Key Takeaways
- TruHeight is entering functional foods with Protein Energy Waffles, its first product outside the vitamin and supplement aisle.
- Each serving carries 7 grams of fiber alongside protein, built for kids and teens juggling practices and school days.
- U.S. Soccer projects 29 million total participants by the end of 2026, per figures cited in the announcement.
- TruHeight products already reach roughly 5,000 CVS locations, along with Target, Nordstrom Marketplace, and online retail channels.
TruHeight, the Las Vegas-based family nutrition company known for children’s growth vitamins, said on July 31 that it is expanding beyond supplements into functional foods with the launch of Protein Energy Waffles. The move places the brand in the youth sports nutrition category at a moment when U.S. Soccer projects participation could reach 29 million players by the end of 2026, according to figures cited in the company’s announcement.
Inside TruHeight’s First Functional Food Launch
The Protein Energy Waffles are positioned for active kids, teens, and athletes. Each serving provides protein and 7 grams of fiber in a format the company describes as convenient enough for practices, games, and school days.
TruHeight said the waffles are the first product in a broader innovation pipeline that extends past vitamins. The company is developing additional functional foods and nutrition products across four stated areas: performance, recovery, cognitive wellness, and everyday family health.
“Families don’t just want another supplement,” said Justin Rapoport, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of TruHeight. “They want functional products their kids will actually enjoy eating and that fit naturally into school, sports, and everyday life.”
How Big Is the Youth Soccer Participation Opportunity?
The launch is timed to the close of the FIFA World Cup, played this summer across the United States, Canada, and Mexico. TruHeight said youth soccer organizations nationwide are reporting a surge in fall registration interest following the tournament.
According to the Sports & Fitness Industry Association, outdoor soccer participation reached an all-time high heading into the tournament, growing nearly 16% year over year. U.S. Soccer’s projection of 29 million total players by the end of 2026 would place soccer among the largest participation categories in the country.
For nutrition brands, that participation base translates into a recurring purchase occasion tied to a fixed seasonal calendar: tryouts in August, practices through the fall, tournament travel on weekends.
Retail Shelf Space and the Fiber Search Spike
Distribution is already in place. TruHeight products are carried in approximately 5,000 CVS locations, at Target, on Nordstrom Marketplace, and through major online retailers, the company said.
The fiber positioning tracks a measurable consumer shift. According to Google Trends data cited by TruHeight, searches for “fibermaxxing” increased 115% over the past 90 days, and searches related to dietary fiber reached an all-time high in 2026.
“Over the past several years, we’ve watched parents become much more engaged in understanding what goes into the products they give their kids,” said Eden Stelmach, Co-Founder and Co-CEO of TruHeight. “Families are asking better questions, reading labels more carefully, and looking for brands they believe are acting in their best interest.”
That combination, existing mass retail placement plus a rising search trend, is what separates a line extension from a category entry. TruHeight is not building distribution from zero. It is putting a food product into shelf space it already holds.
Waffles Now, Recovery and Cognitive Products in Development
TruHeight has framed the waffle launch as step one of a platform rather than a one-off SKU, with performance, recovery, and cognitive wellness products described as in active development. The company said its long-term vision is to become a comprehensive family nutrition business built on quality ingredients, transparent labeling, and responsible formulation.
What the announcement does not include is pricing, retail launch timing for the waffles, or which of the four pipeline categories arrives next.
Source: PR Newswire, July 31, 2026, https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/as-world-cup-summer-ignites-a-youth-sports-surge-truheight-announces-expansion-beyond-vitamins-302839583.html
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Approximately 27.3 million children ages 6 to 17, or about 54.6 percent, played organized sports in 2022-2023, according to the National Survey of Children’s Health as reported by the Aspen Institute’s Project Play. High school sports participation reached a record 8.26 million athletes in 2024-25, per the NFHS.
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Youth Sports Marketing Questions, Answered
Where can brands sponsor youth sports? Brands can sponsor youth sports through local leagues and clubs, tournaments and events, facilities and complexes, governing bodies, and national platform programs. Sponsoring a child’s own program is the most powerful entry point: 81 percent of parents say it captures their attention, outperforming TV, social media, and pro sports sponsorship, per a 2026 Priority Partnerships study conducted by YouGov Sport.
How much does youth sports sponsorship cost? Youth sports sponsorship costs range from a few thousand dollars for a local league or team sponsorship to six and seven figures for regional facility naming rights and national platform programs. The environment is welcoming at every level: 84 percent of parents hold net positive sentiment toward brands sponsoring youth sports, with negative sentiment under 5 percent, per YouGov Sport research. Most brands start with a pilot activation, measure engagement, then scale.
What is the ROI of youth sports marketing? The data is striking: 80 percent of parents say they would choose the brand that sponsors their child’s youth sports program when comparing two similar products, per a 2026 Priority Partnerships study by YouGov Sport. A 2026 EMARKETER and DICK’S Media survey found 84 percent of sports parents say that role influences their purchase decisions, and 60 percent spend more on game and practice days, driving loyalty across categories from dining to travel to automotive.
Ready to build a youth sports strategy? Vertical Sports is an Advisory+ delivering integrated expertise across all levels of sport. Youth, College, Pro. Every Fan, Every Level. Brands and youth sports organizations can reach the team at info@verticalsports.us.
