Ten segments yield lion’s share of growth

Sales of all vitamins are up slightly by 0.9% to $6.4 billion, according to IRI for the 52 weeks ended June 15 across total U.S. multi-outlets.

(For the complete category review, including data, click here.)

“The three big success stories in the last couple [of] years have been [vitamins] B [and] D and probiotics,” Kurt Jetta, CEO of TABS Group, told DSN. “Adult [multivitamins] from last year are up, although that now has stopped in its tracks because of some negative PR [published in JAMA],” he said. “That usually has a disruptive effect for several months. ... Our research shows it’s up [significantly] due to overall usage.”



“The top 10 growth segments in the category represent 82% of the total category growth dollars,” said Doug Jones, Pharmavite spokesman. “Those segments are probiotics, vitamin C, non-senior women’s multi, biotin, melatonin, vitamin D, krill oil, magnesium, coconut oil [and] vitamin B-12. Probiotics by itself represents 35% of the growth that has occurred in the category.”



Gummy vitamins is a fast-moving sub-segment within multivitamins, said Jim Craigie, Church & Dwight executive chairman and CEO. “The fast-growing gummy form of vitamins now represents 7% of the total vitamin category,” he said.