The PricePlow Podcast

https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/nate-frazier-ken-huntly-gnc-2023-098 At the 2023 GNC Franchise Convention, Team PricePlow was a guest of Kaged’s, and Ben had a quick moment to talk with Nate Frazier (Chief Operating Officer) and Ken Huntly (VP of Sports Nutrition) to talk about GNC’s partnerships and strategies in 2023 and beyond. This is a continuation of Episode #097 with Kaged’s Aaron Heidebreicht, where the men explore why a premium brand like Kaged needs to partner with GNC. In this episode, Nate explains GNC’s emergence from the murky time period of 2020 through 2022, which faced challenge after challenge. They discuss the retailer’s focus on education, and how they’ve improved their sales culture to ensure quality customer experiences. Ken then discusses what he’s looking for in new sports nutrition brands, and why Kaged checks every box, which paves the way for Kaged’s late summer 2023 launch of 27 new SKUs into GNC. The focus then shifts to Beyond Raw, the highly-innovative brand owned and run by GNC that ensures quality, standout ingredients inside. Finally, GNC is approaching its 90th birthday, and is planning to be here another 90 years, so their strategy has to maintain a long-term outlook. This includes some expansion into product categories like longevity, and not just sports and diet that the retailer is so well-known for. Listen and subscribe on your favorite podcast app or watch below on YouTube – we have much more incredible content coming: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yyGuERKaOrQ This is Part 2 of 2 episodes at the 2023 GNC Franchise Convention, where Team PricePlow attended as a guest of Kaged. Part 1 can be found in Episode #097, but is not required to understand this episode. (0:00) – Introductions (0:30) – Why GNC? (2:10) – GNC emerges from the chaos of 2020/2021 (5:10) – Live Well (5:45) – GNC’s Selling Culture (9:20) – Education in the Supplement Industry (12:00) – Partnerships: What does GNC look for in a partner? (13:15) – Innovation (16:15) – What does GNC want the industry to see? (18:45) – Safety in Dietary Supplements (21:15) – GNC’s importance in the industry Thanks to Kaged and GNC for having Team PricePlow at the 2023 Franchise Convention! This was part 2 of 2 – if you haven’t done so already, head back to Episode #097 with Aaron Heidebreicht and Darin Decker of Kaged. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on the podcast app of your choice.

https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/kaged-gnc-aaron-heidebreicht-darin-decker-097 In May of 2023, Kaged brought Team PricePlow to GNC’s annual Franchise Convention in Las Vegas, NV. This is a closed show (as in not consumer facing) that provides an incredible opportunity for brands to showcase their latest product offerings and sales to GNC Franchisees. At the show, Kaged — a brand with little official presence at GNC — made a massive splash, showcasing 27 new SKUs that are coming to the retailer. They teased new functional food products and an Elite product line with upgraded ingredients just for GNC. Kaged is coming to GNC… with 27 new SKUs In part 1 of a 2-part series, Ben sat down with Kaged’s Chief Commercial Officer Aaron Heidebreicht and VP of Sales Darin Decker to discuss this massive launch, tease some new products, and to explain many of the recent shifts at Kaged — and their plan moving forward. In part 2, which will be posted in Episode #098, Ben and Aaron later sat down with GNC’s Nate Frazier (Chief Operating Officer) and Ken Huntly (VP of Sports Nutrition) to explore the retailer’s role in these operations and where they are going this decade, especially with respect to their sales strategies. Both of these episodes are must-listens for anyone interested in the business of the dietary supplement industry. Kaged provides the groundwork for how a premium brand can do things the right way, and a lot of it comes down to the right partnerships. To listen, find the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite podcast app (some links are below) or watch the video on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DUee8G_6T_Y This is Part 1 of 2 episodes at the 2023 GNC Franchise Convention: (0:00) – Introductions – at the 2023 GNC Franchise Convention (1:40) – How did Kaged get here at GNC? (4:00) – The importance of education (8:00) – 27 New SKUs coming to GNC (11:30) – Kaged Functional Foods – Protein Bar and Crumb Cakes (18:45) – Kaged’s Partnerships: The adults in the room (23:30) – The Kaged Rebrand and New Female Customers (24:50) – Kris Gethin out: Changes in Identity and Direction (32:00) – Kaged Expansion: New Hires and Strategy (38:00) – Closing Down, Aaron knows everyone Thanks to Kaged for bringing Team PricePlow to the 2023 Franchise Convention! This was part 1 of 2 – if you haven’t done so already, head over to Episode #098 with Nate Frazier and Ken Huntly of GNC. Finally, subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on the podcast app of your choice – we have more heavy-hitting episodes coming.

https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/konlan-paul-landon-suggs-inspired-nutraceuticals-096 Konlan James Paul of V1 Nutra and Landon Suggs of V1 Nutra) and Landon Suggs (Inspired Nutraceuticals join the PricePlow Podcast to talk about KJ Paul’s new role at Inspired! Listen below, watch it on YouTube, or find the PricePlow Podcast on the podcast app of your choice below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RxpOWURZXSg Show Notes with Konlan Paul and Landon Suggs: Talking Inspired Nutraceuticals and V1 Nutra (0:00) – Introductions (1:40) – Collaboration in the Industry (2:40) – Konlan and Landon Meeting Up (4:30) – Content Creators and Giving Back to Brands (7:07) – Ben Reflects On Content Creation In The Past (11:08) – UGC Low Budget Content and Tik Tok (13:15) – How KJ Got Started (16:45) – Working at a Contract Manufacturing Facility (17:55) – Konlan Leaving NutraCap Labs (21:40) – Functional Foods (25:25) – The Philosophy Behind Inspired (27:40) – Why We’re Here (35:35) – What is Konlan’s Role? (38:42) – Wholesale for V1? (40:00) – What Kind of Content Will We See with Konlan for Inspired? (46:00) – Inspired Nutra is Special (48:25) – What’s Happening for Inspired Going Forward? (51:55) – Budget Pre-Workouts (54:40) – DTC to Brick and Mortar (1:00:40) – “Dress For The Job You Want” (1:03:40) – Do What It Takes to Produce Good Content (1:06:40) – Plan For Inspired (1:19:12) – Pre and Pump Combo (1:22:00) – Supplement Awards (1:25:15) – V1 New Branding (1:27:50) – Up Big DTC Lately (1:33:10) – KJ on DTC and Retail (1:34:00) – Brands and What Goes Wrong (1:38:53) – V1 Drops and Future Useful Links Inspired Nutraceuticals on PricePlow V1 Nutra on PricePlow @InspiredNutra on Instagram @V1Nutra on Instagram @Ph4d3 (Landon) on Instagram @Konlan.James on Instagram @JKPerformanceNutrition on TikTok Thanks for joining – subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on the podcast app of your choice!

https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/brian-tweer-brady-adamson-astroflav-095 In late May of 2023, we were thrilled to have Brian Tweer and Brady Adamson of AstroFlav on the PricePlow Podcast. Brian founded AstroFlav in 2019 after several years of running Jersey Shore Supplements, a local retail business that he founded. He eventually brought Brady on to AstroFlav, and things have been lights-out ever since, backed by their sleek new branding. In this episode, we talk about the founding of Jersey Shore Supplements and AstroFlav – a company originally targeting “Out of this world flavor” – and how AstroFlav is using their own retail experience to support other small brick-and-mortar retailers that carry their supplements. We of course get into formulas – talking pre- and intra-workout, but also diving into the new AstroFlav Magnesium product. Brian has been on a phenomenal personal development kick, and shares his routine and recommended books with us. Finally, a couple of upcoming products are teased throughout the episode. Excellent listen from an excellent team! Listen below, watch it on YouTube, or find the PricePlow Podcast on the podcast app of your choice below: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dfcnpNj85Ak Show Notes with Brian Tweer and Brady Adamson of AstroFlav (0:00) – Introductions (5:15) – People had to come through the store (8:30) – Why did you decide to start your own brand? (13:30) – The importance of being confident about your brand. (17:15) – The pros and cons of having a professional countertop. (20:00) – What has driven the main rebrand and reformulation? (23:45) – Health biohacking and development. (31:25) – How to add value to the product? (35:45) – Magnesium and the brain (39:30) – Some AstroFlav Favorites (39:30) – Brian’s personal life and work life. (48:15) – How they treat the wholesale side of things. (52:45) – Selling to GNC and the importance of having integrity in business. (57:40) – How important is it to know who is behind a brand? (1:03:45) – The importance of helping people get better (1:07:45) – The importance of building a community of people. (1:11:15) – Personal development books and resources. (1:18:15) – How do you cut out the TV? (1:24:45) – Brian’s morning routine. (1:27:15) – Feeling is the Secret (1:34:00) – Reflections on the industry Useful Links AstroFlav on PricePlow @AstroFlav on Instagram @BrianTweer on Instagram Brady Adamson on LinkedIn Thanks for joining us gentlemen, PricePlow Nation will be following your products closely as always!

https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/ryan-bucki-fit-butters-094 Ryan Bucki, founder of Fit Butters and Fitness Informant, jumps on PricePlow to talk Fit Butters explosive growth, and what will happen to FI next. Many of our followers are also longtime followers of Ryan’s, who, as a performing wrestler, serves as an incredible “Hype Man” in the sports nutrition industry. With his popular one-sip flavor reviews and long-running podcast, Ryan keeps the energy fun and high in the active nutrition and bodybuilding corners of the industry. But in 2020, things began to change for Ryan, and he and his wife looked for alternate income sources. This is when they launched Fit Butters, a nut butter company that includes delicious protein powders to provide special flavoring to the butters, while adding inclusions to the top that the user can mix in. It all leads to an incredible nut butter experience, and their success has taken the company to new heights, with Ryan getting into some major grocery chains. Ryan tells us about this success — and what the major time commitments mean for the future of Fitness Informant. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2m_qHbO7ozM Show Notes with Ryan Bucki: Fit Butters Crushes All Nut Butters, But What of Fitness Informant? (0:00) – Kick off and Introductions (3:30) – “Competitors” and different podcast platforms (7:00) – Friendly disagreements. (11:45) – 2020’s impact on FI and the genesis of Fit Butters (15:30) – Starting a Nut Butter business. (26:00) – Retail marketing for FitButters. (31:15) – Limited edition product launches. (33:45) – Working flavoring with Simpson Labs (37:15) – Quality assurance in supplements. (41:45) – Finding good employees (1:03:15) – The importance of good hires (1:07:45) – Technology and consumer needs (1:16:45) – Authentic feedback for brands (1:22:15) – The responsibility of influencers (1:25:15) – Compliance (1:29:30) – Fit Butters on the west coast? (1:37:45) – Value of ingredients (1:46:15) – What happened to creatine in Pre-Workouts? (1:48:45) – Brands working together Previous Episodes with Ryan’s Podcast FI Episode 13: Mike and Shane (Stack3d) join Ryan FI Episode 82: Ben joins Ryan Useful Links Fit Butters on PricePlow Ryan Bucki on LinkedIn @FitButters on Instagram @FitnessInformant on Instagram Thanks for joining us Ryan, and good luck to you in your endeavors!

https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/shawn-baier-hmb-093 We’ve lately seen a lot of buzz about β-hydroxy β-methylbutyrate, otherwise known as HMB. After diving deep into the ingredient — which has been with us since the 1980s but wasn’t fully understood or marketed correctly in those early decades — we’re glad to see it making a comeback with supplement formulators who are using it correctly. In fact, we recently published our ultimate guide to HMB titled “HMB (β-hydroxy β-methylbutyrate): Performance-Driven Muscle Supplement“, explaining when and how the leucine metabolite is used best. In the above article, we review the history of HMB and go over some of the methodological flaws that led to inconsistent results in HMB studies — including one “HMB study” that didn’t even contain any HMB at all! As you’ll see in today’s podcast, this ingredient has been through quite a saga – which is why we’re very excited about our PricePlow podcast guest today! To give us the real story, we had Shawn Baier, a sports nutrition scientist and former competitive powerlifter who’s been working with HMB since the very beginning of its rise in the late 80s and early 90s. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_INxdWytv5A Detailed Show Notes with Shawn Baier: The Resurgence of HMB (0:00) – Why Are We Talking About HMB? (0:50) – Shawn Baier Introduction (3:10) – Trends In the Supplement Industry (3:30) – History of HMB (4:45) – History of Powerlifting (8:15) – Some PricePlow History (8:45) – Introduction to HMB (10:00) – Synchronicity in Research (10:45) – BCAA Metabolites Research in the 1980s (12:00) – How HMB Became A Human Supplement (15:45) – HMB In Context (16:00) – Dual Effect of HMB (17:15) – Partnership With TSI Group, Ltd. (17:45) – The Medical Importance of Muscle Health (18:05) – The Inevitability of Muscle Loss (18:45) – The Importance of Prevention (19:15) – Economies of Scale in HMB for Agriculture (20:45) – Why Arginine and Glutamine in early HMB research? (22:30) – Why Is Lysine Important? (27:18) – Why Muscle Growth Signaling Molecules Like HMB Matter (31:15) – HMB’s Role In Tissue Remodeling (33:00) – Protein Quality (34:45) – Eat Quality Food! (36:00) – The Problem With Some HMB Studies (38:00) – Great research bringing other great ingredients (40:30) – Does HMB Matter, Practically Speaking? (42:31) – More Methodological Problems With HMB Studies (46:00) – Specific Examples of HMB-Beneficial Settings (49:25) – There Has To Be A Stressor! (53:00) – The Negative HMB Study… That Used an Adulterated Supplement WITH NO HMB! (57:00) – Funding Studies and Efficacy Testing (1:00:00) – Getting More Specific (1:05:00) – Vitamin D Levels, Another Confounding Variable (1:13:00) – Diet and HMB (1:17:30) – Muscle Damage, Not Just For Athletes! (1:18:45) – Does HMB Help A Good Diet? (1:23:30) – Sales Pitch? No – The Science Speaks For Itself (1:26:30) – Vitamin D Deficiency a Bigger Problem Than You Think (1:32:15) – Protein Requireme… Read more on the PricePlow Blog

https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/spencer-lynn-092 In mid-April of 2023, we hosted Spencer Lynn, the northeast regional manager at KOS, a popular supplement company in the natural foods community. In this episode, we discuss: Spencer’s transition from the military to working in the dietary supplement industry The state of nutrition in MREs given to the military when deployed Selling KOS supplements into retail stores Using LinkedIn as a networking tool The recent 100 mile ultra-marathon Spencer completed! Video: Spencer Lynn Goes Hard in the Paint https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yIaQZUGLGu0 Show Notes: Spencer Lynn on Diet in the Military, KOS Supplements and Ultra-Marathons Detailed Show Notes coming soon! Follow Spencer and KOS Spencer Lynn on Instagram: @slynn46 Spencer Lynn on LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/spencerlynn46/ KOS on Instagram: @KOS You can also sign up for PricePlow’s KOS news to get notified when any new KOS product updates hit the market!

https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/chris-waldrum-nutrex-research-091 A lot has changed since we last talked to Chris Waldrum, who graced us with his presence in the legendary Episode #69 on the PricePlow Podcast. This time around, he’s recently begun managing the new direction of the brand at Nutrex Research (named the “Nutrex Rebirth“), so we brought him on to talk about the transition from his sale of Inspired Nutraceuticals and on to Nutrex’s rebrand coming this year. We’ve long had a great relationship with Nutrex, spanning back to a trip we took in 2018 where we met the leadership team. Five years later, we’re still big fans of products like the Gummy Bear flavor of Outlift, still a house favorite flavor, and IsoFit is one of the most incredible isolates on the market – and more people need to know about it. That is Chris’ job – to retell the Nutrex story to the next generation of athletes, and remind them how a major brand with serious international power can still throw its weight around in America. The first product to rebrand is Outlift Amped, so that’s what you can look forward to first. You can watch on YouTube below or listen on any number of podcast apps: Video: Chris Waldrum Heads up the 2023 Nutrex Research Rebrand https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lOTV7-ZozhU Show Notes: Chris Waldrum Leads the Nutrex Research 2023 Rebrand (0:00) – Re-Introductions (1:20) – The Beginning of Inspired Nutraceuticals (5:00) – DVST8 and the Takeover (7:50) – How did moving away from Inspired transpire? (11:20) – What’s next for Chris? (14:10) – Nutrex going forward… (16:45) – Chris and his design/consultancy work (21:52) – Who is Nutrex Research? (31:22) – What are the plans for formulas changing or will they stay the same? (36:01) – Compliance when working for a big company who distributes globally (43:25) – What is the plan for lower-income international markets? (51:04) – Formulating products with synergism (55:31) – Will we see transparency in terms of manufacturing? (1:00:01) – How important is transparency in building a brand? (1:08:09) – What is going to happen with Lipo-6? (1:16:34) – How does your mindshift change from being at a smaller brand like Inspired to a huge brand like Nutrex? (1:19:20) – What do you think the hardest part of working at a big brand will be? (1:21:03) – What type of athletes are Nutrex looking to bring on? (1:29:03) – Changing the thought process of the human race (1:36:03) – Issues within the industry (1:44:01) – Are you using AI for anything business wise currently? As always, an incredible time with Chris! Follow Chris and Nutrex Research Chris Waldrum on Instagram: @ChrisWaldrum Nutrex Research on Instagram: @NutrexResearch And as always… Read more on the PricePlow Blog

https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/glaxon-2023-michael-bischoff-joey-savage-090 Prepare yourselves for a doozy. A year and a half after the unforgettable Episode #057 on Glaxon Goon Day, Team PricePlow returned to Houston, TX to catch up with Michael Bischoff and Joey Savage of Glaxon for April Fools weekend. What’s Glaxon up to in 2023?! Glaxon put together an incredible event on April 1st to showcase some of their newest innovations, and it was no joke. We were able to two forthcoming products and a third experimental local drink: Glaxon Energy Drink Glaxon Super Cereal A Glaxon-formulated craft beer Just like last time, this was a legendary podcast, covering ongoing issues with the above products (and their ingredients), choline overconsumption, genetically-modified foods and supplement ingredients, and other recent and upcoming launches from Glaxon. After that, we returned from dinner to close out with a discussion on artificial intelligence and the use of AI models like ChatGPT in the dietary supplement industry. Brace yourselves for a long, educational, and thought-provoking conversation: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PLSkqMgEO9E Show Notes: Coming Soon Detailed Show Notes are Coming Soon, but below is a list of egg studies asked for in YouTube The egg studies 1. Eggs and Fatty Liver, USA: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32928581/ 2. Eggs and Fatty Liver, Iran: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5387362/ 3. Eggs and eczema: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17573718/ 4. Eggs and Metabolic Syndrome, China: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/34506988/ 5. Eggs and Diabetes 1, USA: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4861752/ 6. Eggs and Diabetes 2, USA: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/32453379/ 7. Eggs and TMAO: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC4135488/ 8. Eggs and Heart Disease / Mortality: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6439941/ 9. Eggs and Heart Failure, Sweden: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/26399866/ 10. Eggs, Diabetes, and Heart Disease 1, USA: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/10217054/ 11. Eggs, Diabetes, and Heart Disease 2, USA: https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/17179903/ 12. Eggs, Diabetes, and Heart Disease: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2911502/ 13. Eggs, Diabetes, Mortality, Greece: https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1111/j.1365-2796.2006.01638.x 14. Eggs, Diabetes, Mortality, USA: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2386667/…… Read more on the PricePlow Blog

https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/sibyl-swift-lance-blundell-cbdmd-089 On March 27, 2023 we hosted a tremendous conversation with Dr. Sibyl Swift and Lance Blundell of cbdMD, a premier hemp-based health solution company that sells CBD — and even THC — based supplements. In Lance’s words, they are a “hemp-extracted cannabinoid company”. Sibyl is cbdMD’s Chief Science Officer & VP of Regulatory Affairs, while Lance is the General Counsel at cbdMD. Together, they provide a powerhouse combination of science and regulatory affairs, and in the hemp-based industry, there’s plenty to discuss on that front. After getting into their backgrounds, we discuss the ongoing issues between the FDA and CBD supplements, how cbdMD can legally sell THC products online, what CBD can actually do for consumers, and they problems a legitimate company like cbdMD faces in this wild world. This one’s a good one, and it won’t be our last. As major updates regarding the FDA’s regulatory situation with CBD arise, and hemp-based research moves forward, we’ll be sure to have them back on. Watch on YouTube below, or listen on your favorite podcast app in our audio feeds: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ZoR0IOZGWc Sybil Swift and Lance Blundell of cbdMD: Detailed Show Notes (0:00) – Introductions – Dr. Sibyl was at the FDA! (5:00) – cbdMD – Who they are and the goals for the company (9:45) – The CBD Market and what’s happening within this space (11:50) – Compliance is the hardest complication with CBD & Hemp (16:30) – How should the FDA deal with CBD and Hemp companies like yourself? (20:30) – Partnering with Whoop for a study (22:00) – Sibyl talks about her time working for the FDA (27:45) – What exactly have the FDA said about CBD (33:20) – How does the FDA regulate CBD when it is a much bigger market than supplements (35:00) – Why is it legal for cbdMD to sell THC over the counter like they do? (40:00) – CBD and Delta 8, turning CBD into Delta 8 (42:00) – The ratio of CBD to THC and how it feels when taken as a supplement (44:45) – The difference between cbdMD and other people in the space selling CBD (49:45) – Bringing CBD into the sport and athlete market (53:15) – EnXtra and how it works (58:30) – What claims can be made for CBD/THC etc? (1:05:25) – Claims can’t be made due to the FDA’s stance on CBD (1:09:20) – Does getting high have anything to do with the safety of the ingredient? (1:11:32) – What are the concerns for safety with people buying CBD? (1:13:28) – How can we help you here at PricePlow and in the Supplement industry in general? (1:16:54) – Have you looked into endocannabinoids and things like Anandamide? (1:19:30) – How do you see the future of CBD and Hemp? Thank you to Dr. Sibyl and Lance for joining us! How to follow Dr. Sybil, Lance, and cbdMD: Dr. Sibyl Swift on LinkedIn Lance Blundell on LinkedIn cbdMD on LinkedIn cbdMD on Instagram You can also sign up for PricePlow’s cbdMD news alerts and we’ll contact you when new cbdMD content or product updates occur through our system!