Andréa Launay, Market Analyst Health & Nutrition, tells us more about his role, the potential of the functional beverages market and his own experience with collagen peptides.

In between science and business

As a Market Analyst, my job is to support Rousselot with data: thinking about where we want to be and how to support the company on our journey there. This means staying on top of a range of different subjects, including what’s happening on the supplements, food, and beverages market. In other words, anything that impacts the business in my business.

I operate in between two distinct, but connected, motivations: monitoring the market to understand what’s happening now, while following the latest science and innovation to track where it might go next. With these insights, we can continue to refine our strategy, both for our current portfolio and upcoming projects in the pipeline. It's all about gathering valuable data, exploring the possibilities, and discovering the sweet spot where scientific innovation meets commercial viability and societal impact.

 

drinkin energy drink

One of the most exciting opportunities in health and nutrition has to be the functional beverages market. In my view, functional beverages have untapped potential. Drinks have a unique place in our routines: think of your morning coffee, the drink you grab on your morning commute, or the pick-me-up during a long flight. By combining grab-and-go convenience with the health-boosting benefits of supplements, liquid beverages provide consumers with an effortless way of supporting their health and well-being.

Whether it's an energy drink with caffeine or taurine, or a sports drink with electrolytes and vitamins, we are seeing functional beverages continue to impact the mainstream. And, when you incorporate a versatile ingredient like collagen peptides, offering benefits for sports, beauty, and mobility, you can create powerful, holistic liquid solutions that consumers turn to every day.

Across functional beverages, we're seeing an increase in market value. More segments are emerging, particularly in the ready-to-drink coffee and energy drinks categories. Larger brands are starting to take notice and dive into this space. They want to give consumers a wider array of choices. What's interesting is that we're not just witnessing a growth of targeted functionalities, but also of holistic benefits. These beverages offer more than just a single benefit, like 'energy'; they provide a holistic health experience.

This means we don't have to limit where we explore. Energy is currently the top benefit consumers look for. But there's also growing interest in solutions for hydration, beauty, immunity, gut health, and even mood-related functionalities, like cognitive focus and alertness. These are subsets of energy that approach the need in different, more balanced ways. There are some really interesting benefits emerging, with a wide range of ingredients, like probiotics (ginger), cannabidiol (CBD), fungi, and more. Yes, with collagen peptides, we have a hero ingredient, but we're also looking at the bigger picture – it's like having a team player that works well with others. This offers manufacturers the tools to combine and create a variety of benefits. So, there's a lot of room for growth - it's truly an exciting time for functional beverages. We have the right ingredients to ride the wave of this beverage revolution.

I add 10 grams of collagen to my coffee

Do I use Peptan? Absolutely, I make it a daily ritual to take Peptan – it's become an essential part of my routine. Each morning, I add 10 grams to my coffee. Everyone is on their own well-being journey, and it’s satisfying to take a proactive step to optimize mine.

When I first learned about Peptan, my wife and I decided to give it a try. I've personally noticed that my recovery times after physical activities seem shorter and less intense. For my wife, the beauty benefits were more apparent: her beautician even complimented her on longer eyelashes, and she noticed reduced hair loss when brushing. What's fascinating about this experience is how it underscores the core message behind the personalized nutrition trend. Our bodies are all unique, and they each respond differently to the same stimuli.