Program

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

• 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. This session will explore the sports & active nutrition in 2026, pinpointing the growth areas and opportunities for brands in this dynamic sector.

  

• Cellular energy and NAD+

  After a block-buster session in 2024, we’re putting the spotlight back on active woman. The segment has been 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 will hear from successful brands, leading researchers, and active women themselves on what they want.

  

• Investment and Innovation (including Start-Up Stars)

  The sports & active nutrition sector thrives on innovation, with companies continuously adapting to evolving trends, consumer expectations, and scientific advancements. This session will showcase some of the latest breakthroughs propelling the market forward. It will also feature the 2026 Start-Up Stars: Three disruptive startups who will share their business strategies, successes, problems and where they are heading 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.

  

• The 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. There’s a lot to unpack, and 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.

  

• Success in 21st Century Retail: Vitamin Shoppe, TikTok, Amazon & more

  The retail landscape is changing rapidly. TikTok shop could soon rival Amazon, health tracking apps are increasingly partnering with brands to sell products, and yet younger consumer still love a good old brick and mortar store. This session will hear from retailers and data experts on where and how to best connect with your consumer, wherever they are.

  

• 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.