Did you know that weight loss pill sales only make up 8% of the total U.S. sports nutrition & weight loss market? Did you know the nutrition bar market is larger than the total low-carb foods market? If not, join NBJ editorial director Patrick Rea and Katia Fowler, Director of Communication and former editor of NBJ as they present the 2007/2008 Sports Nutrition & Weight Loss Market Overview Webseminar.

In this NBJ webseminar, we will answer:

Weight Loss

Does Fucoxanthin have the potential to replace ephedra as the weight-loss market king?

How long will alli suppress U.S. weight loss supplement sales growth?

What will be the best sales channel to sell your new (or old) weight-loss product through over the next 5 years?

Where does the GSK petition stand and what are the next steps for the nutrition industry?

Have the AERs shown any prevalence of stimulant complaints?

What’s going on in low-carb? Will it ever disappear?

Sports Nutrition

Why has the energy drink market’s growth slowed?

Will any sports beverage brand successfully challenge Gatorade?

Did the nutrition bar market continue to rebound in 2007? Which bar brands grew, which brands faltered, and why?

What brands and markets are behind the 8.4% growth in the sports nutrition supplement market in 2007?

What channels should sports nutrition brands shy away from to ensure future success?

What alternative channels for sports nutrition products retain potential for future growth and expansion?

Last year, I attended the Council for Responsible Nutrition’s annual conference in Arizona. It’s a great event that brings business leaders together to learn about the scientific and regulatory issues that Steve Mister, Judy Blatman and the whole team at CRN do a great job overseeing every day from their home in Washington, D.C.

And like the NBJ Summit, the hotel hosting CRN’s “The Conference” is selling out quickly this year. So, if you plan on attending The Conference this October 2-5 at the Hyatt Regency Tamaya Resort & Spa outside of Albuqurque, New Mexico, make sure you book your hotel room ASAP. There aren’t any other hotels nearby this (somewhat) isolated resort…let’s call it an oasis…so book your hotel NOW make sure you can enjoy this deluxe location.

I hope to see you there!

-Patrick

Nutrition Business Journal will soon launch a PDA-based mobile news and analysis service for CEOs for a small montly fee. If you are interested in being alerted of this service when it launches, please indicate your interest via the NBJ Mobile form.

And stay tuned!

-Patrick

On July 23rd, 300 CEOs, company founders, Presidents, EVPs and other industry thought leaders and executives gathered at the St. Regis Resort in Monarch Bay, California for the 2008 NBJ Summit. The largest NBJ Summit ever, this year’s event enjoyed dinners under the stars, a challenging golf tournament, a competitive (and windy) regatta and some of the most intriguing presentations and panelists ever seen in the nutrition industry.

But don’t take my word for it, listen to our attendees. Below are a few video testimonials about the 2008 NBJ Summit.

Tom Aarts, Co-Chair of the NBJ Summit and Founder of the Nutrition Capital Network, talks about some of the speakers and attendees at the NBJ Summit.

Tim Avila, President & CEO of Zsweet, Inc. talks about why he comes to the NBJ Summit every year (I think he’s been to them all!)

Len Monheit, President & Editor of NPICenter.com talks about the community feel of the NBJ Summit and details why he and so many top executives attend the NBJ Summit every year.

Chris Hillseth, President of Chris Hillseth Enterprises talks about the NBJ Summit Regatta, one of the NBJ Summit’s signature events.

And finally, Barry Charnay of Bioneutra talks about what he finds most useful about the NBJ Summit for his business and professional development.

Stay tuned, more videos, pics and commentary from the NBJ Summit to come!

-Patrick

At the NBJ Summit this week, we’ll be hosting a panel on “greening” the nutrition industry. Below are a few articles I found on Brandweek.com that caught my attention. They represent a solid balance of perspectives on this challenging, and very new issue for executives. The jury is still out on the longevity of “greening”, but I hope to have some solid suggestions on what to do and what not to do following the NBJ Summit.

-Patrick

Study: ‘Green’ Products Leave Consumers Puzzled

“The good news is consumers are “going green.” But the bad news is they are still pretty green when it comes to understanding what the term really means.

“Here’s the big ah-ha!,” said Suzanne Shelton, CEO of Shelton Group, a Knoxville, Tenn.-based ad agency that specializes in energy efficiency and sustainability. “If you were an alien and you landed on the planet in April of this year, you would think that the ‘green’ market was pretty mature because you’d be hearing about it everywhere—every newspaper, every TV show you turn on somebody is talking about being green. But this is not a mature market.”

Shelton Group recently conducted a national study, called Eco Pulse, which asked consumers open-ended and multiple-choice questions about green issues. What it found was a whole lot of confusion.”

Do Consumers Care that Sun Chips are Solar Powered? Apparently

“It’s getting harder to find a brand that doesn’t claim to be green. But, do they have a solar power factory? Is the rest of their energy use offset by energy credits? And, are they rebuilding a town that was virtually wiped out by a tornado? Not likely.

Sun Chips is different. The Frito-Lay product has rooted its brand in environmental causes as well as health-forward thinking. This strategy has paid off handsomely as Sun Chip sales are up 17.6%, totaling $201.8 million for the 52 weeks ending June 15, per IRI.

Frito-Lay vp-marketing Gannon Jones talked to Brandweek news editor Kenneth Hein about why really being green is healthy for sales.”

Forget the Environment Say the ‘Never Greens’

“About 10% of the population are Never Greens, according to a survey by Mintel International in Chicago, a research firm.

The Never Greens don’t buy green products, don’t remember green advertising when they see it and are irritated by it even if they do.”