Niavis.ro: Creatine, the surprise of the year. Sports and protein products post the strongest growth in the first nine months of 2026

Celtic salt remains Niavis's best-selling product in 2026, but the biggest shift in customers' baskets is coming from a different direction. Sports and protein products recorded the strongest growth in the first nine months of the year compared with the same period of 2025, and creatine has become the surprise of the year. At the same time, magnesium-based supplements grew strongly, with magnesium bisglycinate as the preferred formula.

Fewer active people than the EU average, but increasingly consistent

Romania remains one of the most sedentary countries in the European Union. According to the latest Eurobarometer on sport and physical activity, published by the European Commission in September 2026, 66% of Romanians never exercise or play sport, compared with 39% across the European Union. Those who do exercise, however, increasingly do so at home: the home is the main place of physical activity for 50% of Romanians, compared with 33% in the EU, while only 10% mention the gym, compared with 19% at European level.

At the same time, the active part of the population is spending more and more on sport. In 2025, the fitness club market passed the RON 1.1 billion mark for the first time, according to financial statements filed with the Ministry of Finance by companies in the sector, after growing roughly fifteenfold since 2008.

The same picture shows up in Niavis customers' orders: a community that exercises regularly and supplements its diet with products designed for effort and recovery.

Creatine, from the weights room to the shopping basket

Until recently associated almost exclusively with the gym, creatine has made its way into Niavis customers' orders alongside salt, cinnamon and oats. It is one of the most studied supplements in sports nutrition, and interest in it has spread from performance athletes to people who exercise regularly, a few times a week. Creatine was the product that surprised most in the first nine months of the year, becoming part of the recurring orders of customers who had previously bought mainly foods and superfoods.

Plant-based protein, the fastest-growing category

Protein products recorded the strongest growth of all Niavis categories compared with the first nine months of 2025, supported by an increasingly diverse range. The portfolio includes organic protein blends made from hemp, chia, pumpkin, rice, pea and almond, protein shakes, hemp powder and the Super Sport mix, all plant-based. The change is behavioural: protein is no longer bought only for before or after training, but added to breakfast, smoothies or home recipes.