Coming back from COVID-19 stronger than ever? ESSNA reports peaks and troughs for sports nutrition industry

14 May 2020 --- The sports nutrition market is presenting a mixed picture in terms of how it has fared amid COVID-19, which has seen the temporary closure of gyms and sports in numerous countries. This is according to Dr. Adam Carey, Chair of the European Specialist Sports Nutrition Alliance (ESSNA), who speaks to NutritionInsight ahead of its virtual meeting. To be held this Monday, the meeting will open its doors to players across the entire industry – a move away from its traditional status of only being open to its members. ESSNA states that it is now working with the sports sector at large to ensure they can come out of this crisis “stronger than ever.”

While the food industry has overall remained resilient during the COVID-19 global pandemic, some sub-sectors have been hit more significantly by the current situation. “People are definitely still buying sports nutrition products as they are aware that they can help supplement a balanced diet and active lifestyle, even during this period,” says Dr. Carey.

He adds that some sports nutrition companies have reported a slight decline in the sales of sports nutrition products, mainly linked to the closure of gyms. However, others have experienced the exact opposite. Because of forced lockdowns, consumers’ interest for sport and weight management have spiked and so have the sales of food supplements, such as whey protein products and vitamins.

ESSNA is releasing a guide for home-based sports nutrition to support those consumers who continue to rely on the sector’s products, as well as those approaching sports nutrition for the first time. Dr. Carey notes that the change of lifestyle has perhaps prompted some people to be more active than before.

Weighing in on long- and short-term impacts
Another notable short-term impact of COVID-19 has been the exacerbation of logistics issues related to the closure of borders, delays in the delivery of raw materials and higher transport costs. This has also been flagged by other corners of the nutrition industry, including Arjuna Natural and OmniActive Health Technologies. Earlier this week, NutritionInsight heard from Ayanda, Sirio’s European arm, about the resilience of its own supply chain. 

However, the various distancing measures have been applied differently across Europe, meaning that the impact has varied. “Our members sell across Europe, and not all European countries have seen the same restrictions being put in place. We are working to make a list of government restrictions across Europe available to our members, which will be updated regularly, so they know how to react,” explains Dr. Carey.

“On an individual level, this impact also varies depending on a range of factors, including socioeconomic status. Overall, it is too soon to say how the long-term impact may vary between countries, but we are in regular contact with European policymakers to discuss what measures will be put in place to mitigate them,” he continues.  

Looking forward, ESSNA is engaging in an open dialogue with various European institutions as well as national governments and agencies to ensure that concrete actions are taken to achieve the best scenario where the sports nutrition industry can continue to thrive in the aftermath of this pandemic. In particular, ESSNA is calling on European institutions, governments and their agencies to: 

• Ensure that the health and safety of citizens are a top priority for governments and support all initiatives related to promoting regular physical activity combined with healthy and balanced diets.

• Consider compensation measures for the sports sector, following gym closures, cancellation of major sporting events and related consequences of the COVID-19 outbreak and its containment measures. This is while acknowledging the role played by the sports nutrition sector in reaching out to citizens and supporting their health.  

• Ensure that the European Commission’s scientific bodies provide high-quality scientific advice on how to successfully resume safe training for athletes and the general public outdoors and in gyms as part of a wider strategy to exit the crisis.

All of ESSNA's non-essential meetings are now convening via video conferencing. Opening doors
ESSNA’s opening of its meeting aims to offer the rest of the industry the opportunity to participate in ESSNA’s inner workings and to have an open discussion on a range of topics, including the COVID-19 pandemic. This is only the second time the meeting has granted access to the public, with the organization first trialing it at its May 2019 meeting in Barcelona, Spain. 

Ordinarily, the meeting would have only been accessible to ESSNA’s members, hailing from across Europe and North America. Totaling around 40, they are representative of the entire sports nutrition supply chain and include international companies, smaller specialist brands, suppliers of ingredients and sport nutrition publications.

According to ESSNA, those attending Monday’s meeting will gain insights on the current developments at a European level and will benefit from informative discussions led by experts on topics including novel foods, food fraud and anti-doping. The meeting also involves a forum on sustainable food systems, as well as a speed networking event.

This year’s meeting had originally been planned for Berlin, Germany, but will now convene via video conferencing, along with all other non-essential meetings. The spokesperson explains that most other upcoming events that ESSNA had been set to attend are being reconsidered and, in most cases, canceled. 

“ESSNA is working normally but remotely from our central offices. We will continue to achieve our objectives despite the additional challenges imposed by the global viral pandemic. We are committed to being both responsible and responsive. The health of our members and the entire sports nutrition industry remains our top priority,” concludes Dr. Carey. 

Last week, a NutritionInsight report further shed light on how COVID-19 is having an impact on sports nutrition. Niki Kennedy, Strategic Insights & Analytics Manager at Glanbia Nutritionals, explained that according to a Glanbia-endorsed US consumer survey, consumers continue to exercise at about the same rate as they did pre-COVID-19.  

Meanwhile, COVID-19 is also spurring the rapid personalization of sports nutrition, which could provide an extra opportunity for companies to stand out from the crowd. Other key trends include plant-powered products and clean label innovation, according to Innova Market Insights.

To keep readers informed of these rapid developments, NutritionInsight is updating its daily news feed for the coronavirus-related information and insights you need to guide your business through this challenging period.

By Katherine Durrell