Creatine is the new protein… and more observations from SupplySide Global 2025
Hi! Parker Cho here, Marketing & Design Lead at Naturally Network 👋 I was one of the 20,000+ participants at this year’s SupplySide Global, an industry tradeshow bringing together innovators, brands, ingredient suppliers, manufacturers, etc. shaping the future of health, wellness, and nutrition.
The Naturally Network team was able to have a presence at the show thanks to our partners SupplySide (presenting) and BeyondBrands (supporting). As a first-time attendee, it was fascinating to observe the trends that will reach consumers in a few years time.
Here are my key takeaways and trend observations:
Creatine is the new protein
For years the buzzy ingredient in functional foods and supplements has been protein. Now we’ve started to see a shift in consumer attention towards gut health and fiber (which continued to be a big presence at the show) but what seems to be coming in the next few years as the next hero ingredient is creatine. I saw creatine everywhere throughout the show floor – in bars, gummies, supplements – and not just for muscle but for full-body health & longevity.
Research presented at the show noted that daily intake was being explored for 🧠 cognition, 🦴 bone density, and “healthspan” applications beyond the traditional gym crowd, and interestingly positioned as broader use for women.
Take-away for brands: Fiber is to gut health what creatine may be to “whole-body wellness.” Brands need to think beyond the muscle-only narrative and explore formulations & positioning that speaks to cognition & bone density, healthy aging, life-stage focused narratives, and the female consumer.
Menopause, teenage hormones, and women’s health
🙋♀️ Speaking of women’s health and female consumers, I was pleased to see a lot of activity around this topic, specifically regarding hormonal health (about time!). One of the clearest shifts: brands and ingredients are calling out life-stage more explicitly as consumers increasingly expect personalization in their personal care. After all, a woman 55+ in menopause is going to have different concerns from an 18 year old, and these distinct needs should be tailored to differently.
Take-away: Don’t just label “women’s health” generically – tailor to age, hormone phase, lifestyle, etc. Product positioning matters and messaging and formulation should reflect those nuances.
Sugar, Spice, and everything Nice(ly flavored)
An interesting education talk I attended was called “Beyond sweet: Flavor science trends in food and beverage” where Karen Butler, Senior managing editor of SupplySide Journals, spoke to Shari Mahon, an industry veteran in flavor & ingredient product development.
Shari noted that product development on flavor continues to lean heavily 🌍 global: think Latinx, Vietnamese, Malaysian, Thai, etc. with spice, umami, and unexpected sweet-savory modulations. She mentioned Birria as a flavor – in ready-made meals, chips, chocolate, even in beverages. I’m still trying to wrap my mind around a Birria soda, but I’m totally on board for cultural flavors getting more of the spotlight.
She also spoke about the focus on spice, especially flavors that are fruit forward with heat on the backend – think Aleppo peppers from the Middle East, Chipotle, Scorpion pepper – and that have the sensorial experience (like tingling) that consumers are interested in 🌶
Take-away: Brands that lean into compelling flavor stories will stand out. Brands who have interesting, diverse flavors – it’s your time to shine! Lean into this moment as consumers continue to expect more global and cultural flavors on shelves.
“Everyone wants it sweet, Everyone wants it lower sugar”
The consumer has tricky demands, and the industry continues to work on innovating to find the sweet spot for ‘health foods’. Shari said something quite interesting during the talk:
“What consumers say they want is healthy. What they purchase at the store is indulgence.”
Key developments the industry is working on, in response to this behavior 🍭:
Breakthroughs in sweetness enhancers technology and “sweet proteins” that provide ‘cleaner’ sweetness
Developments around sweeteners like stevia, monk-fruit, etc. (they taste better now!)
Mouth-feel enhancers to deliver an indulgent taste
Take-away: Striking this balance in sensory experience and formulation is key. Focus on mouth-feel, taste and texture. You can meet consumer behavior better if you position a product as “premium indulgence with benefits” rather than a “health” food.
The only constant is change
One consistent under-current: the best way to have differentiation in the marketplace will be to embrace technology. Lean into R&D, think about how you can leverage ingredient tech, sensory innovation, personalization, delivery formats, flavor stories, etc. to stand out in a crowded landscape.
That’s why we love supporting SupplySide – it’s a really useful show for brands to be able to research and connect with the trailblazers of this innovation 🧑🔬, and a meaningful time for our community to connect with many of our partners who are part of that trail.
It was a pleasure getting to see so many of our partners throughout the show, like McCormick & Company, SPINS, Non-GMO Project, Synergy Flavors, and more! Riley Mate, Creative Director at Cambium Analytica, one of our Community Leaders, had this to say:
At SupplySide Global, we saw firsthand how innovation and quality go hand in hand. The show floor held some really exciting, novel products, and it’s clear the drive to deliver safe, trusted, high-performing consumer goods has never been stronger. It’s an honor to support that progress through the Naturally Network + Cambium Analytica partnership.
As we look ahead, it’s clear that innovation in health & wellness will only continue to evolve in exciting ways. We’re proud to have a community that’s not only watching these shifts but shaping them. See you at the next one 🤩
(Check out the SupplySide Supplement and Food & Beverage Journals for more industry news & insights – they are a great resource to learn more!)
