The year 2004 was notable for wild swings in specific categories: Sports & Energy Drinks continued breakout sales growth up 18% to $5.6 billion; Low-Carb Foods peaked in 2004 at $2 billion and growth of 155%, but dramatically impacted other segments; Nutrition Bar sales, once consistently in the 20-30% growth range, fell 1%; Liquid Meal Supplements, also an historically strong growth category, fell 8%; and Weight-Loss Pills fell 5% with all three losing ground in the low-carb wave of 2003-2004, although the latter segment continued to be impacted by the ephedra ban.

Grant Ferrier the report’s editor said, “Demand is strong and market drivers for fitness, health, energy and vanity continue to increase… The sports nutrition & weight loss (SNWL) market remains the most dynamic segment in the nutrition industry—and also perhaps of the broader food and pharmaceuticals industries. The SNWL segment is dynamic in its sales growth, in the number of companies involved, in new product entries and in its ever-changing consumer demand. The segment is also dynamic, however, in its evolution from a fairly defined niche category into an increasingly homogenous segment of mainstream products targeting larger and larger segments of the mainstream population.”