The Active Times 028

Wellness industry now worth $6.3T, Kohler launches luxury saunas in the US, Tonal's future of fitness campaign, and more...

Here’s your weekly roundup of news, trends, and stories in the health & fitness space. A list of what’s happening, new innovations, interesting finds, and more.

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Wellness industry now worth $6.3T. Personal care, nutrition, and physical activity were the largest segments at over $1T each. But wellness tourism and spas had the biggest percentage growth at 30% and 92% respectively.

• First, it’s no secret that consumers around the world are becoming more health conscious. From the ingredients we use, brands we trust, movement we get, supplements we’re taking. People are prioritizing their health and fitness more and more these days.

• Second, wellness tourism and spas are growing the most, BUT there is also very high churn in these areas. There are a lot of groups trying to latch onto these trends, so we are seeing a big range in the quality of these IRL events and luxury health clubs. I expect a decent amount of consolidation the next 3-5 years in this segment as the high quality experiences separate themselves from the bad ones.

Dream Recovery launches blue light glasses. Glasses that block 98% of blue light from screens. Helping you sleep better, improve mood, and lower stress. And made from an Italian Mazzucchelli Acetate frame.

• Last week I said I feel like blue light glasses have lost their luster. Meaning, blue light glasses were introduced to the market years ago, but at the time people were not as informed about how screen light, circadian rhythm, and sunlight truly affect the quality of sleep we get and how we feel overall. That lack of education made them somewhat fade out in the market. But now these health topics are being pushed so much more that I think consumers are ready to adopt these products. And we’re seeing modern day wellness companies lead the charge with Dream, Whoop, and Roka all launching their own versions.

Whoop becomes official partner of Notre Dame. In a two-year partnership where Whoop will provide their wearable technology for select athletic programs at Notre Dame.

• Sports partnership strategies are big on my mind. I talked about it a couple weeks ago where I saw an opportunity for better-for-you food brands to partner with sports leagues, given that the NFL eats 70,000+ uncrustables a season. Then we also have brands like Momentous, a performance supplement brand, partnering with over 150 pro and college sports teams. It can be hard to break into, but I think these leagues and teams have become more receptive to new entrants in the space, presenting a great opportunity for bulk deals.

Kohler launching luxury saunas in the US. Luxury sauna brand Klafs, which Kohler acquired late last year, is introducing two new high-tech saunas in the U.S. market.

• I’ve posted about the luxury trend in wellness several times now. And these posts always get people chirping saying things like “All I need is a set of dumbbells” or “These overpriced products are just for people to take mirror selfies”. Is there overpriced stuff on the market? Sure. But I also think 99% of people would prefer luxury over basic if they were given the option. Luxury trends in health & fitness are just beginning.

Tonal’s “Welcome to the future of fitness” campaign. An ad that begins in a black and white Victorian setting with dated workout equipment and then transitions to a modern day setting of someone working out with Tonal. With overlayed text saying “STOP WORKING OUT IN THE PAST”.

• This campaign was very cool and I do generally agree with the message. Fitness is changing. It’s becoming more innovative, more efficient, more tech driven. I also wanted to bring this up because I used to have skepticism about Tonal and other wall connected fitness devices, but I recently tried a Tonal and was pretty blown away. Ton of capabilities, feels extremely well built, and super convenient for home workouts.

Kane launches all weather shoes. Previously Kane shoes were only offered as foam slip ons with breathable holes. But these new Revive AC shoes feature an enclosed foam liner so you can wear them in any environment.

• I’ve always been a fan of companies that keep their SKUs to a minimum. Nail selling one product and own that segment. Kane is one of those companies. A recovery shoe that is unique looking and has a cult like fanbase. This new version is basically the same shoe but it addresses the biggest pain point of their original shoe.

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