Nutrition Bars Aren't Just for Dedicated Athletes
The coronavirus pandemic has been tough on everyone, but for those committed to regular physical workouts, the situation has had its own particular challenges.
“There is no doubt about it: The pandemic has made it more difficult for Americans to exercise, especially with gyms and health clubs closing,” asserts Aryn Doll, RDN, nutrition education specialist at Lakewood, Colorado-based Natural Grocers by Vitamin Cottage. “Despite this, many are finding creative solutions to stay moving and continue their exercise regimens at home, which has helped to maintain and potentially even grow sales in the sports and performance products arena.”
Key Takeaways
- The COVID-19 public health crisis has made athletes and general consumers alike reconsider their approach to wellness.
- The opportunity exists to market functional foods and beverages to a wider range of shoppers, with an emphasis on convenience, product bundling, value pricing and omnichannel strategies.
- Retailers and manufacturers can also offer products that meet nutritional goals while also satisfying consumers’ need for indulgence.
According to Doll, the retailer offers a range of high-quality and affordable sport- and performance-specific products, along with foundational supplements, and among its top-selling categories are collagens, whey and plant proteins, MCT oils, electrolytes, and pre- and post-workout formulas. During the pandemic, Natural Grocers saw its performance nutrition category increase by 3.2%, the protein category rise by 10.8%, and collagens soar by 19%.
The company provides customers and its good4u Crew with free nutrition education on a quarterly basis about a different supplement that can aid their health, and has on staff highly trained nutrition experts, also known as Nutritional Health Coaches (NHCs), to help customers achieve their fitness goals, notes Shelby Miller, Natural Grocers’ manager of scientific affairs and nutrition education.
Beyond its effect on hardcore athletes, the public health crisis has made a lot of consumers reconsider their approach to wellness. Doll observes that “many Americans are recognizing the importance of getting back to our roots — including eating healthier and exercising more — for maintaining health and immune resiliency. In other words, consumers are looking to engage in healthier behaviors, which means greater interest in health-promoting products that retailers have to offer.”
Crossover Goals
“Recently, digital integration has become even more important with the impact of quarantine on online grocery shopping behavior. We at RXBar are currently leveraging shopper digital media — both through programmatic campaigns and on retailer sites — to drive a click-to-cart action. Product feature/search, keyword optimization and promotions are other levers to pull within the digital space to bring the brand top of mind for consumers.”
Adds Jenkins: “At retail, merchandising is key to bring people into the aisle or stand out from the competition. Secondary displays out of aisle, like shippers and end caps, help capture people that may not have planned to go down the aisle, while purchase incentives and promotions, layered on with higher-traffic placements, drive velocity. Other opportunities, like point of sale, are helpful in and out of aisle. One example we recently executed was floor talkers at the end of an aisle. These drive traffic into the aisle, and then include a reminder at shelf to keep the brand top of mind.”
“In-store offers absolutely drive increased emotional purchases,” says Nick Greer, co-founder and CEO of Spanish Fork, Utah-based Built Bar, which recently introduced Built Boost, providing a full day’s worth of vitamins and minerals, as well as natural energy without added caffeine. “An in-store offer, such as a BOGO, usually requires an upfront investment made payable to the retail location, which varies by chain; however, the ROI typically improves despite smaller profit margin per purchase.”
He goes on to note that offering a discounted price in store versus online helps drive in-store sales, and that while end caps and in-store displays are recommended initially to drive trial, they haven’t historically proved to be worth the long-term cost.
Drink Up
Functional beverages stand to gain during this period as well, if for no other reason than to let shoppers know that their options include more than Gatorade and Vitaminwater.