Are Gyms New Retail Stores for Health Food?

It’s become a new trend for gyms to not just provide clients with workout schedules but also with the health food that they need for overall fitness. Is the trend here to stay?

- Pragati Ratti Sharma

Work out and eat well! That’s the slogan catching up fast with the Indian population as affluence and awareness grow. Rapid urbanisation is seen to be having a direct impact on lifestyles and so, the slogan of staying fit and eating right is fast coming into play.

From this push, let’s look at the growth of the fitness and nutrition industry. Fitness industry in India is worth Rs 4,500 crore and is growing at 16-18 per cent per annum. Besides, the health and wellness foods market of India is worth Rs 33,000 crore and is growing at over 8 per cent per year. In fact, the Indian organic food market is set to grow at over 25 per cent annually to touch $1.36 billion by 2020. When we put these three together, it makes a perfect synergy, moving towards a new growing retail segment.

Fit for health food?

Yes, it is the fitness centres that are becoming the new favoured retail stores for health food. This is evident from the growing number of gyms that now prefer to keep health supplements and foods like protein shakes, protein bars, protein chips, detox waters, energy drinks and even dairy foods like yogurt and tofu, to be sold directly to the clients. In fact, many gyms have started going with the concept of having their own shops and cafeterias for these foods.