Sports nutrition (Russian market)

Sports nutrition is one or more of any food substances in concentrated form. The main types of sports nutrition are grouped both by purpose and composition. Depending on the purpose, the following main groups of sports nutrition are distinguished: drugs used for muscle building; drugs used for weight loss (reduction of fat layers); drugs used to increase the intensity and duration of training; drugs used to protect joints from damage; drugs for the general strengthening of the body.

Sports nutrition as a trend has been actively developing in Russia since 2005, but the peak of popularity, which continues at the moment, can be attributed to 2011. Today, sports nutrition is represented by many product categories, such as protein mixtures, creatine, amino acid and vitamin complexes, fat burners, gainers, power engineers, sports drinks and bars, isotonics, etc. However, experts agree that protein mixtures, power engineers, creatine and amino acid complexes are the most popular among Russian athletes.

The main trends in the development of the sports nutrition market in Russia can be considered the development of new products that have a more effective specific impact, as well as the active conquest of new consumers. This phenomenon is facilitated by an increase in the number of fitness clubs, sports communities in the online environment. It should also be borne in mind that the key deterrent to the growth of the segment is a wide "shadow sector," providing goods of often dubious quality outside of official retail.

2023

In Russia, the production of whey proteins (up to 25.6 thousand tons), which are the basis of sports nutrition, increased by 1.5%

In 2023, approximately 25.6 thousand tons of whey proteins were produced in Russia. This is 1.5% more than in the previous year, when the output was estimated at 25.23 thousand tons. The industry is showing steady growth, which is reducing the share of imports. Market data is provided in the BusinesStat review released on June 21, 2024.

Whey proteins are in demand by manufacturers of various protein-enriched products. These can be infant formula (breast milk substitutes), sports nutrition and enteral nutrition (specially selected nutritional mixtures administered to a patient via a probe). Among the leading enterprises of the industry in the Russian Federation are named WBD JSC, Dairy Plant PJSC, Voronezh Barnaul Dairy Plant JSC, Elansky Cheese Factory LLC and Green Lines LLC.

According to estimates, in 2019, about 18.59 thousand tons of whey proteins were produced in Russia. A year later, a sharp increase was recorded: output rose by 30.9%, reaching 24.34 thousand tons. This is explained by changes in regulatory requirements. The study says that after the introduction of the food embargo in 2014 in the Russian Federation there was a rapid development of the cheese industry, in connection with which the volume of whey produced increased. However, it was often considered a waste, and therefore merged into wastewater or used as animal feed. But in 2020, a law came into force that classified milk processing enterprises as hazardous to the environment. Because of this, the companies had to modernize production by installing treatment plants or introducing deep serum processing. As a result, the production of whey proteins in Russia began to grow.

In 2021, the volume of production increased by 3.5%, amounting to 25.19 thousand tons. And in 2022, an increase of 0.1% was noted. Due to the observed positive dynamics, the share of imports on the serum protein market in the Russian Federation decreased during 2019-2023 from 15.6% to 4.5%.^[1]

Growth in the production of sports nutrition for 4 years 6 times - up to 5.88 thousand tons

In 2023, 5.88 thousand tons of sports nutrition were produced in Russia (the calculation includes amino acids, gainers, fat burners, vitamin and mineral complexes, creatine, proteins), which is 6 times more than in 2019 (0.97 thousand tons). This is evidenced by data published by BusinesStat analysts at the end of February 2024.

According to the study, the departure of foreign sports nutrition manufacturers (primarily iHerb) from Russia led to the activation of the business of domestic brands. The latter began to increase production volumes, and interest in Russian products increased from consumers in the Russian Federation.

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BusinesStat

According to analysts, the main problems of the Russian sports nutrition market are associated with the lack or insufficient volume of raw materials produced in the country. Manufacturers realized that relying on foreign supplies is risky, so the import substitution process has intensified in Russia. So, as part of this process, the production of soy isolate, whey and casein protein, whey protein hydrolysates began in Russia.

In addition, as experts note at the end of February 2024, in the coming years, about 6-10 new protein production plants will appear in the Russian Federation, which will contribute to an increase in the production of domestic sports nutrition and increase its profitability. If there is the required amount of raw materials of domestic production, it will not be difficult to increase the volume of production of sports nutrition itself for existing companies, especially with an amendment to the relative freedom of the current market and the departure of many foreign brands, analysts say.

According to the results of 2023, the following companies were named the largest manufacturers of sports nutrition in Russia (without specifying shares):

• «Evalar»;
• "Green Lines";
• "Fitness Food";
• "Laboratory of Modern Health";
• Novaprodukt AG^[2]

2022: 5.7% increase in sports nutrition sales to 9.3 thousand tons

In 2022, 9.3 thousand tons of sports nutrition were sold in Russia, which is 5.7% more than a year earlier. The market volume continued to grow - in 2021 it increased by 19.6%, analysts at BusinesStat calculated. Their study was published in November 2023.

According to experts, sales of sports nutrition in Russia in 2022 almost exactly correspond to the result in 2018. According to the researchers, despite the decline in real consumer income, the rise in product prices, as well as the closure of a number of fitness clubs, whose visitors are the most active buyers of sports nutrition, the market quickly adapted to the changes. Active consumers of sports nutrition consider it as one of the key elements of their consumer basket, and even against the background of rising prices for sports pit, they chose to reduce other categories. In addition, due to exchange rate jumps, ruble as well as the appearance on the market of a large assortment of domestic products, which are mostly much cheaper than imported ones, consumers have the opportunity to purchase sports meals at favorable prices.

In the coming years, sales of sports nutrition in the country will continue to grow, according to analysts at BusinesStat (the study was released in November 2023). For domestic consumers, both a wide range of domestic sports pitches and the Asian market will be available, where you can find both analogues to popular brands from Western countries and a large number of original products. The trend towards a healthy lifestyle, attention to your body and physical fitness will also remain in force, experts added.

In their report, analysts take into account the sales of dietary supplements used to build muscle, reduce fat layers, increase the intensity and duration of training, to protect joints from damage and general strengthening of the body.^[3]

2012

The sports nutrition market in Russia is almost entirely made up of goods imported into the country. The volume of imported products in value terms at the end of 2012 amounted to 1,707,51 million rubles, and 43.23% were protein mixtures and 16.9% - creatine. The most popular among Russian consumers are foreign products of Multipower and Optimum Nutrition brands. Among domestic brands, the most stable positions are occupied by the Hercules brand. Its main advantage is the price, which is significantly lower than for foreign products, as well as the quality of a decent level.

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