2026
9
US Sports and Performance Drinks Market Report 2026
2026-04-16T08:01:48+00:00
REP9DEA98AE_C7B0_4D3C_AA98_AEC7B06D3CEE
4995
192658
[{"name":"Sports and Energy Drinks","url":"https:\/\/store.mintel.com\/industries\/drinks\/sports-energy-drinks"},{"name":"Market Intelligence Report","url":"https:\/\/store.mintel.com\/report-type\/market-intelligence-reports"},{"name":"US","url":"https:\/\/store.mintel.com\/markets\/us-market-research"}]
Report
en_GB
The US sports and performance drink market is steadily growing, reaching an estimated $20bn in sales in 2025, an all-time high. Though sports drinks make up the majority of the…
US
Sports and Energy Drinks
simple

US Sports and Performance Drinks Market Report 2026

"Sports and performance drinks hit the notes that consumers want – hydration and protein – and a broader performance mindset is turning them into everyday tools."

Jack Doggett, Food & Drink Analyst

Jack Doggett, Food & Drink Analyst

US Sports and Performance Drinks Market – Trends and Insights

  • The US sports and performance drink market is steadily growing, reaching an estimated $20bn in sales in 2025, an all-time high. Though sports drinks make up the majority of the category, recent success has been driven by explosive performance drink growth. Performance drinks, buoyed by the protein craze, have enjoyed double-digit percentage sales growth each of the past five years, including an estimated rise of over 30% in 2025.
  • Success has been found amid consumers prioritizing nutrition, with built-in benefits of hydration and protein serving the modern consumer well. With these benefits come updated occasions beyond athletics – consumers are using these drinks for everyday wellness more often than for performance – and occasions are blurring in a more fluid world.
  • Benefits are at the forefront of innovation and choice. Electrolytes, protein, and natural ingredients encourage purchase the most, and the vast majority of consumers would pay more for added benefits, making new releases in this category focused on function. Flavor, though still relevant for consumers, falls behind ingredients in terms of importance for consumers as nutrition gains further relevance and scrutiny surrounding artificial additives continues to swirl. Opportunities exist for brands to adapt to a wider view of performance, hitting athletic, everyday, and mental health notes for consumers.

This Report Looks at the Following Areas:

  • Macro factors impacting the sports/performance drink market
  • Market size and forecast of sports/performance drinks
  • Types of sports/performance drinks consumed
  • The evolving perceptions of sports/performance drinks
  • Usage of sports/performance drinks
  • Benefits consumers are willing to pay more for
  • Sports/performance drink flavor attitudes and trends
  • Innovation and marketing activity

Market Definitions

For the purposes of this Report, Mintel has used the following definitions:

  • Sports drinks: liquid drinks and drink mixes designed specifically to help people perform and recover better from physical activity (eg Gatorade or Powerade).
  • Performance drinks: liquid drinks and drink mixes marketed for enhanced sports performance, including both pre/post-workout beverages, and performance protein drinks (eg Muscle Milk, Core Power).

The following are excluded from the scope of this Report:

  • Nutritional protein drinks (eg Boost, Ensure) and dietary supplements (eg SlimFast)
  • Performance-focused energy drinks (eg Bang, Reign)
  • Functional waters
Collapse All
  1. EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

    • What you need to know
    • Outlook for sports and performance drinks
    • Opportunities
    • Take advantage of nutritional flexibility to widen occasions
    • Graph 1: general usage of sports and performance drinks polar statement, 2026
    • Help athletes redefine performance
    • Graph 2: benefits consumers are willing to pay more for in sports/performance drinks, by athletic status, 2026
    • Bring more women into the category with updated benefits
    • Graph 3: select attitude statements, % agree, by gender, 2026
  2. THE MARKET

    • Snapshot – market size and forecast
    • Market context
    • It’s trendy to hydrate
    • Staying hydrated in a warming world
    • Graph 4: average national temperature, by year, 2000-2025
    • Artificial criticism makes sports drinks reformulate
    • Graph 5: new sports drink launches by select claims, 2021-25
    • Sports and performance drinks expected to build on previous momentum
    • Graph 6: total retail sales and forecast of sports and performance drinks, 2019-30
    • Sports and performance drinks expected to build on previous momentum
    • Sports drinks coast, performance drinks soar
    • Graph 7: total retail sales and forecast of sports and performance drinks, by segment, at current prices, 2019-30
    • Sports drinks coast, performance drinks soar
    • Market share/brand share
    • Gatorade continues to hold majority share, though others gain momentum
    • Graph 8: MULO sales of sports drinks, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2025 and 2026
    • Gatorade continues to hold majority share, though others gain momentum
    • Performance is driven by protein
    • Graph 9: MULO sales of performance drinks, by leading companies and brands, rolling 52 weeks 2025 and 2026
    • Performance is driven by protein
  3. THE CONSUMER

    • The evolving image of a sports and performance drink
    • Defining a sports and performance drink
    • Overall usage is on par with benefit-adjacent categories
    • Graph 10: non-alcoholic beverage consumption over the past three months, 2026
    • Sports and performance drinks are more than what their name suggests
    • Younger generations are expanding the definition of a sports and performance drink
    • Graph 11: agreement with the statement, “sports/performance drinks are not just for athletes”, by generation, 2026
    • Products redefining and adapting to the evolving idea of a sports drink
    • Financially strapped consumers view sports drinks as a lifestyle accessory
    • Graph 12: general usage of sports and performance drinks polar statement, by financial situation, 2026
    • Modern-day usage of sports and performance drinks
    • Sports and performance drinks find new dimensions
    • Graph 13: non-alcoholic drink occasions, 2026
    • Younger generations are driving occasion flexibility
    • Graph 14: select occasion statements, by generation, 2026
    • Performance drinks are at the forefront of new occasions
    • Graph 15: agreement with new usage occasions, % agree, by format, 2026
    • The benefits and flavors consumers want
    • The makeup of a drink outperforms all
    • Graph 16: factors encouraging purchase of a sports/performance drink, % in top 3, 2026
    • Naturality and benefits are on nearly equal footing
    • Graph 17: nutrition vs naturality polar statement, by exercise status, 2026
    • Consumers are willing to pay for what elevates them
    • The usual suspects continue to be targets, but others are gaining momentum
    • Graph 18: benefits consumers are willing to pay more for in sports/performance drinks, 2026
    • Just three benefits will reach the majority of consumers
    • Feelings about flavor are generationally skewed
    • Graph 19: sports and performance drink flavor attitudes, by generation, 2026
    • Light and tropical notes are benefitting from the hydration renaissance
    • Graph 20: flavourscape analysis of sports drinks, 2026
  4. PRODUCT, INNOVATION AND MARKETING

    • Sports drinks
    • Gatorade’s nod to natural
    • Celebrity-inspired drinks
    • Coca-Cola goes all in on BodyArmor
    • Functional hydration mixes from big brands
    • Liquid I.V. goes big
    • Performance drinks
    • Making milkshakes
    • New creatine creations
    • Muscle Milk gets stronger
  5. APPENDIX

    • Market definition
    • The market
    • Forecast methodology
    • Forecast methodology – fan chart
    • Total retail sales and forecast of sports and performance drinks, at inflation-adjusted prices
    • Average annual household spending on sports and performance drinks
    • Total retail sales of sports and performance drinks, by channel, at current prices
    • The consumer
    • Consumer research questions
    • Consumer research methodology
    • Repertoire analysis methodology
    • TURF methodology
    • US generation groups
    • Abbreviations

Market Intelligence Made Easier With Mintel

The first Mintel Market Intelligence report was published over 50 years ago. Since then, we have provided our unique insights and understanding of consumers, innovation and global markets to thousands of customers worldwide. Here’s why our customers rely on Mintel:

  • Gain a comprehensive, 360-degree view of the market: Mintel reports blend consumer research, market forecasts, product innovation tracking, and competitive analysis, allowing businesses to see every angle of their industry and identify new opportunities quickly.
  • Make decisions with confidence, grounded in robust data: Each report draws on up-to-date, reliable information from trusted sources and industry experts, ensuring your strategies are based on solid evidence rather than speculation.
  • Benefit from expert analysis and practical recommendations: Mintel’s reports are written by experienced analysts who interpret complex data and provide clear, actionable insights you can trust to guide your next moves.
  • Stay ahead with actionable intelligence on market trends and consumer behaviour: By combining fresh research with long-term market monitoring, our reports help businesses anticipate changes and adapt strategically. So you’re prepared to make informed decisions and drive growth.

What goes into a Mintel Market Intelligence Report?

Curious about how a Market Intelligence report comes together? We like to think of it as building a detailed puzzle. We start with individual pieces: data from consumers, market statistics, industry trends, and online conversations. Then our expert analysts add world-class human insight and industry knowledge. The pieces are assembled to reveal a clear, comprehensive picture of a market.

The Four Pillars of Our Research

We use a combination of four main research methods when creating our reports, each adding a valuable perspective:

  • Consumer Research: Direct surveys with real people, giving us clear, current insights into what people think and do.
  • Desk Research: In-depth review of trusted data sources. We use this rich database, plus powerful internal tools that track new products and market sizes, to detect trends and guide forecasts.
  • Trade Research: Insights from conversations with industry experts. Their real-world experience helps us understand what’s happening behind the scenes.
  • Brand and Social Media Research: Analysis of online opinions and trends. This lets us spot trends, measure brand sentiment, and capture feedback in real time, adding further depth to our research.

Bringing It All Together

Each of these four pillars provides a different piece of the puzzle. Consumer research tells us what customers think, desk research provides the factual framework, trade research offers an insider’s view, and social media analysis reveals public sentiment.

Our expert analysts are skilled in weaving these diverse data streams together. They apply a range of quantitative and qualitative analysis techniques to uncover the deeper story, connecting the dots to deliver clear, actionable insights. This comprehensive, multi-layered process is how we transform raw data into a market intelligence report you can trust to inform your most important business decisions.

$ 4,995 (Excl.Tax)
  • Download today with instant access
  • Multiple formats provided
  • Interactive databook included
  • Save up to 20% when you purchase multiple reports

Get in Touch

If you have a question about a Mintel Report, or you would like to learn more about our products, get in touch with a member of our team today.

Contact us

Trusted by global industry leaders

Jackman logo

At Jackman, we believe that powerful strategies are based on human insight. Mintel’s leading-edge reports and insights into consumer attitudes and behaviors are an important input as we develop and execute strategy.

Alana Gavin, VP Research and Insights, Jackman
Waitrose & Partners logo

We’ve found it so useful working more closely with Mintel. They helped support our recent flagship event for our top suppliers by providing a really unique viewpoint on the future of online retailing.

Nick Carroll from their Retail Team was also an excellent panelist, sharing useful and actionable consumer insights. We definitely look forward to working with Mintel again on future projects.

Zac Steele, E-Commerce Trading Development Manager, Waitrose & Partners
Deutsch logo

One of the biggest challenges we face is the need to get smart on a business or category real quick.

We are talking to clients who live and breathe their category every day and the expectation is that we will be able to get caught up very quickly, and bring the thinking that can help them.

We need to do that often in a matter of days, so it’s not a small ask. Mintel gives us a very articulate view of category conditions and does so at the speed we need it.

Jeff White, Business Development Director, Deutsch
Epsilon logo

We utilize Mintel Reports, Trends and Comperemedia to mine for insights across the numerous business verticals that Epsilon serves, such as CPG, automotive, telecom, healthcare/pharma, retail and financial services.

By integrating Mintel insight into new business opportunities, we have been able to gain the competitive edge necessary to advance partnerships with global brands and key business players.

For our organization, it’s about depth and breadth. Having one without the other doesn’t enable success in our business.

Virginia Harvey, Secondary Research Manager, Epsilon
Mediacom logo

Mintel is really good for getting a handle on a particular category quickly. If we are working on a new business pitch in an area we don’t have much experience in, it’s a brilliant way to get up to speed with what’s going on, what’s changing and what the key trends are in any category.

It’s very rare now that anyone will plough through a 200-page report – that’s why the summaries are really useful. We know they are backed up by a lot of detail, so if you need to go into something in more depth you know the information will be all there for you.

Pauline Robson, Managing Partner, Mediacom

Get in Touch

If you have a question about a Mintel Report, or you would like to learn more about our products, get in touch with a member of our team today.

Contact us