Fuelling the fire: How nutrition products present an opportunity to retailers

NamedSport has been stepping up its focus on the UK cycling market. Alex Ballinger explores how retailers can maximise sales of nutrition products

This piece first appeared in the June edition of BikeBiz magazine – get your free subscription here

Nutrition products can often be easy to overlook for retailers.

But as more consumers look for new experiences and to push their own limits, particularly in the gravel and long-distance disciplines, gels, bars, and hydration could be an often overlooked opportunity.

Distributed by Extra UK, NamedSport is an Italian nutrition brand ramping up its focus on the UK market, as a growing cycling heartland. 

With support from its parent company Named SRL, a leading natural medicine brand in Italy, NamedSport has cycling at its heart, as CEO Stefano Corciulo told BikeBiz: “The UK market is strategic for us as it is a region with a strong interest in all things cycling,” said Corciulo.

“The emergence of successful riders in recent years has driven this interest to new highs. We believe that there is further growth in the sport in the UK and NamedSport can play a central part in providing a great tasting, high-quality product using trusted European ingredients enabling athletes and recreational riders to perform in a variety of situations.”

While NamedSport works across endurance sport, the brand has a focus on the cycling market, including sponsorships of major races like the Giro d’Italia and the Tour de France. 

The products, which range from energy bars, gels and hydration products to recovery supplements, have been tested by WorldTour athletes, and are submitted to Informed Sport Certification, to ensure they are suitable for use by performance athletes, and do not contain any banned substances. 

“Endurance sports are an extreme test of your mental and physical strength, and success in any long-distance cycling event begins a long time before the start line,” said Corciulo.

“Cycling requires rigorous training and athletic preparation: the right nutritional products support the athlete not only before and during the performance but also in the recovery phase. Our wide range of products cover all phases of training and makes cycling the perfect market where all NamedSport products can be put to the test.”

On what makes the products unique, Corciulo added: “NamedSport offers a complete range of products developed not only for the sport but also for general well-being. A correct nutrition plan combined with high-quality supplements helps the body to approach sport performance in the right way. For us this is very important and it’s the reason why our R&D department focuses on the person’s needs, at different times during the day, developing not only energy gels, bars and performance supplements, but also nutraceuticals such as Omega3, vitamins, iron and magnesium.”

The company is also backed by significant marketing, thanks in part to its parent company Named SRL, founded in 1988. 

Named SRL is a natural medicine company that offers products ranging from diet supplements through to children’s medicine and vitamins.

Corciulo said: “Solid scientific know-how and the use of great tasting high-quality branded European ingredients are the key factors on which the NamedSport philosophy is based.  This expertise has been enhanced by the brand’s parent Named SRL and their 30-year experience as the leading natural medicine company in Italy.

“Since then, continuous research and development have made NamedSport a brand leader in the sports nutrition market, especially in endurance sports like cycling. The long-term sponsorships of the Tour de France and Giro d’Italia have made the brand well-known worldwide. NamedSport products have been tested and chosen by athletes from the best World and ProTour cycling teams and these collaborations enable the brand to constantly improve the quality and range of products it offers to all riders.”

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On what 2023 and beyond hold for NamedSport, Corciulo said: “NamedSport will continue to invest in the brand through sponsorship and also continuously improve the product range.  An example of this is our latest Race Fuel product. This is a new 1:08 ratio drink mix designed to be used when high performance is essential. Race Fuel uses a triple carb source of cyclodextrin, maltodextrin and fructose. This innovative formula allows athletes to increase the carbohydrate intake while minimising gastrointestinal distress to enable faster absorption and ultimately more power for longer on the bike.”