During its webinar, Active Nutrition Trends Done Differently, founder Nick Morgan revealed the top ten trends driving the sector next year.
He explained: “For the most part, product and ingredient-led trends are straightforward. You don’t need me to tell you that hydration or creatine are trending."
"What sets our approach apart is that we look at the dynamics behind the category to understand why something is trending and how products are being developed within that context.”
Nutrition Integrated’s top trends for 2026 are as follows:
The third R: renaissance: It started with redefine and reimagine, now we have renaissance. Although the footprint of the active nutrition industry remains stable with ingredients, needs and populations largely unchanged, innovation is thriving.
But much of what’s driving progress today isn’t entirely new. It’s the familiar, reframed through the lens of 2026 and revived for today’s consumers.
Health is a habit: Becoming part of a consumer’s daily routine is harder than it sounds. Habits take time to form and supplements can easily be forgotten, left on the side in the best of intentions.
But what if the habit already exists? Then the innovation opportunity shifts from building entirely new routines to enhancing and boosting existing ones.
A coffee ritual: Coffee is much more than a daily habit; it’s a ritual, a non-negotiable for huge swathes of the population and subsequently, it’s where nutrition has pinned its hopes.
From MCTs and the days of Bulletproof to collagen, mushrooms and now protein, making coffee a perfect partner is a surefire way to embed an innovation.
The buzz without the booze: As younger generations take a different approach to alcohol, what began as low and no alcohol alternatives has become something much bigger with consumers searching for the same sense of buzz, calm or connection, minus the alcohol.
It’s no longer about simply offering alternatives to alcohol; it’s about redefining what it means to drink.
Better for you everything: Protein has been a buzzword – and buzz ingredient – for longer than anyone expected. It’s proliferated in every possible format and aisle, becoming a surrogate for health itself.
In doing so, it’s set the precedent for better for you everything and created a blueprint that other functional ingredients are already starting to follow.
Function and experience: Function or experience? It’s a difficult balancing act and consumers want both. Products need to have a benefit but in order to drive broader adoption, repeat purchase and brand loyalty, consumption must be memorable.
What’s inside the product is no longer enough to ensure success; it’s about the moment it creates.
Reshaping the supply chain: To meet both short-term demand and ensure long-term global food security, new sources of ingredients are needed.
Novel approaches that can be decoupled from existing supply chains offer the potential to stabilise supply and avoid price volatility, as well as compelling stories for consumers that add value beyond the ingredient itself.
The last frontier of identity politics: What started as extreme biohacking among the wealthy has sparked a societal shift: everyday consumers are now focused on longevity and vitality.
Age has become just a number, no longer something to be feared as the concept of longevity redefines what it means to age well. It's not about living forever, but living in the moment.
Bang for buck: As wellness expands so too does the list of supplements competing for attention. But there’s a limit to what we can consume and how much we’re willing to spend.
To win, brands must offer more complete solutions if they’re to become the go-to product when consumers ask themselves: if I only take one supplement today, what will it be?
Rescue remedies: Not everything in life goes to plan; it’s gritty, hard work and the majority of us live it on the edge. For many people, supplements aren’t about helping them be their best selves, but simply a marginally better version of themselves.
From hangovers to burnout and everything in between, we’re all searching for a little rescue in one way or another.
Morgan continued: “The trends we’re predicting for 2026 aren’t just about new products or ingredients, they’re about understanding the moments, routines, and experiences that shape consumer behaviour."
"The opportunities we’re seeing lie in reframing the familiar and thinking about how to create products that truly fit into consumers’ lives."
“Success will come from solutions that combine function with experience, address real-world needs, and offer something that consumers can rely on every day.”