During these unprecedented times, we are staying close to our sports nutrition and lifestyle consumers. The environment in which they seek to achieve their healthy lifestyle goals as well as their consumer journey has changed dramatically in recent weeks.
Our GPN Insights Team undertakes regular quantitative research to help understand consumers’ motivations, needs and nutritional requirements in order to help steer our brand focus and start the journey to re-imagine the “new normal”.
Among our recent learnings, we made three key findings:
- Protein remains highly relevant: Protein remains a highly relevant supplement for the core sports and lifestyle nutrition consumer. Protein powder usage occasions expanded throughout the day during the COVID-19 pandemic (see chart below).
- Surge in home fitness: Consumers changed up their work-out routines as gyms closed and “at home gyms” came into their own to help people stay fit and active. Brands can remain relevant by supporting personal trainers through online platforms – examples include the free access provided to Optimum Nutrition’s online education program as well as online workouts to support personal trainers.
- Open vs closed states in USA – Consumer sentiment differs by location and people in open states report feeling more calm than in closed states. Brands must focus on geolocation and regional efforts to be relevant to consumer needs as they re-engage into their routines post lock-down.
Staying close to consumer needs is key in order for brands to remain relevant in the “the new normal”.
