Having energy – or feeling energetic or less fatigued – is consistently high on consumers’ wish-lists. For the fourth year in a row, as the chart shows, energy was the leading health benefit Americans wanted from their food. Of the consumers surveyed by the International Food Information Council (IFIC), 40% put energy ahead of other benefits like weight loss or digestive health. 

Is energy a growth opportunity? Yes, for the next 10 years.

How much growth you get depends on your category.

Anything that’s dairy or a snack product will do well. If it’s bread or breakfast cereal, not so much. 

Consumers accept the energy benefit from a wide range of products, from confectionery to snack bars, beverages and dairy drinks. It’s an opportunity for every category.

But what matters most is to make sure your ingredient makes sense in the type of product you are offering. For example, creatine-plus-protein in a dairy drink will make sense to your target health-active consumer. Creatine in breakfast cereal? Not so much.