The annual conference previously known as the ‘Sports & Active Nutrition Summit’ has undergone a rebranding to encompass a wider focus on supporting both active consumers in their everyday lives and athletes in achieving their performance goals. As a result, this year’s conference centers around new health targets, such as women’s health, cognitive health, life-stage nutrition, and personalized nutrition.
The conference will feature expert speakers who will explore various topics, including hormonal cycles, the gut-brain axis, menopause, AI, sarcopenia, botanicals, CBD, and wearables. Additionally, market analysts and strategists will provide valuable insights into the latest consumer demands and approaches that best cater to the target market.
On the first day, the spotlight will be on women’s specific nutrition requirements, with insights from Holland & Barrett experts on effective ways to engage modern shoppers. The cognitive health pillar will showcase the latest scientific findings on how nutrition can support mental well-being and innovations capitalizing on these discoveries.
Dr. Harini Venkataraman, associate research director at Lux Research, will share an overview of consumer concerns, appealing product formats, scientifically backed ingredients, regulatory challenges, key players, and potential pitfalls to avoid in this category. Key ingredients and botanicals will be discussed, delving into the gut-brain axis with probiotic experts examining the impact of microbiome modulating supplements on mental health.
Further presentations include Lumina Intelligence’s analysis of e-commerce trends and untapped spaces for innovation, FitBiomics CEO Jonathan Scheiman discussing the scientific basis for probiotics aiding in sleep, and Sophie Medlin, Head of Nutrition Research at Heights, addressing mass consumer interest following her appearance on the TV show ‘Know Your Sh**’.
Attendees will also have the opportunity to hear from promising startups in the active nutrition field through the ‘Startup Stars’ panel. Marketing strategies will be explored, including influencer marketing techniques shared by Augmentum Media and innovation and communication ideas by the Healthy Marketing Team.
The final pillar focuses on personalized nutrition, with Dr. Mariëtte Abrahams, Founder and CEO at Qina, discussing the latest nutrition technologies such as ChatGPT, voice logging, and face scanning and how these integrate into brand offerings. The conference will conclude with a panel discussion on the dynamic nature of personalized nutrition and the ethical considerations for innovators in this space.
Networking opportunities abound, including a roundtable lunch where attendees can join experts at tables of their choice for in-depth conversations with like-minded colleagues.
