Program

The Key Themes we will dive into during the 2026 Summit are:

• The State of the Market

  Active and performance nutrition has been the top growth category within dietary supplements over the past three years, according to SPINS, growing at an annual rate of 14%. That’s double the industry average. We’ll also explore the rapidly changing retail landscape, as consumer habits are disrupted by TikTok and health tracking apps. This session will explore sports and active nutrition in 2026, pinpointing the growth areas and opportunities for brands to best connect with their consumers in this dynamic sector.

  

• Cellular Energy and NAD+

  Energy production at the cellular level keeps us moving, and recent studies show that NAD+ plays a crucial role in improving athletic performance and recovery. This session will explore the overlap between longevity research and athletic performance, digging into the key ingredients, the brands backing up their claims with science, and how best to communicate this with consumers.

  

• Start-Up Stars

  The sports & active nutrition sector is driven by bold new ideas and entrepreneurial spirit. In this session, we shine a spotlight on the 2026 Start-Up Stars: three disruptive start-ups shaping the future of the industry. Each will share their journey, from business strategies and early successes to the challenges they’ve faced and their vision for what’s next.

  

• Older Consumers Maintaining Muscle, Beating Sarcopenia

  Protein, creatine, HMB, vitamin D and magnesium combined with resistance exercise have all been linked to better muscle retention as we age. Approximately 22% of the US population is predicted to be 65 or older by 2040, up from 17% today. This represents a significant market for products to combat age-related muscle loss, and all the negative health effects associated with that. We’ll hear from brands and experts on what works best in formulations and how to market to seniors.

  

• Navigating the U.S. Regulatory Landscape

  There’s no way to know what the regulatory landscape will look like by February 2026: FDA is undergoing significant change, off-again on-again tariffs are shaking up supply chains and sourcing of inputs, and individual States are continuing to explore potential restrictions to certain classes of dietary supplements. This session brings together regulatory experts from across the industry to share insights and advice.

  

• Women’s Health

  Back by popular demand, we’re keeping the spotlight on active woman for another year: There seems to be momentum in the market to banish the old “pink it and shrink it” approach, with more products being formulated by women for women, while more research is targeting women across the age-ranges and at various levels of athletic performance. This session will also feature insights on “ages and stages”, with special attention on women of childbearing age and menopause.

  

• Tactical Active Nutrition

  Fire fighters and war fighters are subject to intense physical and mental demands, making them important and fascinating population groups for active nutrition products. This session will hear from experts on how best to formulate products for these heroes in our midst.

  

• A.I. for Sports Nutrition

  From big data crunching to novel ingredient discovery to opportunities in personalization, artificial intelligence is having a profound impact on all aspects of life, including health and wellness. This session will hear from the innovators and pioneers to show us where things currently stand, and where this transformative technology could take us in the near future.

  

• Flavor

  Flavor collaborations have moved from novel differentiators to the mainstream in just a few years, as brands seek to attract new consumers with nostalgic or familiar flavors. With many products containing ingredients, particularly botanicals, with challenging flavor profiles, there’s still plenty of opportunity in this space for partnerships between formulators and flavor experts. This session will explore the opportunities, learn from case studies, hear how A.I. is facilitating flavor development, and much more.