Running Insight 2.1.18

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GETTING TO KNOW NUUN NOMINATIONS OPEN: 50 BEST RUNNING STORES IN AMERICA

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RUNNING INSIGHT

GETTING TO KNOW NUUN Nuun gains traction at run specialty with differentiated product, collaborative mindset and energized corporate culture.

By Daniel P. Smith

W

RUNNING INSIGHT ® is a registered trademark of Formula4Media, LLC. © 2018 all rights reserved.

Running Insight is published twice each month, is edited for owners and top executives at running specialty stores and available only via email.The opinions by authors and contributors to Running Insight are not necessarily those of the editors or publishers. Articles appearing in Running Insight may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the express permission of the publisher.

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hen Kevin Rutherford looks around the Nuun corporate office in Seattle, he sees a dialed-in, engaged group.

And for Rutherford, Nuun’s president and CEO (Chief Eternal Optimist), that’s a sweet view. “In any company,” Rutherford begins, “culture is the ecosystem that everything resides within, but it’s a fragile ecosystem that can lead things to thrive or to fester.” Fortunately for Rutherford, it’s the former at Nuun, which earned a spot on Outside Magazine’s annual “Best Places to Work” list in 2017. With its potent culture, Rutherford says Nuun can produce strong products, service its customers and make headway in the marketplace. To wit, the company’s

Jeff Nott....................................jnott@formula4media.com Jeff Gruenhut...................jgruenhut@formula4media.com Christina Henderson..... chenderson@formula4media.com Katie O’Donohue..........kodonohue@formula4media.com Sam Selvaggio.............. sselvaggio@formula4media.com Daemon Filson......................dfilson@formula4media.com

Editor-in-Chief......... Mark Sullivan: msullivan@formula4media.com Managing Editor............. Cara Griffin: cgriffin@formula4media.com Publisher......................Troy Leonard: tleonard@formula4media.com BACK ISSUES runninginsight.com

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RUNNING INSIGHT

Getting to Know Nuun (continued) flagship product – Nuun Electrolytes – stands as the top-selling sport drink in the run, bike and outdoor specialty channels.

“Culture drives our innovation strategy and that’s reflected in what’s on the shelves of our retail partners,” says Rutherford, who’s committed to making even deeper inroads in the specialty run category, in particular.

“Our approach is clean product, clean planet and clean sport.”

KEVIN RUTHERFORD CEO, NUUN

The making of Nuun Founded in 2004, Nuun was the first to separate electrolyte replacement from carbohydrates, adhering to research showing that additional sugar or carbohydrates weren’t needed for most workouts under 90 minutes.

“Nuun was the first brand at any scale to flip nutrition on its head,” Rutherford says.

“Nuun separated hydration from fuel because the science suggested the traditional sports drinks had it all wrong.”

But Nuun Electrolytes aimed to shift the game in other ways as well. First, Nuun offered its flagship product as an effervescent tablet, a novel approach that promised portability and convenience. Second, it toned down the sugar and leaned on natural ingredients such as beet juice powder and monk fruit extract – without sacrificing performance attributes – just at the time American consumers were shifting en masse toward cleaner food labels.

“Our approach is clean product, clean planet and clean sport,” Rutherford says.

That commitment to clean product has continued to serve as Nuun’s guiding light as it has developed new product lines for exercise and health. There are, for instance, Nuun Vitamins, designed for daily, healthy hydration with low sugar and an optimal electrolyte blend to aid in the absorption of fluids and nutrients, as well as Nuun Performance, the first Non-GMO Project Verified sports drink powder. Nuun created Performance in collaboration with world-renowned exercise physiologist and sports nutritionist Stacy Sims and made the endurance drink mix exclusive to the sports specialty channel.

“A lot of competition has come and gone over the last 14 years, but we’ve stayed the course and invested more to stay fresh and relevant,” Rutherford says.

That’s especially true in the run specialty channel, where Nuun has become a fixture in store showrooms and worked to ingratiate itself with running retailers over the last 14 years with more than just compelling product.

Eager to be a true partner to run specialty As Nuun has grown in popularity and demand over recent years, director of sports specialty sales Tyler Smith says the company has been deliberate with its partnerships, specifically invested in specialty retail. Though Nuun has distribution in grocers, it favors higher-end shops like Whole Foods and Sprouts. That limits oversaturation and

Nuun has crafted deals to be the designated course drink at hundreds of North American running events.

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RUNNING INSIGHT

Getting to Know Nuun (continued)

The brand aims to gain deeper marketplace penetration with runners, something that can ultimately drive traffic into run specialty doors.

Above: Nuun director of sports specialty sales Tyler Smith. Below: Nuun president and CEO Kevin Rutherford.

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the channel conflict so commonplace when brands run toward general retail. “ We t r y t o st ay s el f awa r e on distribution,” says Smith, who has been with Nuun for 10 years. “Specialty retail is where we came from and we want to foster those roots.”

Nuun has also added more internal sales reps to complement some 30 independent sales reps scattered around the country servicing specialty accounts. This year, Smith beams, Nuun will have more people in stores supporting training programs and events than ever before. Nuun, for instance, has developed training programs with some Fleet Feet stores in which Nuun prescribes the right product for the right event, whether that is a track workout or yoga session.

In an effort to gain deeper marketplace penetration with runners, something that can ultimately drive traffic into run specialty doors, Nuun has crafted deals to be the designated course drink at hundreds of North American running events, including marquee races such as the BolderBOULDER, the Hot Chocolate series and the Portland Shamrock Run. In addition, Nuun has cultivated an army of ambassadors ranging from elite athletes to everyday influencers such as coaches, personal trainers and run group leaders. The consistent effort to earn trial and credibility with consumers and retailers alike continues to spur positive results.

Shane O’Hara, manger of the Marathon Sports outpost in Boston, calls Nuun a “super popular product” at his store. Many staff members are Nuun fans themselves and regularly communicate their personal experiences with the product to customers, something O’Hara believes holds extra weight in the nutrition category, in particular.

“Now, I hope [Nuun] keeps sight of what it’s doing well,” O’Hara says.

F leet Feet Spor ts in Tulsa, OK, meanwhile, has been supplying Nuun to its training program participants since 2011 and the product is now ubiquitous at nearly every store event. That has sparked trials

of Nuun and familiarity with the product.

“Our guests and participants love the performance benefits, but also rave about the taste and convenience,” Fleet Feet Tulsa marketing and special events director Lance Miller says.

For years, Nuun’s Smith notes, products like socks and insoles have been touted as a “value add” in the runners’ arsenal. He hopes more and more running retailers see Nuun as another beneficial, ancillary product worth touting to customers.

“The bottom line for us is that we want customers to have a great experience and we feel we can be a part of that equation,” Smith says.

Looking ahead With momentum on Nuun’s side, company leadership promises running retailers consistent investment in resources and relationship building as well as a more diversified product lineup. That latter will undoubtedly be fueled by Nuun’s recent deal with private equity firm TSG Consumer Partners. Rutherford says TSG’s deep experience in health and wellness will support Nuun’s next stage of growth.

In the near-term, that will be represented with a new product launch this spring, Nuun Immunity, an offering that deepens Nuun’s connections to the athlete beyond activity alone. Moving forward, Rutherford promises running retailers more breakthrough products for athletes while they’re in movement as well as during rest and recovery.

“We see many occasions for athletes to up their nutrition game, so we’re filling our pipeline of innovation for 2018 and beyond,” Rutherford says.

Ultimately, though, Rutherford has set his eyes on an even more ambitious prize, one he believes he shares with many running retailers and is excited to pursue as a collaborative partner.

“We believe what many in run specialty believe – that when people move, we’re a much happier and healthy society – so the magic is exploring how we do this together.” n

© 2018 Formula4media LLC.

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RUNNING INSIGHT

New Format for Awards

50 Best Running Stores in America Nominations Are Open

We want stores to be able to savor this special recognition and share it with other store owners and key brand partners.”

NOMINATE YOUR STORE NOW Send us your nomination! Be sure to include the store name in the email subject line, and a brief summary of why you’re nominating them in the email.

CLICK HERE

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N

om i nations a re a l ready underway for the 50 Best Running Stores in America Awards for 2018. Winning stores will be announced in early May and all 50 Best Running Stores in America owners will be invited to a threeday celebration which will take place June 21 through 23, 2018 at the Minneapolis Hilton.

The 50 Best Running Stores in America event will include business sessions where stores can share their best practices, as well as private meetings with brand sponsors, networking events and competitions and an awards dinner at The Mill City Museum on Friday, June 22, 2018.

“We’re excited to be re-introducing The 50 Best Running Stores in America in this great new format,” said Mark Sullivan, editor of Running Insight and president of Formula 4 Media. “We want stores to be able to savor this special recognition and share it with other store owners and key brand partners.”

In the past, The 50 Best Running Stores in America winners were announced each year at The Running Event. But Sullivan said when Formula 4 decided to overhaul the awards program, company executives decided to create a special event to honor the winners.

In addition to the new awards format, Formula 4 has revised the criteria and how the stores will be evaluated and scored. Stores will be rated on three sets of criteria: a mystery shop, a 360-degree evaluation which will include information provided by the stores themselves and a credit rating from key brands. Each of these components will count for a third of the overall score.

Stores can nominate themselves or have customers nominate them at nominations@50bestrunningstores.com.

“It’s a great way for stores to involve their community in the nomination process,” said Sullivan.

Formula 4 Media elected to hold the 50 Best Running Stores in America event in

Minneapolis to make it convenient for brand sponsors to attend the awards as well as the Fleet Feet conference which takes place June 18-21 at the Minneapolis Hilton, the host hotel for the 50 Best Running Stores event.

“We appreciate that vendors have major demands on their schedules in the summer months and we hope this makes it easier for them to support this wonderful event,” said Jeff Nott, CEO of Formula 4 Media. As part of the event, approximately 25 sponsor companies will host meetings in their hotel suites at The Hilton and pre-arranged meeting times will be arranged for all attending retailers.

“Our goal is to make this event special and worthwhile for all attendees and to build and strengthen relationships between retailers and key brands as well as among the winning store owners,” said Nott.

Sponsors who have committed thus far include: Aetrex, Altra, Aftershokz, Balega, CEP, Coros Wearables, Darn Tough, Diadora, Drymax, Fuelbelt, MediDyne, OS1st, ProTec Athletics, Reebok, Salomon, Sorbothane, Spenco, Trigger Point and Under Armour.

Any brand interested in one of the remaining sponsorship spots should contact Nott at jnott@ formula4media.com In addition to the meetings and awards, there will be time for some fun, competition and team building. Winning retailers will be assigned to teams who will compete in a scavenger hunt-style “race” produced by Mill City Running, which is acting as the host retailer for the 50 Best Running Stores event. “We’ve put on a similar event past two years—we call it the The Fast & The Curious—and it’s a huge hit,” said Jeff Metzdorff, who owns the Mill City Running store with his wife Bekah.

“There’s a little running, some puzzle solving, and participants are able to see the very best sights Minneapolis has to offer.” n Further details on the 50 Best Running Stores in America Event can be found at www.50bestrunningstores.com

© 2018 Formula4media LLC.

Nominations Are Now Open!

Recognizing stores for their achievements in community support, customer service and in-store experience.

NomiNatioNs CLosE maRCH 7 2018

om Stores.c g in n n u 50BestR

Send nominations to nominations@50bestrunningstores.com.

Be sure to include store name and a brief nomination summary.

CONTACT INFORMATION

Jeff Nott/Director jnott@formula4media.com 516-305-4711

Mark Sullivan/Retail msullivan@formula4media.com 646-319-7878

Christina Henderson/Nominations chenderson@formula4media.com 516-305-4712

RUNNING INSIGHT

The Sneaker Market’s Next Spark?

The first shoe featuring Nike

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React foam arrives at retail later this month.

The midsole is one piece of Nike React foam with no carrier, cement or glue.

The lightweight tech is built to deliver both cushion and energy return.

S

pring is fast approaching and the race for the next, hot new footwear tech is in full effect among the big athletic brands. Adidas and Nike have similar-looking and feeling new fare in the Futurecraft 4D and Epic React Flyknit, respectively, and Under Armour hopes to establish a stronger footing with its HOVR smart shoe styles that not only feature a new cushioning platform but also allow wearers to track workout metrics.

Each brand, undoubtedly, wants a category game-changer by establishing buzz among consumers.

Later this month, Nike is bring the React foam midsole to retail in the $150 Epic React Flyknit running shoe. Featuring a “soft bounce and responsive feel,” much 10

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is riding on the React tech. Nike will support the expanded rollout with a $50 million marketing campaign, which is bigger than the brand’s Olympic spend. The midsole system, three years in development, was first introduced last June in a basketball shoe, the React Hyperdunk 2017 Flyknit.

Going beyond Air and Lunarlon, Nike put React foam through more than 2,000 hours of testing on basketball players in 2016 and says it discovered greater energy return than any other Nike basketball shoe ever tested.

Adidas, which has enjoyed good consumer response to its UltraBOOST and AlphaBOUNCE styles in recent seasons, introduced its highly touted Futurecraft 4D shoe earlier this year with a limited-edition release of the $300 retail shoe in New York with retailers Packer, KITH and SNS. The

brand touts the tech as “the next step after 3D printing” with Digital Light Synthesis (DLS) and CARBON. Adidas and its partners aim to eventually have a system where customers submit footwear measurements and get a shoe built to those specifics on demand.

Approximately 5,000 pairs of Futurecraft 4D are available this season before an acceleration to an estimated 100,000 pairs by year-end.

Under Armour’s new running shoes, the HOVR Phantom ($140) and Sonic ($110), feature the brand’s latest cushioning tech, and will be available in connected versions— with a lightweight chip in the midsole of the right shoe to track a number of key running metrics, whether on a treadmill or on the road. Workout data will be stored in the shoe until it syncs with the brand’s MapMyRun app via Bluetooth. —By Bob McGee

© 2018 Formula4media LLC.

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RUNNING INSIGHT

Running Shorts Timothy Olson

LEKI Adds Timothy Olson to Elite Athlete Roster, Powers Up Trail Running Division

As part of its growing brand focus on the trail running market, LEKI has inked a sponsorship deal with American runner Timothy Olson for the 2018 racing season. Olson is well known in the ultrarunning world. He is a two-time winner and record holder of the Western States 100 Mile race among other ultrarunning wins. Olson will train and race exclusively with LEKI poles to help promote the brand as it makes trail running a core strategy moving forward.

Currently, Olson is training for The Coastal Challenge race in mid-February. He returns to focus on a full 2018 race schedule, with key competitions being the Madeira Island Ultra Trail race in Portugal in April and the Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc (UTMB) race taking place in France in August.

“Poles are a very important piece of gear for trail running,”

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said Olson. “On those steep rugged climbs, using my LEKI poles assures me I’ll get to the summit strong and efficient, as well as have energy to let it rip on the way back down.”

LEKI now has five poles specifically for trail running in the 2018 spring line. They have taken technical features from their nordic racing, mountaineering and trekking poles to make a line of poles specifically for trail running.

New vívofit 4 from Garmin Focuses on Usability

Garmin’s new vívofit 4 daily activity tracker features a 1+ year battery life – with no charging necessary – and a sunlight-readable, always-on color display. Designed for 24/7 wearability, the vívofit 4 is swim- and shower-safe and features a sleek, comfortable band. The vívofit 4 is ready to go right out of the box, and can be paired with a smartphone for additional features.

“An activity tracker is only as effective as how often you

© 2018 Formula4media LLC.

Introducing

ALBERT The Revolutionary 3D Foot Scanner

Aetrex is bringing consumers back into stores like never before with Albert, its revolutionary, 3D foot scanner.

Albert captures unmatched data and information about feet, enabling consumers to make more educated buying decisions when it comes to footwear and orthotic purchases. Albert offers the most sophisticated, interactive, in-store scanning experience to date.

Tel. 800-526-2739 | Fax: 800-526-0073 www.aetrextechnology.com

RUNNING INSIGHT Running Shorts (continued)

wear it, and this is where the vívofit 4 really shines – you can set it and forget it,” said Dan Bartel, Garmin vice president of worldwide sales. “It’s the ideal device for

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customers who want something reliable that they don’t need to hassle with or take off to recharge.”

Right out of the box, the vívofit 4 starts

tracking steps and encourages users to stay active with a colored move bar that fills up when a user has been stationary for too long. It also assigns daily step goals based on current activity levels which automatically adjust to the user, gradually nudging them toward a healthier, more active lifestyle.

For those customers looking for more than just basic activity tracking, the vívofit 4 can be paired with a smartphone, adding even more functionality and options, such as tracking sleep, intensity minutes and more.

The vívofit 4 is available in White (S/M), Limegreen Speckled (S/M) and Black (S/M and L) for a suggested retail price of $79.99.

Interchangeable accessory bands are available in a Speckled Merlot and Speckled Navy combo pack (S/M) for $29.99.

© 2018 Formula4media LLC.

Insta Video: Altra’s Lone Peak 4.0

In our recent trade show travels, Altra founder Golden Harper gave us a rundown on the brand’s new Lone Peak 4.0, which hits retail in August, 2018.

Watch our quick Instagram video here: www.instagram. com/p/BelMB6gHNvl Altra’s Lone Peak 4.0 will be available in both low and mid-height with mesh uppers, and low and mid-height waterproof uppers for a total of four different shoes. According to data from NPD, the Altra Lone Peak is the number one selling trail shoe in the run specialty channel and the number five ranked shoe in outdoor specialty shops.

Pricing for Lone Peak 4.0 styles will range from $120-$160.

ISPO Honors 361-Spire 3 Shoe

The 361-Spire 3, MSRP $150, has been honored as the winner of the Running Shoe category by ISPO, the international trade fair for sporting goods. Hitting retail in June, the 361-Spire 3 is a high-mileage, neutral running shoe offering plenty of cushioning via the brand’s Qu!ckfoam midsole tech.

“We are honored to have received this award from such a respected international organization,” says Jim Monahan, 361º USA president.

“As a relatively new brand within the global community, this recognition along with the growing community of runners who are joining our family each day, is proof that we are on the right path of creating great products.” n 361-Spire

HEAT up

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© 2018 Formula4media LLC.

RUNNING INSIGHT

Brooks Unlocks the Hexagon

Hot on the heels of DNA Amp, the advance concepts team at Brooks is bringing a second new midsole material to market in the second half of 2018. Called DNA Loft, the new foam is infused with rubber that gives its cellular walls more strength, which lets the brand blow even more air into the material for a superplush, soft feel. The proprietary cushioning is debuting as a full-length midsole on the Glycerin 16, which delivers in June for men and women at $150, as well as in the heel of the $120 Ghost 11, which launches in August.

A honeycomb pattern on the midsole adds structure – debossed on the lateral side, it gives room for compression; embossed on the medial, it gives support – but also pays homage to the new material. The hexagonal shape mirrors the foam’s cell structure when seen in cross-section under a microscope.

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A honeycomb pattern on the midsole adds structure – debossed on the lateral side, it gives room for compression; embossed on the medial, it gives support.

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