ISSUE 1616 | April 18 , 2016 The Weekly Digital Magazine for the Active Lifestyle Market
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ISSUE 1616 | April 18 , 2016
The Weekly Digital Magazine for the Active Lifestyle Market
2 SGBWeekly.com | APRIL 18, 2016
Editorial DirectorDavid Clucas
Senior Business EditorThomas J. Ryan
Associate Editor | Sports & Fitness EditorJahla Seppanen
[email protected] 303.578.7008
Contributing EditorCharlie Lunan
Creative DirectorTeresa Hartford
Art DirectorChris Loving-Campos
Media SalesBuz Keenan
Circulation & [email protected]
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Copyright 2016 SportsOneSource, LLC. All rights reserved. The opinions expressed by writers and contributors to SGB WEEKLY are not necessarily those of the editors or publishers. SGB WEEKLY is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, photographs or artwork. Articles appearing in SGB WEEKLY may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express permission of the publisher. SGB WEEKLY is published weekly by SportsOneSource.
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The Weekly Digital Magazine for the Active Lifestyle Market
ISSUE 1616 | April 18, 2016
MARKET REPORT
4By The Numbers
6Nutrition Trends Study shows most Americans fail to achieve basic healthy lifestyle habits.
7Movers & Shakers
8Ultramarathons Elite outdoor brands are swooping in to partnerwith prestigious ultra races worldwide.
22Industry Calendar
ONE-ON-ONE
11Ashley Whittemore, Sports Nutritionist Helping elite athletes to understand the role "real" food plays in peak performance.
ACTIVE LIFESTYLE | NUTRITION
14From Lab Coat To ApronActive, health-conscious consumers demand nutrition with ingredients they can pronounce.
18What Ultrarunners Really EatTen elite runners share their favorite must-have meals.
FAST FIVE
20 Top Five Nutrition Products You'll See on the TrailAt The Gym and in Social Media Selfies This Summer.
Photo here and on Cover courtesy Smartwool
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MARKET REPORT
BY THE NUMBERS
1/3 StakeIn ownership of Sportsman’s Warehouse is planning to be sold by two groups controlled by Seidler Equity Partners — or about five million shares of the company’s total 15 million public shares traded on the Nasdaq market.
19 U.S. StatesSet a minimum amount of time for elementary school students to participate in physical education, accord-ing to the 2016 Shape of the Nation report, released by Shape America - Society of Health and Physical Educa-tors and Voices for Healthy Kids. Only 15 states require the same for middle schools.
24th YearThe Outdoor Industry Association (OIA), The Conservation Alliance, and Outdoor Alliance are hold-ing their annual advocacy events the week of April 25 in Washington D.C, where they will seek to demon-strate the social and economic value of the outdoor industry and outdoor recreation.
$28 MillionIn grants approved by Michigan Govenor Rick Snyder to create dozens of outdoor recreation amenities such as trails and parks across the state, including one that could one day host a whitewater park in Grand Rapids, MI.
40 PercentOf retired NFL players had signs of traumatic brain injury based on MRI scans, according to a study released at the American Academy of Neurology's 68th Annual Meeting in Vancouver, Canada.
71.6 PercentOf French outdoor brand Lafuma soon-to-be owned by Swiss apparel company Calida Holding AG af-ter it reached a deal to acquire another 11.63 percent of the company from long-time shareholders Comir and Soparcif. The deal gives Calida control of the Lafuma’s board.
61,000 Square FeetNike is considering leasing all or part of the former iconic FAO Schwarz toy store off 58th Street in New York City, according to a report by the Real Deal.
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MOST AMERICANS FAIL TO ACHIEVE BASIC HEALTHY LIFESTYLE HABITSBy David Clucas
As part of the active lifestyle indus-try, we look around at our friends and co-workers and think: “Hey! We’re a healthy bunch.”
We’re constantly reminded that running, fitness and outdoor par-ticipation are all up, and in report-ing for this week’s SGB nutrition trend coverage, we’re encouraged to hear brands talking less about
sugar and science-lab concoctions and more about real foods.
But a new study from research-ers led by Oregon State University tell us there’s still a lot of work to do.
According to the study, only 2.7 percent of the U.S. adult popu-lation achieves all four of some ba-sic behavioral characteristics that
researchers say would constitute a “healthy lifestyle” and help protect against cardiovascular disease.
Researchers examined how many adults succeed in a good diet, moderate exercise, a recommended body fat percentage and being a non-smoker.
“The behavior standards we were measuring for were pretty
reasonable, not super high,” said Ellen Smit, senior author on the study and an associate professor in the OSU College of Public Health and Human Sciences. “We weren’t looking for marathon runners.”
Reality set in for researchers after seeing the results from 4,745 people from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
MARKET REPORT | NUTRITION TRENDS
APRIL 18, 2016 | SGBWeekly.com 7
The study included several measured behaviors — including fitness tracker type devices — rather than just relying on self-reported information.
Subjects had a goal of 150 minutes of mod-erate-to-vigorous activity a week, officials said. “Blood samples were done to verify a person was a non-smoker. Body fat was measured with sophisticated X-ray absorptiometry, not just a crude measurement based on weight and height. A healthy diet was defined in this study as being in about the top 40 percent of people who ate foods recommended by the USDA.”
The lifestyle characteristics were then com-pared to “biomarkers” of cardiovascular health. “Some are familiar, such as blood pressure, cho-lesterol and glucose levels,” study officials said. “Others are more sophisticated, such as C-reac-tive protein, fasting triglycerides, homocysteine and other data that can provide evidence of car-diovascular risk.”
Many people accomplished one or more of the four basic lifestyle goals, such as not smok-ing or being adequately active, but few accom-plished all four.
A total of 71 percent of adults did not smoke, 46 percent were sufficiently active, 38 percent ate a healthy diet and 10 percent had a normal body fat percentage. Only 2.7 percent of all adults had all four healthy lifestyle characteristics, while 16 percent had three, 37 percent had two, 34 percent had one, and 11 percent had none. A few other findings from the study included:
• Women were more likely to not smoke and eat a healthy diet, but less likely to be suffi-ciently active.
• Mexican American adults were more likely to eat a healthy diet than non-Hispanic white or black adults.
• Adults 60 years and older had fewer healthy characteristics than adults ages 20 to 39, yet were more likely to not smoke and consume a healthy diet and less likely to be sufficiently active.
“This is pretty low, to have so few peo-ple maintaining what we would consider a healthy lifestyle,” Smit said. “This is sort of mind boggling. There’s clearly a lot of room for improvement.”
This study was published in the Mayo Clinic Proceedings and was done in collaboration with researchers from the University of Mississippi and the University of Tennessee-Chattanooga.
MOVERS & SHAKERS
Balega International hired Casey Lewis as a Marketing Specialist to oversee promotional programs and support expansion of Balega’s par-ent company, Implus, and its Implus Run Specialty Group division.
McDavid and Shock Doctor, two leading athletic protection providers, signed their first dual-brand athlete ambassador, 2015 NBA Champion Harrison Barnes.
Mizuno USA promoted Mark M. O'Brien from VP of Brand Management and Marketing to the newly created position of COO.
National Retail Federation Vice President for Supply Chain and Cus-toms Policy Jonathan Gold has been appointed to the Department of Commerce’s Advisory Committee on Supply Chain Competitiveness.
Puma appointed Matthias Mecking as its new General Manager of Teamsports.
Rocky Brands appointed Jack Oerth as President for the Creative Recreation brand. Actor and musician Nick Jonas has also become an ambassador for the brand.
Saucony, a division of Wolverine World Wide Inc., appointed Thomas Hartge to SVP of Global Footwear for the Saucony brand.
Smith & Wesson announced Matt Buckingham would join the company as President of its Firearms Division, while Mark Smith will be promoted to President of Manufacturing Services.
SoulCycle, the boutique indoor cycling franchise, saw the departure of its Co-founders Elizabeth Cutler and Julie Rice.
Swiftwick, an athletic performance sock company, welcomed Jamie Pillsbury as its new National Bike Sales Manager.
Ugg, a division of Deckers Brands, appointed international supermodel and actress, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley, as its first global women's brand ambassador.
Under Armour added Jonathan Tah as the latest member of its elite global athlete roster. The 20-year-old is considered to be one of the biggest rising stars in German soccer.
Vuarnet, the French sunglass brand, named French actor Vincent Cassel as the new face of the brand as the company accelerates its reintroduction to the U.S. market.
Wilderness Systems expanded its Pro Staff roster with 20 new kayak anglers including Eric Hromada, Sandra Ramsey, Tim Perkins, Bill Perry-man, Cameron Simot, Chris St. Pierre, Derek Akin, Eric Briggs, Eugene Mora III, Jay Pershin, Joanne Vaughn, Johnathan Meadows, Kris Cortez, Matt Lopez, Ricky Smith, Shane Coovert, Shane Williams, CJ Espey, Shaun Boggs, and Frank Ruczynski.
8 SGBWeekly.com | APRIL 18, 2016
Running has never been more popular. Marathon participation is growing, ac-
cording to 2015 statistics from Running USA, along with half-marathons and their cool cousins including zombie, color and mud runs (non-traditional running events).
But the real buzz at the core of the sport is humming around ultras — advancing to be the next marathon. Ultrarunning Magazine charted growth from 2,890 ultra finishers in 1980 to roughly 70,000 in 2013.
That’s impressive growth for a sport that can require 20-plus hours of running - especially during an era where the most popular trends in the active-lifestyle space center around shorter and more-efficient workouts. But before we pop
champagne to toast the ultra, some sources have questioned whether ultrarunning is actu-ally mainstream enough to maintain its steady growth course.
Honestly, it’s hard to tell. There are no of-ficial sources we could find that report global participation numbers across the sport. Among the top are websites like DUV Ultra Marathon Statistics and iRunFar, but both appear to be in the beta phase, operated by a lonesome few whose love for long distance keeps them report-ing. Bigger websites like Running USA have yet to include Ultra Racing as a category in their National Runner Survey’s and while Ultrarun-ning Magazine tallies some stats, these numbers are reserved to U.S. participation.
Follow The LeadersIn many ways ultrarunning (which is officially defined as any run longer than a marathon (26.2 miles), but frequently is pegged around 50 or 100 miles) represents the hardcore arena of the sport. With record-numbers of people running marathons, elite athletes are increasingly look-ing elsewhere.
It’s no coincidence then that many running and outdoor brands (and even a fitness fran-chise chain) have swooped into ultrarunning to become partners with some of the most presti-gious events in the world.
Columbia Sportswear became the presenting partner of the European Ultra-Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) in 2015. The race traverses
Going UltraWhy elite outdoor brands are rushing to sponsor the most intense ultra races in the world,
and whether this trend will last.
By Jahla Seppanen
Photos courtesy UTMB
MARKET REPORT | ULTRAMARTHONS
APRIL 18, 2016 | SGBWeekly.com 9
100-plus miles and 31,496 feet of elevation gain through the Alps. Smartwool was named official sock and baselayer sponsor of Colo-rado’s Hardrock 100, also in 2015. The looped course covers 100 miles with 33,992 feet of climb and descent through the San Juan Range. Gore-Tex put its name on The Grand Traverse back in 2012. The race involves 40 miles and 7,800 feet of elevation gain of midnight ski mountaineering, traversing Elk Mountain Range to end in Aspen, CO. Altra Running now rocks its logo as the official footwear sponsor of the Western States 100. The U.K.’s Montane sponsors The Spine Race, 268 non-stop miles of the most demanding trail in Britain. And even the franchise gym
Life Time Fitness snagged sponsorship of the prestigious Leadville 100 event.
The True TestFor brands that create $300 waterproof jack-ets, there’s no better way to show how your product stands up to the elements than by running it through an ultra marathon. Twen-ty-six-point-two miles aren’t tough enough anymore. “You can run a 10k in a cotton kit and be fine,” said Molly Cuffe, director of global brand marketing at Smartwool. “Our product shines at a longer distance, and you really start to see the value.”
For Smartwool, and no doubt the other brands that sponsor ultras, “Hardcore is the best place to put it to the test,” said Cuffe.
“The UTMB is another playground to ‘test tough’ our products and develop unique and innovative technologies,” said Columbia Senior VP of Europe, Franco Fogliato. W.L. Gore’s Tom Boyle, agreed, “The Grand Tra-verse provides the perfect way to showcase the power of our products in this emerging mar-ketplace,” the company’s North American gar-ments marketing team lead said. “Consumers can see the connection between activity and the athlete. Some of the most impactful spon-sorships are those which align with the value in use of the product.”
Ultra sponsorship can also be a new talk-ing point for retailers, where the proof points of durability, credibility and comfort can translate no matter how far the customer is running.
Buffing An Elite Image The average outdoor consumer recognizes
the names Columbia, Gore-Tex and Smart-wool more than they do UTMB or Hardrock. So although elite brands don’t need the boost in name recognition, they partner with ultras for an elevated image. In SGB’s interviews of brands sponsoring ultra races, each leading brand described their sponsored race as “the pinnacle event,” of their ultra category. “We put a lot of horsepower behind Hardrock,” said Cuffe with Smartwool. “It’s a premiere race and we believe we are a premiere brand.”
Fun fact: Many ultras, like the UTMB, award no prize money to top finishers. (So…they’re just doing it for fun?) The lack of monetary incentive only verifies the pure ethos of the event. “It’s about people wanting to test them-selves in beautiful environments by pushing their personal limits,” Fogliato said.
In turn, ultra races are getting more cover-age than ever before. “We have elevated the event to gain national prominence and inter-national recognition,” said Boyle with Gore. The race was first held in 2003, with 722 run-ners and 67 finishers, and those numbers have skyrocketed to 2,434 racers and 1,578 finish-ers in 2014.
Then in 2015, UTMB signed a three-year partnership with Columbia, swapping out its previous big wig The North Face, who holds its own TNF Endurance Challenge Series with 50 miles as the longest of seven routes. With the change in partnership came a change in visual identity for UTMB. The series adopted a new logo “to express its loyalty in values and share a new energy moving forward,” said Fogliato. “Columbia becoming the presenting partner is directly associated with the evolu-tion of the race’s visual identity.”
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The partnership is also a piece of a bigger picture at Columbia, where starting in spring 2017 the company will realign its original trail running brand, Montrail to Columbia Mon-trail. “This is definitely a testament to our commitment to trail running and the UTMB,” said Fogliato, who added that the space would continue to be a strategic focus for the com-pany moving forward.
Smartwool underwent a rebranding at the tail end of 2015 as well, rolling out a new logo and will use its sponsorship at the 2016 Hardrock 100 to display its new identity to the public. “This is the place we want to show it for the first time, which speaks to the respect we have for the event,” said Cuffe. But instead of being “just a bunch of banners,” Cuffe stressed how important it is for brands to sup-port the races first and their unique identities apart from marketing and shine. “We don’t want to paint the town Smartwool,” she said.
So… Are Ultras Trending?Ultra races likely won’t ever reach the mass of marathons, or even perhaps triathlons, but they are a space to watch in the industry.
“Marathons and half-marathons are a lot more accessible than ultras,” professional ul-trarunner Joe Grant told SGB. “Trail running is definitely increasing in popularity, but race participation will never come close to road races.” He added that participation in ultras “will always be more limited because of land use permits and the environmental challenges of having large numbers of people running on trails.” If anything, elite athletes likely appreci-ate some of the exclusivity and underground nature of the sport.
Grant is currently sponsored by Arc’teryx, Buff Headwear, Scarpa North America and Tailwind Nutrition.
Still, the trickle bringing new participants from the outdoor and road-running sector is strong, and made even stronger by the growth of, and competition between, elite brand sponsorships.
In 2018, many of the multi-year partner-ships aligning brands with races will come to an end. If outdoor giants like Gore and Columbia move to sponsoring Zombie runs, we’ll know that ultras were a sell-by trend. But the overwhelming sense is that going forward, ultra isn’t a bandwagon, and we’ll only hear of more brands jumping onboard in the coming years. Hint: Marathon des Sables is still open for a big name brand to swoop in for a multi-year deal, as is Death Valley’s Badwater.
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ONE-ON-ONE
Ashley Whittemore, Sports NutritionistBoulder, CO-based counselor helps elite athletes, and the rest of us, decide what’s best for our bodies.
By Courtney Holden
Modern athletes have an abundance of options re-
garding how they fuel their bod-ies. Do they opt for a banana or a pressed-fruit bar? Gel pack or squeeze pouch? Carbs or no carbs?
Sports nutritionist Ashley Whittemore is an expert at navi-gating these confusing waters, and she’d better be. After all, she’s doling out advice in Boulder, CO, a town known for its professional cyclists, Olympic runners and an “amateur” athlete population that knocks out a 10-mile run before work.
Whittemore sat down with SGB to discuss the role of a nutrition-ist, the benefits of “real” food and what’s on the horizon for the sports nutrition category.
How did you get interested in sports nutrition? A lot of my pas-sion for performance nutrition started with backpacking. I was trying to carry the least amount of weight for the most calories, and it was interesting to start manipulat-ing that aspect of calorie-to-weight ratio myself. When I moved out to Colorado from the East Coast, I started working at Essential Nutri-tion and doing private counseling. I was also running marathons and doing adventure races, which are very demanding for calorie expen-diture. That’s when I really thought, “sports nutrition is something I need to look more into.”
Is it intimidating being a nutri-tionist in a place that’s repeatedly ranked as the healthiest city in the United States? It’s more interesting than intimidating. There are con-stantly new studies and food items that clients bring to my attention to review. It is rewarding to work with a demographic that is so highly Photos courtesy Ashley Whittemore
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What’s the “next big thing” in sports nutrition? Rather than an “eat this, not that” mental-ity or a hype around some par-ticular food, it’s going to be more about the portion size and timing of consumption. For example, awhile ago, research came out saying the optimal amount of protein for the body to absorb is 30 grams at a time. That means, if you need to get 90 grams of pro-tein in a day, don’t eat 60 grams in one sitting and 30 grams in the next. Instead, eat three serv-ings of 30 grams of protein. So the new “trend” is going to involve athletes reading nutrition labels, being mindful of the last meal they ate and paying attention to the composition of their meals and snacks.
Have any tips on what food to pack for a weekend-long back-packing adventure? I bring high-calorie foods like nuts, seeds and dried fruit because they’re non-perishable. I definitely take a pocket-rocket stove and any type of dehydrated meal because they’re lightweight — so they don’t add a lot of pounds to my pack — but provide the calories and protein I need. Plus, they taste great.
motivated to always improve on their health and wellbeing.
What are your clients typically looking to get out of a visit to a sports nutritionist? It’s usu-ally either an athlete who wants to perform better or someone who is struggling to eat well. A lot of people are looking to decrease their mass, but increase their pow-er. They want to be more explosive and increase their strength, but since muscle weighs more than fat, they have to avoid getting so heavy that they slow down. It’s a very fine game of titrating how many calo-ries are necessary for their activity level, while making sure that all the foods are being utilized so it’s not an excessive intake.
How frequently do you see your athletes take their eating to an ex-treme of some kind? My practice is about 50 percent eating disorders and 50 percent sports nutrition, so I see it often with my clientele. There’s a lot of orthorexia, which is an unhealthy obsession with eating healthy. We also see over-exercising and under-eating, which may be done on purpose or because the athlete has a naturally suppressed appetite due to training.
You’ve said that you’re keen on a “food first” approach to nutri-tion. Tell us more about what that entails. I don’t go on many soapboxes, but this is one I’ll go on. I always try to push real, whole foods first. If it’s not from the ground or a tree, then it’s not what I’m considering a real food. There are great protein bars out there that are organic or natural or made without preservatives, but it’s still not a real, whole food. I’d much rather do fruit and nuts or peanut butter — which is “processed,” but it’s still a whole food — than something made in a chemistry lab. That’s always my first approach because that’s what your body needs; it’s what we were intended to eat.
Is there ever a time when a bar, gel or energy drink might be ap-propriate? There’s a mispercep-tion that you need a synthetic edge in order to be bigger and faster and stronger — which shows the marketing companies have done a good job. There’s definitely science behind these products, but with that over-mar-keting, suddenly we have five-year-olds in peewee soccer who think they need Gatorade. You
don’t actually need those prod-ucts unless you’re on a really long training run or doing a marathon. If you’re going to be exercising for a long period of time and burn-ing a lot of calories, eat whatev-er you’re comfortable carrying, maybe a couple bars or gels.
Liquid, solid, gel or gummy … What form is best? Soft solids and liquids are already mechanically al-tered so your stomach doesn’t have to digest them as much. It’s easier on the stomach. So if you want something as you continue run-ning or cycling, go for the soft solid or liquid form. When hiking, I per-sonally much prefer a bar because it’s more satisfying.
Does it make a difference whether or not the supplement is natural, organic, carb-free, etc.? Supplements that are natu-ral/organic tend to have a shorter shelf life and do not hold up as well in more intense conditions such as high heats, etc. For an ath-lete, carb-free is the worst choice. Their power comes from glyco-gen, and during physical activity, those glycogen stores are used up. The only way to replenish that glycogen is by eating carbs.
APRIL 18, 2016 | SGBWeekly.com 13
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ACTIVE LIFESTYLE | NUTRITION
From Lab Coat To ApronActive, health-conscious consumers demand nutrition with ingredients they can pronounce.
By Jahla Seppanen
Photo courtesy Skratch Labs
APRIL 18, 2016 | SGBWeekly.com 15
Hitting a PR, summiting peaks, making gains – no matter the athlete’s goal or gear,
their nutrition has to stand up to the challenge. But nutrition is a category always rife with
obstacles, summersaulting trends and plenty of competition, experts tell SGB. And in the trail-ing 52-weeks, sales of energy bars and gels are down more than 20 percent in units and dollars, through March 26, according to SSI Data*. The trend is slightly better within the protein bar and drink sub-category with declines only around five percent.
We spoke with some of the biggest companies in the space for a forecast of the coming year. From the hodgepodge of gels, bars, waffles, pills, powders and meal plans, here’s a look at the evolution of nutrition for the active lifestyle customer and which trends will rule the market across all forms.
REALLY REAL FOODEvery single brand we spoke with verified the Real Food (also known as, non-GMO, organic-based,
clean-label, whole-ingredient) trend is blanketing the category, not only in current top-performing products but in new ones we’ll see next year. For an industry built around the image of scientifical-ly designed fuel made in the lab, there has been a great turnover in back-to-basics. “It’s about ingre-dients you can pronounce and getting away from engineered nutrition. Consumers want products made from someone wearing an apron instead of a lab coat,” said Jeff Dean, vice president of op-erations at Nuun. “So much of traditional sports nutrition was built on the lab coat image — even company names reflect that — but that is not where the industry is going.”
Engineered ingredients are being replaced with ancient seeds and grains (like millet), beans, and real milk, said officials with brands such as Luvo and GoMacro. Senior Director of Product Marketing at Herbalife, John Heiss agreed “the back to basics approach to nutrition is moving beyond a trend to a consumer move-ment, and people are expecting to see simplier, cleaner, whole-food driven products.”
“People are definitely gravitating toward clean labels,” BiPro Communications Manager Jack Satzinger said. He added that this choice is taking place at the consumer level, instead of brands dictating the trend.
But as we’ll find with all big nutrition trends, the Real Food movement comes with its share of challenges. The biggest push back here comes from sugar reduction. It’s a good thing that real food options mean less processed sugar in our everyday nutrition (from regular meals to pre- and post-performance supplements), but con-sumers struggle to adapt their taste buds.
“Consumers are constantly asking for less sugar without compromising the taste and in-tegrity of the product,” said GoMacro Food Sci-entist Kate Diamond. “Sugar occurs naturally in almost every food we eat, so this is a very dif-ficult challenge.”
MOM-AND-POP BRANDSA continuation of the Real Food Trend, the nutri-tion category, is being inflated by mom-and-pop
Photo courtesy GoMacro
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brands that employ a small staff and do the cooking at home. “The mega trend leading the natural foods business is consumers gravitating toward mission or value-based brands. Price and quality aren’t the only attributes they are looking for anymore,” said Dean from Nuun. “For the first time, this trend is carrying over from the natural foods business to mass retail and the sports nutrition category.”
“Consumers’ distrust of major food manu-facturers is growing, and they are now looking to smaller mom-and-pop companies to provide them with a product they can support not only from a nutritional standpoint, but also based on principles,“ said Diamond with GoMacro. Due to their homey upbringing and humble begin-nings, buyers form a personal connection to these small, value-based companies. For the
same reasons apparel brands bring their produc-tion domestic, mom-and-pop brands are able to explain exactly which ingredients go into their product, exactly how it’s made, build a personal relationship with retailers and have an easier time monitoring all stages of the process. With the rise of sketchy ingredients making their way into mass-produced nutrition products, con-sumers trust the little guys 100-percent. After all, what’s the use in training all year just to be told by an athletic board that you somehow in-gested an illegal substance? (Disqualification!)
The challenge with this trend? Shelf space. “The shelf space in retail is very limited, and it’s a challenge because nutrition is packed with people,” said Jenny Vierling, who founded Tail-wind Nutrition with her husband after inventing a personalized sports drink to fuel him through
ultra marathons. Even the team at Skratch at-tested shelf space would continue to be a bat-tleground. “Too many brands are making very similar products,” Peery said. “We see this in the bar category, which is over-saturated with a lot of really mediocre products.”
Competition will only become fiercer. “Most retailers I have spoken with expressed the Nutri-tion category is flat at best,” added Peery. “Com-petition will ramp in the specialty space over the coming summer seasons.”
Mom-and-pop brands can compete with the crowd by building a loyal customer following. “I have heard that several (specialty) retailers are honing their nutrition offerings by thinning the ranks,” added Vierling. “When customers ap-proaching stores say what they have to carry, those products will stay.
Photo courtesy GoMacro
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STICKY CERTIFICATIONSWhile brands look for ways to distinguish their products and express to consumers how “or-ganic,” “clean,” and “non-GMO” they are, the heavy hitters in the market are going straight to the government for certification. The power of the seal is strong this year, as a label can as-sure buyers that the product contains no con-taminants. NSF Certification is one test, which checks supplements for banned substances, giv-ing athletes and the average consumer peace of mind knowing what they are ingesting is safe. NSF has become a buzzword in the category and will continue to ring through 2017. The need for more certification came to boil because nutri-tional supplements are still not regulated in the same way as prescription drugs. In fact, you can’t use a word like “healthy” to describe a product if it doesn’t meet very specific attributed outlines more than two decades ago, said Luvo VP of Nu-trition, Samantha Cassetty. “Government regu-lations haven’t kept up with the science and with consumer demand,” she continued.
“Certifications really go far in building trust with the consumer,” said Dean with Nuun. Other than NSF certification, nutrition brands are looking to be certified by Informed-Choice’s
Trusted By Sport verification — a quality as-surance program for sports nutrition products and suppliers showing their products have been tested for banned substances by the world class sports anti-doping lab, LGC.
“Third party validations from companies like NSF, who verify manufacturing facilities and product quality, are becoming more important in the consumers’ eyes,” said Heiss with Herbal-ife. The goal of all these certifications: have the real good products stand out from the real bad ones. As we all know, simply by walking through a grocery store, Nutrition has a funny way of ex-aggerating claims to sway purchasing.
CONSUMERS QUESTION OLD BEHAVIORSMarketing is smart but consumers are finally gaining an advantage, probably thanks to the all-knowing Internet and our habit of rabbit-hole browsing. Just about every trend we see emerg-ing in nutrition is being lassoed by the consumer and their expanding knowledge of what will fuel their body best.
“Consumers are taking a more active role,” said Peery at Skratch. “They are challenging the paradigm of the last couple of decades, which made people dependent on dry, overly sweet,
heavily processed products whose primary ben-efit was convenience.”
Even when it comes to following athlete en-dorsement of nutrition products, there is less smoke and mirrors. “Product endorsements from athletes have always been key in our mar-ket, but there’s been a shift,” said Satzinger with BiPro. “In the past, any superstar athlete could endorse a product, even if they may not use it and instantly make it one of the most attractive options. Now consumers are savvier. They don’t just want to see an athlete’s face on a jar, they want to hear a breakdown from the athlete on why they pick that product, how they use it and what sets it apart from the competition.”
In a world of information, we’re only getting smarter. Consumer education is challenging both retail and manufacturing in the nutrition landscape, which we expect will help the cat-egory rebound to be healthy and active in the long-term… just like us.
*SSI Data, powered by SportsOneSource, collects and analyzes point-of-sale data from more than 20,000 retail doors across nine channels of distri-bution. To learn more call 303.997.7302.
Photo courtesy Skratch Labs
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What Ultrarunners Really EatBy Jahla Seppanen
Sage Canaday, the “billy goat” known for his ability to climb quickly over difficult terrain, stuffs his plate with a veggie stir-fry (broccoli, kale, onions, garlic and mushrooms) on a bed of rice, quinoa or pasta. He’ll season the meal with tamari-ginger sauce, tomato sauce or even a spicy curry, and crack an Avery Brewing IPA to wash it down.
Ted McDonald, better known as “Barefoot Ted” for his affinity to run barefoot or in mini-malist sandals in the style of the Tarahumara, told SGB his ideal ultra fuel is fruit. Ted recalled grabbing ripe figs, pomegranates and grapes along the ancient passageway in the Lucian Way ultra marathon in Turkey. When he’s running in Seattle, he’ll opt for local blackberries.
James Russell Gill, who splits running with being CEO of Bad to the Bone Sports, worked with Dr. Bob Seebohar to find the right foods for the severe stomach issues experienced in races more than 50 miles. Now Gill’s favorite meal is red curry with chicken and vegetables, and his stomach is stress-free.
Adalberto “Flaco” Mendoza, a somewhat mysterious figure in ultrarunning, and member of Jorge Pacheco’s posse of Badwater finishers, got all his ultra buddies hooked on drinking chicken noodle soup during the 135-mile Bad-water course. Pop a can of soup like it’s a sports drink and fill up on salt, proteins and carbs that are sweat out by the Death Valley sun.
Jen Benna goes for convenience when it comes to fueling. Her go-to lately is two eggs with as-paragus and spinach, scrambled in grass-fed butter like Kerrygold or coconut oil and topped with salsa or hot sauce. Add a slice of sprouted grain toast and she’s ready to lace up. Benna told SGB she has always loved breakfast for dinner.
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Scott Jurek, the rockstar of ultrarunning who broke the AT speed record last summer told SGB he likes to mix real foods with sports foods. His quick-hit list includes potatoes, fruit, hummus and tons of Clif products like Clif Shots, Bloks, Bars and Organic Energy Food.
Larisa Dannis, the recreational runner turned Olympic qualifier, said her pre-race meal con-sists of bananas with maple Trail Butter and strong black coffee. While training, she sticks to avocados, white rice, beets and steak.
Timothy “Timmy” Olson snacks on Epic Bars, Kind Bars and Clif gels during runs through the Boulder flatirons. Away from running, he eats local veggies, fruit and grassfed meat, but his must-have item is Kombucha (store-bought or self-brewed). “I live on it. It’s the first thing I have in the morning,” he told SGB.
Ryan Lassen said he doesn’t have dietary re-strictions. Every Monday he gets a medium-well burger with all the fixin’s and an egg on top. On a long-run day, he’s been known to do 50 miles on a packet of Tailwind Nutrition and a handful of pretzels, with a waffle beforehand.
Mike Wardian drinks about 12 to 16oz of Vitargo H2Omelon one hour before a race. He’s also totally addicted to nori (aka seaweed pa-per), which can be eaten plain or as a substitute for burrito wraps.
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FAST FIVE
Top Five Nutrition Products You’ll See On The Trail, At The Gym And In Social Media Selfies This Summer.
By Jahla SeppanenPhotos courtesy David Clucas
GoMacro Thrive Bar, Cashew Caramel | $3 per barCatching the attention of real-ingredient consumers with their many certifications (and cool label designs), GoMacro’s MacroBar line is the epitome of nutrition buzzwords from USDA Organic, Certified Gluten-Free, Certified Vegan and Non-GMO. Our fave flave is Ca-shew Caramel, a protein refuel made from sprouted brown rice and peas, but still naturally sweet. Also super rich in calcium, magnesium, potassium, iron and zinc. Perk: We can pronounce every ingredient on the label.
Skratch Labs Feed Zone Table Cookbook | $25As consumers put more emphasis on understanding nutrition, more are making their own grab-and-go meals, even as a social event with running, cycling and hiking groups. Our nutrition product pick that keeps on giving is Sk-ratch Labs’ third Cookbook, Feed Zone Table, with more than 100 new recipes for endurance athletes or anyone that wants to eat simple, nutrient-high meals that are tai-lored to their taste. Dr. Allen Lim and Chef Biju Thomas collaborated on this edition of family-style din-ners – drinks, apps and desserts in-cluded. Perk: Consumers can liter-ally eat like the pros. Chef Biju has cooked for some of the leading cy-clists around the world, including Levi Leipheimer, Tom Danielson and Christian Vande.
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Gu Energy Labs Cucumber Mint Energy Gel | $1.50 per packetA bit more savory than sweet, many athletes are turning to more mild flavor pallets to refresh their taste buds. Gu’s Cucumber Mint Gel is a con-venient, quick-hit of 20mg of caffeine, 125mg sodium and 450mg amino acids. Using carbohydrates, maltodextrin and fructose, the gel is easy on the GI track and was even created to reduce mental distress, along with physical. SGB is all about that mind/body connection. Perk: New consum-ers can trust the effectiveness of the Energy Gel recipe since it was the first product GU brought to market in 1993.
Quest Nutrition Cookies & Cream Protein Powder | $2.50 per packetQuest amassed a social media fanbase who loves its wild flavors (cinnamon roll, strawberry cheesecake and pumpkin pie for the holidays) with super low sugar (1 to 2 grams) and calories (160 per bar). Most other high-protein bars are packed with sugar and come in at 400-plus calories. Its new Pro-tein Powder has only 1 gram, plus cookie chunks (win-win). SGB likes how Quest develops products based on metabolic research, forgoes the juiced-up models on its packaging and makes refueling after a serious weight session feel more like an indulgence than a chalky chore. Perk: Quest likes to engage consumers. Have a wacky flavor in mind? Ask and you may receive.
KivaSun Foods Bison Jerkey, Hatch Chile | $9 per bagPaleos gather round. KivaSun’s all natural Bison Jerky is redefining protein, replacing beef with the less-calorie, less-fat, more-protein rich bison meat (also more environmentally friendly due to grazing patterns). Founded by four-time PGA Tour winner and native Navajo Notah Begay III, KivaSun is all about honoring roots and doing things au natural. Still somewhat small, SGB anticipates this jerky company will take off. Perk: Adding the spice of green chile can jumpstart your metabolism and fight inflammation.
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TRADE ASSOCIATIONS BUYING GROUPS
Athletic Dealers of America1395 Highland AvenueMelbourne, FL 32935t 321.254.0091athleticdealersofamerica.com
National Shooting Sports Founda-tionFlintlock Ridge Office Center11 Mile Hill RoadNewtown, CT 06470t 203.426.1320 nssf.org
National Sporting Goods Association1601 Feehanville Drive I Suite 300Mount Prospect, IL 60056t 847.296.6742nsga.org
Nation’s Best Sports4216 Hahn Blvd.Ft. Worth, TX 76117t 817.788.0034nbs.com
Outdoor Industry Association4909 Pearl East Circle I Suite 300Boulder, CO 80301t 303.444.3353outdoorindustry.org
Sports & Fitness Industry Associa-tion8505 Fenton Street I Suite 211Silver Spring, MD 20910t 301.495.6321sfia.org
Snow Sports Industries America8377-B Greensboro DriveMcLean, VA 22102t 703.556.9020snowsports.org
Snowsports Merchandising Corp.235 Cadwell DriveSpringfield, MA 01104t 413.739.7331Snowsportsmerchandising.com
Sports, Inc.333 2nd Avenue NorthLewistown, MT 59457t 406.538.3496sportsinc.com
Sports Specialists Ltd.590 Fishers Station Drive I Suite 110Victor, NY 14564t 585.742.1010sportsspecialistsltd.com
Tennis Industry Association1 Corpus Christi Place I Suite 117Hilton Head Island, SC 29928t 843.686.3036tennisindustry.org
Worldwide 8211 South 194thKent, WA 98032t 253.872.8746wdi-wdi.com
INDUSTRY CALENDAR
APRIL
1-2 SFIA Litigation & Risk Management Summit New Orleans, LA
12 SFIA/NFHS/NCAA Rules Conference Indianapolis, IN
19-21 Imprinted Sportswear Show (ISS), Nashville, TN
MAY
22-25 NSGA Management Conference and Team Hilton Head Island, SC
JUNE 3-5 SGB 40 Under 40 Awards St. Julien Hotel, Boulder, CO
9-10 The Running and Fitness Event For Women Chicago, IL
13-17 Grassroots Spring Summit & Connect Albuquerque, NM
23-25 Sports Inc. Athletic Show Minneapolis, MNJULY
13-17 IDEA World Fitness Convention Los Angeles, CA
AUGUST
3-6 Outdoor Retailer Summer Market Salt Lake City, UT
11-13 Sports Inc. Outdoor Show Minneapolis, MN
SEPTEMBER
21-23 Interbike Las Vegas, NV
25-28 NBS Fall Market Fort Worth, TX
OCTOBER
20-23 ADA Fall Buying Show Charlotte, NC
28-30 ADA Fall Buying Show Phoenix, AZ
NOVEMBER
7-11 Grassroots Fall Summit & Connect Knoxville, TN
17-19 Athletic Business Conference & Expo Orlando, FL
Photo courtesy UTMB