LONDON - GlaxoSmithKline Nutritional Healthcare, makers of Lucozade Sport, the UK's No.1 range of sport & exercise drinks, is proud to present an extensive new range of sports nutrition products.

The new range includes 35 products and will be supported with a massive £18m marketing investment to drive widespread awareness and education amongst mainstream sports and exercise participants.

The sports nutrition range has been developed alongside top athletes and sports scientists to ensure quality and reinforce credibility among consumers.

The range of products features in all these key need states - hydration, fuel, focus, recovery and strength - and includes powders, bars, gels and tablets in a range of sizes, formats and flavour variants, a new chocolate protein RTD, as well as the existing RTD products.

The sports nutrition category presents a significant sales opportunity; it is already worth more than £250m and is predicted to grow by a further +34% over the next three years.

The category is traditionally consumed by body builders who make up just 8% of sports and exercise participants. Lucozade Sport will be targeting the remaining 92% of sports and exercise participants who want to improve their performance.

Lucozade Sport expects the new products to drive category growth by generating a significant number of incremental sales through new customers, including more women and novices, and encouraging consumers who already buy into isotonic drinks and hydration to invest in new sports nutrition products.

The new range is simple, with an easy to understand proposition and superior taste credentials

Caroline Karlstromer, Director Lucozade Sport Marketing, says: "Lucozade Sport currently holds a 42% share of the total sports drinks and sports nutrition category and our new sports nutrition range presents an excellent category growth opportunity.

"The range builds on our expertise in the sports drinks category, and will benefit from consumer confidence in the Lucozade Sport brand, which has strong appeal and awareness amongst sports and exercise participants from elite to grass root level.

"Our high quality, safe products will give consumers a performance edge in a simple way. We are confident that consumers will embrace our new range of products, which ensures we are positioned as their complete sports nutrition provider," said Karlstromer.

To drive understanding and education of the new range, an £18m marketing investment is being made which will include ATL, specialist press, experiential, direct marketing as well as PR and on-line.

There will also be a wide range of merchandising materials to ensure high visibility and education at every consumer touch point. The full sports nutrition range will be available in Grocery, Health and Fitness, Sports Retail, High Street and on-line channels from May 2009.