GNC hops on personalization bandwagon with 'Accelerator' series
The three products are based on leucine, glutamine and creatine. They are meant to be incorporated into “stacks,” gym-rat jargon for muscle-building or performance-enhancing products taken together in groups.
The products represent “a completely new approach to achieving your personal goals,” said Tom Dowd, GNC executive vice president. Dowd went on to say that the new product line is a “cost effective way to supercharge your supplement regimen.”
The products can be mixed and matched with existign GNC skus to achieve many new combinations, the company said. Each product includes:
• Advanced micro-peptide amino acid complexes for optimal absorption and nutrient delivery.
• Enhanced accelerator blends formulated to “supercharge the core ingredient.”
• A suit of antioxidants.
Stacking options
The three products are included in a “stacking chart” that lists six or seven products that each can be combined with. These “research based” charts result in “expert-recommended product combinations.”
Some of the benefits advertised for the new combinations include “enhanced protein synthesis” and “30% increase in muscle strength and 400% increase in serum insulin post-workout.” Among the products the three new accelerators are to be combined with include whey protein, amino acid blends and nitrogen boosters.
The concept of stacking is not new at GNC. A search on the term “stack” at GNC.com brings up 43 different product combinations. The difference with the new product line is the company is making it easier for customers to make their own combinations, the company said.
GNC posted $2.63 billion in revenue in 2013 and ahs reported its sports nutrition categories growing more strongly than vitamin and mineral supplements generally.
