At the Institute of Food Technologists’ annual meeting, IFT FIRST, one of the standouts at the Startup Pavilion was Levelle, which focuses on developing products with a focus on sports nutrition for women. The products are specifically made with women in mind, since less than 2.5% of all sports nutrition products are formulated for women, according to the company.
With organic ingredients and no engineered sugars, additives or artificial colorants, the company helps to address a gap in the market for sports nutrition products. Linda Alvarez, MD, co-founder and CEO, says "Products on the market are made based on men’s physiology and, while great for male athletes, they can cause a myriad of physical side effects in female athletes throughout the course of training and competition."
Female-Focused Sports Nutrition Products
Levelle's Products Deliver Sports Nutrition for Women
Trend Themes
1. Female-focused Sports Nutrition - Creating sports nutrition products targeting women can disrupt the male-centered sports nutrition market.
2. Organic Sports Nutrition Products - Developing nutrition products that use organic ingredients can challenge existing products that contain additives and artificial colorants.
3. Gender-specific Sports Nutrition Products - Offering gender-specific sports nutrition products responds to the need for products that take into consideration the different physiology and nutritional needs of male and female athletes.
Industry Implications
1. Sports Nutrition Industry - Introducing products that cater specifically to the needs of female athletes could capture a portion of the $50 billion sports nutrition industry.
2. Organic Food Industry - Partnering with organic food producers may provide opportunities to source high-quality organic ingredients for sports nutrition products.
3. Health and Wellness Industry - Collaborating with wellness experts could assist in promoting the benefits of female-specific sports nutrition products and tapping into the growing health and wellness industry.