard from leading brands, retailers, and CPG experts on how to win in an evolving marketplace.

  

• The Regulatory Landscape: Clouds on the Horizon or a Bright New Dawn?

  With efforts ramping up at the State level to restrict access to muscle building supplements, FDA’s pledge to deliver a final NDI draft guidance during the next 12 months, federal actions against ingredients like NAC and NMN fresh in the memory, and 2024 marking the 30th anniversary of DSHEA, there’s a lot going on for dietary supplements. This session unpicked the issues and attempt to provide clarity (if we can!) on which way the winds are blowing.

  

• State of the Industry

  After three days of presentations, discussions, insights, networking, and sharing, this session will explore the big learnings of the conference, and also bring together leaders from across the category to discuss future directions: Challenges and opportunities, macro- and micro- factors, and how brands continue to tell their story in a clear, concise manner and manage their message in this era of social media dilution.

  

• Disruptive Tech – from Wearables to A.I. for Ingredient Innovation

  Active consumers are more interested than ever in measuring their progress, from wearable technology to handheld metabolism trackers, they want to see data, and they want it now. Combined with more involved personalized nutrition tests plus artificial intelligence and machine learning, consumers can optimize their performance and health like never before. And this creates a huge opportunity for brands to engage and educate consumers. For industry, A.I. offers huge opportunities for novel ingredient discovery and product formulation. This session took attendees to the bleeding edge of innovation to understand what’s possible in the next five years and beyond.

  

• Women’s Health

  The female consumer was massively underserved and understudied for decades, but the times they are a-changing and the old “pink it and shrink it” approach is being left to the history books. Sports nutrition products are being formulated by women for women, while more research is targeting women across the age-ranges and at various levels of athletic performance. All this translates into an exciting and growing market for high quality, efficacious products for active women. This session heard from successful brands, leading researchers, and active women themselves on what they want.

  

• Recovery and Adaptation

  Carbs and protein both play a role in recovery, but how do elite athletes maximize their recovery? What products are they seeking, and how are sports nutritionists advising them? This session discussed the state of the science and the most recent innovations in the recovery space.

  

• The Microbiome – an Untapped Opportunity

  Are the microbiomes of athletes different from non-athletes? Can we mine their microbiomes for potential probiotic candidates? What microbiome modulators may also play a role in boosting athletic performance, endurance, recovery, and muscle health? This session found answers to these questions and many more.

  

• Innovative Ingredients

  The sports nutrition sector is always looking for the next big blockbuster ingredient to grab consumer attention and differentiate their products in a crowded marketplace. This session showcased some of the bright young things in the ingredients space, explore the science substantiating their claims, and discuss the commercial potential of these innovative products.