When did your GELITA career begin?

I joined in early 2008 as an intern, when GELITA gave me the opportunity to write my thesis about the market potential of collagen peptides in Asia. I then worked in different business development and product management functions, where I was responsible for the market introduction of our Bioactive Collagen Peptides (BCP^®), including the award-winning FORTIGEL^® and FORTIBONE^®. Today, as Global Category Manager, I’m responsible for developing our Healthy Aging and Sports Nutrition portfolio. We focus on consumer needs, such as better performance in sports or improved mobility for the aging population. Our solutions are market-oriented and show huge growth potential.

How would you describe the state of play in the sports nutrition category?

The sports nutrition market – and the sports supplement category especially – suffered when gyms were closed due to COVID restrictions. However, in mid-2022, the market started to recover, and today we see a clear growth trend in sports nutrition. The market is expected to grow significantly in the coming years, with a CAGR of 9.3% from 2022 to 2032.

A significant part of the sports nutrition market is the muscle-building and aesthetics segment, which is about shaping the body. This segment is moving towards a more wellbeing-oriented approach, targeting not only hardcore sports enthusiasts but also the weekend-warrior audience. Another sector is the endurance sports market – this has grown rapidly since the pandemic, as many people have changed their training focus from the gym to outdoor sports such as cycling, running and triathlon. With our Bioactive Collagen Peptides, we are very well positioned to serve the needs of the growing sports nutrition market.

What are your hero products?

There is BODYBALANCE^®, our BCP^® solution for changing body composition in combination with resistance exercise. The effects in muscle gain and fat loss are much more pronounced than for those who exercise without taking BODYBALANCE®. Depending on age group and gender, we saw an additional increase in lean body mass – muscle mass – of 0.6-1.9kg, with a daily dose of only 15g compared to 30-40g of whey protein. TENDOFORTE^® is our solution for stronger ligaments and tendons. Both are components of the connective tissue that active people only feel once there is an issue such as a rupture or a torn ligament. TENDOFORTE^® has shown great results in clinical studies for getting injured athletes back on track, and also for helping to preventively stabilize ligaments and tendons.

Where else is GELITA innovating in the sports nutrition market?

Sports nutrition brands focused on endurance sports have been struggling with innovation as their offers today are limited to carbohydrates and electrolytes. These are taken during activity – such as while running a marathon – to supply energy when needed. However, there is currently no dedicated solution in the market to help endurance athletes maximize their training and to support active people with long-term adaptation within the body for better performance. Other than supplements for muscle growth, sports endurance supplements have not been particularly visible in the consumer kitchen for daily consumption.

To change this situation, GELITA has recently launched PeptENDURE^®, a performance-focused ingredient for sports brands that offers the chance to break new territory. PeptENDURE^® is the first endurance protein of its kind, and in clinical research it has been shown to improve running performance in both men and women. In a one-hour time trial, men were able to run 660m further than in the control group after only 12 weeks. In the women’s study, participants increased their distance by 330m. This is a considerable improvement in performance, which in a race could ultimately make the difference between fifth and first place. Positioning PeptENDURE^® as a daily training partner will help sports nutrition brands improve their visibility and build brand loyalty.

What are you passionate about in your role?

I love my job at GELITA because in Category Management we are shaping GELITA’s future in our defined categories. We have an eye on the consumer market, develop category and brand strategies, and manage innovation for future success. As a Category Manager you are a leader and a team player at the same time. I really enjoy the cultural diversity at GELITA, and the spirit and passion I feel from colleagues are highly motivating.