AstaReal Wrapped: Our 2025 in Review

As 2025 comes to a close, we reflect on a year marked by momentum, scientific advancement, and global collaboration. This year reinforced AstaReal’s commitment to science, quality, and partnership. Here’s our 2025 wrapped.

From Research to Global Conversation

In 2025, our research efforts were firmly focused on active nutrition, achieving the first clinical study demonstrating that astaxanthin reduced delayed-onset muscle soreness (DOMS) in resistance-trained men. This study expands astaxanthin’s applications for performance, recovery, and active lifestyles. Stay tuned for more data on astaxanthin in female athletes in 2026.

We shared astaxanthin research on the global stage throughout 2025, sparking dialogue, informing product innovation, and connecting with experts across regions and disciplines. Our research developments were recognized in 2025 when we became finalists in the Sports Nutrition category for the Nutraingredients USA ingredient of the year award.

Sharing Science Across the Americas

• National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA) – Kansas City, MO
• American College of Sports Medicine (ACSM) – Atlanta, GA
• International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) – Delray Beach, FL
• International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN) – Medellín, Colombia
• ExpoFarma – Mexico City, Mexico
• Food Ingredients South America (FISA) – Sao Paulo, Brazil
• FarmaExpo – Buenos Aires, Argentina
• FarmaExpo – Santiago, Chile
• Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College (CMCC) – Toronto, Canada

2025 Market Trends

Exercise Recovery – We’ll Drink to That!

In 2025, exercise recovery took the spotlight and rising supplement prices coupled with growing pill fatigue pushed consumers to seek snackable and drinkable formats that deliver clear, functional benefits without adding complexity to their routines.

According to Mintel, 22% of U.S. consumers of non-alcoholic beverage prioritized benefits that support physical recovery, while 30% of those shopping for sports and performance drinks consumed them specifically for workout recovery. Recovery has transformed from a niche benefit into a primary purchase driver.

Vitamins, Minerals, and Supplements (VMS) related social media content revealed a surge in recovery-focused conversations, with online discussions around post-exercise recovery drinks and boosting recovery having increased by 14% and 70%, respectively (Mintel). This signals that consumers are actively looking for convenient, effective recovery solutions with a preference for liquid formats. SPINS retail data confirms that consumers are backing their interest in functional RTDs with real spending in 2025, with liquid solutions growing 7.8%.

Mind the Gap: Opportunity Took Shape in 2025

While 2025 did bring us new liquid astaxanthin supplements, Innova Market Data revealed that the majority of astaxanthin product launches in 2025 across the Americas (North and LATAM), particularly within sports nutrition, remained concentrated in capsules, softgels, and powders. With consumer data emphasizing a growing desire for functional RTDs, this represents an opportunity to leverage AstaReal’s unique liquid astaxanthin emulsion in novel and efficacious functional beverages for 2026.

Emerging Opportunities

Astaxanthin in Latin America: According to the Innova data the United States led astaxanthin product launches, followed by Chile, Brazil, and Canada demonstrating strong regional momentum in the LATAM markets.

In 2025, SPINS reported a 17.6% increase in children’s supplements, suggesting that AstaReal’s 2025 pediatric vision study creates opportunity for those looking to innovate with astaxanthin in this sector.

A growing desire for productivity, mental clarity, and sustained focus fueled a 32% rise in demand for cognition support supplements (Mintel). Consumer interest in brain nutrient support surged 32%, elevating cognitive health to a cornerstone of modern wellness. This momentum makes the clinical findings presented at AstaReal’s ANSN Symposium especially compelling. Dr. Gaven Barker’s study, showing that astaxanthin enhanced executive function in healthy female athletes, is slated for publication in 2026, creating opportunity for innovation with AstaReal in this space.

Looking Inward

 We asked members of our leadership team to share their highlights from 2025.

Peter Worsoe, Chief Executive Officer

As we move into the next year, our commitment is clear: to bring even more science and innovation to everything we do, while upholding the highest standards of product quality and customer care. I am proud of the remarkable accomplishments and dedication our team has shown throughout 2025. Together, we are not only advancing wellness but also strengthening the trust and value we deliver to our customers every day.

John Musselman, VP Sales and Marketing

Having joined the AstaReal team in 2025, it’s been a year of insight and inspiration. Understanding customer needs and delivering solutions that support long-term partnerships has been especially rewarding.

One of the most meaningful moments this year has been hearing directly from customers about their positive experiences working with our teams. Their feedback has affirmed our commitment to science and quality, and many have expressed interest in sourcing additional products from us. These conversations are taking place across channels, geographies, and market segments, creating a strong sense of momentum and excitement about the future and reinforcing our confidence that our approach is delivering results.

My favorite differentiator in our value proposition is the AstaReal® Inspire Program. Inspire delivers far more than an ingredient; it provides a comprehensive commercial toolkit that offers marketing support, technical expertise, brand-building resources, and product development guidance. By enabling customer success and strengthening partnerships, Inspire drives brand loyalty and supports sustainable market expansion for AstaReal-based products.

Karen Hecht, PhD, VP Science

We reached a milestone in 2025 by hosting our inaugural AstaReal® Network for Sports Nutrition (ANSN) Virtual Symposium. ANSN was founded in 2023 by AstaReal Group, with the intent of serving as more than a research collaboration community. It was a platform built from a genuine passion for advancing the science and awareness of astaxanthin. The 2025 Symposium sparked the motion to bring together leading experts from around the world to translate their research into practical solutions and elevate astaxanthin as a necessary nutrient in sports nutrition. This initiative allowed us to turn knowledge into tangible benefits for athletes and active individuals everywhere.

It was truly a delight to watch our vision unfold by connecting globally respected experts to industry for real-world applications. The Symposium delivered strategic and actionable knowledge.  Planning is already underway for an even more comprehensive and impactful symposium in 2026.

Thank You for a Remarkable 2025

We want to extend our sincere gratitude to all our partners, customers, and colleagues. This year has been defined by momentum, discovery, and collaboration, and none of our accomplishments would have been possible without your trust, partnership, and shared commitment to innovation.