The Analyst’s Take: 3 more NBJ insights into continuing trends

This is the second installment of insights from NBJ on trends you want to be aware of. If you missed the first round, which was written to help you prepare for Expo West, check it out here.

1. Collagen growth remains strong as ingredient shows promise across conditions

Initial NBJ estimates show continued strong growth in collagen supplements, with the category hitting high double-digit growth for the fifth year in a row, at 26% in 2019. Growth is driven by a variety of factors, including movement of the ingredient outside beauty from within. While the bulk of collagen sales still fall under beauty from within, formulas targeting joint health, sports nutrition and even general health and wellness are on the rise. Success of collagen peptide-based supplements has also spurred the launch of several brands of vegan collagen boosters, that contain no animal-derived peptides, but support the body’s production of collagen through other nutrients.

2. Consumers are fairly concerned about the quality of CBD products

When asked to rate their concern about the product quality of CBD, consumers who had purchased CBD in the past year averaged concern at a level of 2.99 on a scale of one to five, five being “extremely concerned.” Hemp CBD product manufacturers are addressing this through organic certifications, third-party testing programs, and transparency practices such as including batch testing results on their websites. Generation X consumers were the most likely generation to identify as “extremely concerned,” so products that differentiate on confirming product quality will likely have more success with that age group.

3. Herbs and botanicals continue to shine year after year

Growth in herb and botanical supplements has outpaced industry growth since 2013, hitting estimated 8.4% growth in 2019 and now representing nearly 20% of all supplements sold in the U.S. Hemp CBD sales are certainly contributing to interest in the category, with estimated 2019 sales of $618 million, but there are plenty of other hot herbs and botanicals driving growth. Top growth ingredients include turmeric, ayurvedic herbs, mushrooms and maca.

Find more insights from Nutrition Business Journal here.