The US nutrition drinks market is steady, experiencing 5.6% growth in 2025 and current sales hitting $9.2bn. Across the industry, economic pressures are intensifying price sensitivity, while the proliferation of…
US
Drinks
Specialised Nutrition
simple
US Nutrition Drinks Market Report 2026
"As a category well suited to address increased nutritional demand, nutrition drinks must adapt alongside modernized health and wellness strategies."
The US nutrition drinks market is steady, experiencing 5.6% growth in 2025 and current sales hitting $9.2bn. Across the industry, economic pressures are intensifying price sensitivity, while the proliferation of protein and fiber claims in snacks and waters is blurring traditional category boundaries, slowing consumption. Despite this, nutrition drink sales are projected to grow, albeit modestly, to $10.1bn by 2030. Differentiation through complete nutrition paired with timely evolution alongside new wellness strategies (eg GLP-1s) is key to maintaining growth.
Protein continues to be most important to consumers but the desire for additional benefits, particularly fiber, is strong. Most consumers are willing to pay more for added benefits in their nutrition drinks, urging brands to push beyond the traditional nutritional profile offered. Confusion about the category persists, especially among Gen Z, amplifying the need for nutrition drinks to differentiate from adjacent categories such as sports and performance drinks so as not to lose share.
Price is a major barrier to increased usage, a signal for brands to upgrade messaging to be more inclusive and nutritionally convincing. Opportunities exist in nutrition innovation, naturality, and perception in order to establish nutrition drinks as a modern-day nutritional companion.
This Report Looks at the Following Areas:
Macro factors impacting the nutrition drink market
Market size and forecast of nutrition drinks
Types of nutrition drinks consumed and frequency
Target audiences of nutrition drinks
Change in nutrition drink consumption and reasons why
Barriers and perceptions of nutrition drinks
Desired benefits and ideal macronutrient quantities of nutrition drinks
Innovation and marketing activity
Market Definitions
For the purposes of this report, Mintel has used the following definitions:
Nutritional drinks: liquid drinks and drink mixes that fill a specific nutritional need, including meal replacement, such as providing additional amounts of vitamins/minerals to supplement a regular diet or support a special diet (eg Ensure, Glucerna, Boost, Carnation Instant Breakfast).
Weight loss drinks: liquid drinks and drink mixes that are specifically positioned to aid in weight loss efforts (eg SlimFast and Atkins)
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EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
What you need to know
Outlook for nutrition drinks
Opportunities
Meet the potential demand for wholesale nutrition to differentiate
Graph 1: agreement with the statement, “I consider performance drinks and nutrition drinks to be the same thing”, by generation, 2025
Keep baseline protein presence steady while increasing areas like fiber
Become a weight wellness tool without alienating consumers
Discover the top five trend territories for success in US non-alcoholic beverages using Black Swan’s social prediction technology
THE MARKET
Snapshot – market size and forecast
Market context
Economic uncertainty makes price barriers worse
Graph 2: consumer sentiment index, 2022-26
Other categories gaining competitive edge over nutrition drinks
Graph 3: new total food/drink launches with each claim, 2023-25
Weight loss strategies have evolved
Graph 4: GLP-1 usage and opinions, 2025
Nutrition drinks expected to experience modest growth
Graph 5: total retail sales and forecast of nutrition and weight loss drinks, 2019-30
Weight loss drinks have lost relevance; nutrition drinks are the avenue for potential
Graph 6: total retail sales and forecast of nutrition and weight loss drinks, by segment, 2019-30
Weight loss drinks are reaching their low
Graph 7: total retail sales and forecast of weight loss drinks, 2019-30
Market share/brand share
Brands, both small and large, are reloading their nutrition drinks
Graph 8: MULO sales of nutritional drinks, by leading companies, rolling 52 weeks 2025 and 2026
Brands, both small and large, are reloading their nutrition drinks
Weight loss brands continue to see declines across the board
Graph 9: MULO sales of weight loss drinks, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2025 and 2026
Weight loss brands continue to see declines across the board
THE CONSUMER
The varied audiences of nutrition drinks
Defining what a nutrition drink is in a beverage world that is blurring
Nutrition drinks continue to see popularity, but repertoires are slim
Graph 10: P6M consumption of weight loss, meal replacement, or nutrition drink/mixes, by generation, 2024-25
Graph 12: P6M consumption of any weight loss, meal replacement, or nutrition drink/mix, by generation, 2024-25
Gen Z want more from nutrition drinks
Graph 13: select attitude statements, Gen Z, 2025
Convince Baby Boomers with nutrition
Graph 14: important ingredients in a nutrition drink, % in top 3, Baby Boomers, 2025
Nutrition drinks: a welcome luxury for some but not for all
At present, price perceptions are a problem
Price paints a value-related picture
Graph 15: reasons for decreased consumption of nutrition drinks, 2025
Lean into convenience for lower-income consumers
Graph 16: factors encouraging purchase of a nutrition drink, % in top 3, struggling financial status, 2025
Bring nutrition drinks to the next level
What consumers want out of a nutrition drink
It’s what’s inside that counts
Graph 17: factors that would encourage purchase of a nutrition drink, 2025
Finding format-specific formulations
Graph 18: important ingredients in nutrition drinks, % in top 3, by format, 2025
Building the ideal nutrition drink
The connection between protein and flavor continues to grow
Graph 19: select polar statements, 2025
PRODUCT, INNOVATION AND MARKETING
New arrivals to nutrition drinks help establish identity
Ensure shows how protein can be multifaceted
Powering through with Ensure
Boost pushes protein beyond just fitness
Plant-centric nutrition takes off
Nutrition drinks for children lean clean
Premier protein shows off the many use cases their drink can have
GNC’s multi-benefit weight loss drink
APPENDIX
Market definition
The market
Forecast methodology
Forecast methodology – fan chart
Total retail sales and forecast of nutrition drinks, at current prices
Total retail sales and forecast of nutrition drinks, at inflation-adjusted prices
Average annual household spending on nutrition drinks
Total retail sales of nutrition drinks, by channel, at current prices
The consumer
Consumer research questions
Consumer research methodology – US
Repertoire analysis methodology
US generation groups
Gen Z polar statements
Graph 20: polar attitudes, by Gen Z, 2025
Abbreviations
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