Based on Cohere Commerce insights aggregated from retailer feedback across Sprouts, Vitamin Shoppe, Whole Foods, Clean Market, and specialty wellness stores.
A clear pattern is emerging: consumers are no longer buying “supplements”—they are buying outcome-based functional stacks.
Here’s how the most important ingredients are actually performing in-store.
Protein Powder — Still the Anchor Category
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Protein remains the most consistent high-volume driver across almost every store.
Retail reality:
- Strong repeat purchase behavior across all demographics
- Plant-based and whey both moving, but “clean label” is now expected
- Influenced heavily by flavor + texture, not just nutrition
- Premium brands benefit from perceived digestibility and ingredient transparency
Brands seen in retail:
- Just Ingredients
- Truvani
- Ka’Chava
- NOW Foods
- Country Life
Key insight:
Protein is no longer just for fitness—it’s becoming a daily nutrition baseline product, often competing with meal replacements and functional snacks.
Ashwagandha — Stress & Calm Still Drives Demand
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Ashwagandha continues to dominate the “calm” category but is now crowded.
Retail reality:
- Strong in sleep, stress, and mood products
- Frequently paired with magnesium and L-theanine in blends
- Awareness is high, but differentiation is low
- Works best when tied to a clear use case (sleep, anxiety, cortisol support)
Brands seen in retail:
- Moon Juice
- Just Ingredients
- Organic India
- Hilma
Key insight:
Ashwagandha is a trust ingredient, not a discovery ingredient—people already believe in it.
Creatine — Quietly Expanding Beyond Fitness
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Once niche bodybuilding, now moving mainstream.
Retail reality:
- Strong uptake in fitness-focused consumers
- Increasing interest from general wellness audience (brain + energy claims)
- Still education-heavy in retail environments
- Better performance when micronized or “clean” positioned
Brands seen in retail:
- NOW Foods
- Jarrow Formulas
- Country Life
- Just Ingredients
Key insight:
Creatine is transitioning from performance supplement → cognitive + longevity ingredient, but awareness gap still limits mass adoption.
NAD — High Interest, Low Understanding
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NAD is one of the most “premium curiosity” ingredients.
Retail reality:
- Strong interest from wellness-savvy shoppers
- Often paired with anti-aging and longevity positioning
- High price point limits trial
- Needs heavy staff explanation in-store
Brands seen in retail:
- Moon Juice
- Just Ingredients
- Metagenics
Key insight:
NAD is an aspirational ingredient—customers are intrigued but not fully educated enough for high velocity yet.
Glutathione — Beauty-Driven Functional Ingredient
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Most commonly linked to skincare and detox positioning.
Retail reality:
- Strong association with skin brightening and detox claims
- Works better in liquid or beauty-adjacent formats than capsules
- Awareness varies heavily by demographic
- Often purchased as part of “beauty stacks” (vitamin C + collagen + glutathione)
Brands seen in retail:
- Moon Juice
- Metagenics
- NOW Foods
Key insight:
Glutathione is a beauty-first ingredient, not a general wellness driver.
Vitamin C — The Steady Evergreen Performer
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One of the most consistent high-turn SKUs across all stores.
Retail reality:
- High repeat usage, especially immunity-focused households
- Strong seasonal spikes (cold/flu, travel, winter months)
- Low barrier to entry = high competition
- Works across price tiers
Brands seen in retail:
- Solaray
- NOW Foods
- Country Life
- Jarrow Formulas
Key insight:
Vitamin C is not a trend—it is a baseline immunity staple with predictable demand curves.
Magnesium — The Quiet Category Transformer
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Magnesium is now one of the most frequently mentioned ingredients across sleep, stress, and recovery products.
Retail reality:
- Strong performance in glycinate form (sleep + calm positioning)
- Appears across supplements, beverages, and bath products
- High repeat purchase once consumers feel effects
- Increasingly paired with ashwagandha, L-theanine, or electrolytes
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