The PricePlow Podcast

Almost everyone working within the dietary supplement industry knows Diana Morgan, the VP of Global Regulatory and Government Affairs at Nutrabolt. But it’s not just all that C4 that makes Diana an industry rock star — it’s the social events she puts on as well! In 2020, when industry trade shows abruptly shut down, Diana decided that it was time to bring back human physical contact. She started a series of in-person social events and parties known as What’s Up With Supps, and continues the tradition by hosting supplement industry parties alongside major industry gatherings and expos. We had Diana on to talk about her upcoming Retro Toy Party, which will be the final industry event in Las Vegas at SupplySide West 2023, held on Thursday, October 26 at the House of Blues. Diana explains the creation of What’s Up With Supps, and then we get into some of her regulatory work at Nutrabolt, talk energy drinks, and reminisce over our trip to Washington DC at this year’s Fly-In Day with Natural Products Association. Fun episode here, and if you’re going to be at SupplySide West, then meet up with us at the party! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iAN49RHVOkY Show notes at https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/diana-morgan-whats-up-with-supps-115 Show Notes with Diana Morgan: What’s Up with Supps (0:00) – Introductions (2:15) – What’s Up With Supps Retro Toy Party for SupplySide West 2023 (5:30) – Industry Events (9:30) – Diana’s Role at Nutrabolt (16:00) – Vitamin Shoppe (21:30) – Advocating in DC (26:00) – Labeling and marketing (35:45) – GRAS status (43:00) – Amino acid calorie count (48:00) – Wrap up and SupplySide West Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast Thanks for joining us, Diana! You can head back to the PricePlow Podcast and subscribe on your platform of choice.

The man, the myth, the legend — TJ Humphreys — joins PricePlow Podcast for Episode #114 to talk about All Black Everything (ABE), a new dietary supplement brand in America based upon UK-based Applied Nutrition’s pre-workout supplement. Mike and Ben joined TJ in Plano, TX to get TJ’s entire backstory, which starts at Lone Star Distribution, VPX Sports, and then the legendary run at ProSupps. After a quick pit-stop at RYSE Supps (see Episode #060), TJ’s good friends running Applied Nutrition out of England decided that they wanted to team up to bring their brand to America. And who better to call than TJ? So TJ started the American version of the brand, kicking it off with the ABE Pre-Workout and ABE Energy Drink. The offering has expanded into more stores since then, which includes ABE Pump, their stimulant-free pre-workout supplement powered by Nutrition21’s Nitrosigine. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/tj-humphreys-all-black-everything-114 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SjWKUIfLdjk Note: with this launch, you’ll be able to save with coupon code PRICEPLOW at AbeNation.com Show Notes with TJ Humphreys: All Black Everything Brings Edge (0:00) – Introductions (2:30) – TJ’s Background – Lone Star, VPX, and ProSupps (12:45) – The value of passion in a venture (18:15) – New business (27:00) – Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde (31:30) – The value of expertise and distribution (34:45) – The ProSupps Collaboration with DJ Khaled (40:30) – Retail and market feedback (48:30) – TJ’s Partnerships and All Black Everything’s Creation in the USA (55:30) – Manufacturing in the UK and Branding (1:03:30) – Marketing and exclusive flavors (1:13:15) – Creatine in ABE Pump (1:20:15) – Nitrosigine and More Nootropics in ABE Pump (1:25:00) – ABE Distribution and Funding Where to Follow TJ Humphreys and All Black Everything TJ Humphreys on Instagram: @ceo_swole All Black Everything Instagram: @ABENation TJ Humphreys on LinkedIn Thank you TJ and Nutrition21! Thanks again to Nutrition21 for sponsoring this episode, and to TJ and ABE for paying for Ben’s flight to Dallas. Sign up for PricePlow’s Nutrition21 news alerts so that you don’t miss any more major announcements and incredible industry podcasts!

https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/tim-gritzman-natural-body-inc-113 It’s been too long since Tim Gritzman of Natural Body Inc — everybody’s favorite retailer in New York — has graced us with his presence on the PricePlow Podcast. Last seen in Episodes #044 and #045, Tim continues to keep the ship straight with this business partner, Steve Calabrese. For this episode, we discuss their latest Epic Block Party, which is an annual gathering / “sidewalk sale” / mini-expo of sorts that attracts 50+ brands, athletes, and business owners to New York every summer. We also get into Tim’s Flyby videos, and Tim’s Flyby Founding Principles, where he explains where there is “best”. If you’re into pre-workout supplements, retail store settings, and a touch of recent drama (and why Tim stays out of it as a retailer), then this episode is for you! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qHK-TlkVaXc Detailed Show Notes: Tim Gritzman Recaps Natural Body Inc’s 2023 Epic Block Party (0:00) – Introductions (6:30) – Pre-workout trends (13:00) – Consumer behavior (20:00) – Tim’s career (29:30) – Natural Body Inc’s Epic Block Parties (41:45) – Influencer Marketing (48:15) – Partnerships and sponsorships (58:00) – Promotional content ratio (1:05:00) – Skepticism about brands (1:12:45) – Community engagement (1:19:15) – Content strategy (1:25:00) – Product launches at the Block Party 1:39:00 What’s next for Natural Body Inc? Tim says that launches are so frequent that it changes week to week. He is of course preparing for Black Friday and the holiday season. In addition, Block Party is not necessarily a deeper discount than Black Friday, but it has more merch and is more of an experience. Tim is also shifting more into content with a new reel series on Instagram. He stresses the difficulty of meeting the 90 second time constraint. Tim discusses some new content and the differences between scientists and alchemists. Scientists care about the data and the stats, whereas the alchemists care about transferring the feeling of the pre-workout to a better workout. They talk about how even when ingredients are included below a clinical dosage, they can still retain efficacy. The goal is improving knowledge and enjoyment in the supplement industry. Tim reiterates that one of his foundational principles is that Natural Body is primarily a hospitality company, and secondarily a supplement company. (1:50:15) – Wrapping up Coverage of Product Launches from the 2023 Block Party Core Nutritionals x Natural Body Inc. The Big Crangrapple! MuscleSport x Natural Body Inc: Lemon Pound Cake Lean Whey and Creatine Hydration Where to Follow Natural Body Inc, Tim, and Steve Tim Gritzman on Instagram Tim Gritzman on YouTube Natural Body Inc on Instagram Steve Calabrese on Instagram … Read more on the PricePlow Blog

https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/peptistrong-nuritas-neil-foster-112 One of the most interesting ingredients we’ve covered this year is PeptiStrong, a pro-anabolic natural peptide network extracted from fava beans. Although technically a protein, PeptiStrong is not a dietary protein supplement like whey or casein – it’s actually a signaling network, meaning it delivers instructions to your cells that ultimately crank up their anabolic machinery. This means faster recovery, bigger gains, and even anti-catabolic action. This also means that it’s a complex and science-heavy ingredient, so we brought Neil Foster of Nuritas onto the PricePlow Podcast for Episode #112 to explain the story behind PeptiStrong. Nuritas is the biotechnology company that developed and sells the novel ingredient it, and they have revolutionary AI-driven research tools that led to its discovery and creation. If you want to read our long-from article about PeptiStrong, check out PeptiStrong: Natural Anabolic Ingredient from Fava Beans. But if you’d rather watch and listen to the full story and learn about the research behind it, then it’s right here on the PricePlow Podcast: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cyq_VQmS8Pc Detailed Show Notes: Neil Foster of Nuritas Explains PeptiStrong (0:00) – Neil Foster Introduction (01:35) – Neil’s Background (03:00) – What’s Really In Food? (03:47) – How Does AI Research Work? (07:20) – Looking For Mechanisms vs. Outcomes (10:06) – Marketing With AI (11:50) – How Is AI-Driven Research A “Magnifier” Technology? (14:03) – Is PeptiStrong Unique To Fava Beans? (15:01) – PeptiStrong Data (18:07) – Peptides As Cellular Instructions (19:40) – Nuritas / GNC Partnership (20:12) – Human Clinical Studies – Leg Immobilization Recovery (26:53) – Human Clinical Studies – Exercise Recovery (28:37) – Neil’s Use Of PeptiStrong (29:22) – Recovery Is More Than Just Exercise (30:44) – Why Did Nuritas Focus On Muscle? (32:35) – Anti-Aging Applications For PeptiStrong? (36:13) – How To Take PeptiStrong (39:16) – Mike and Neil’s Standard Dosing Schedules (40:40) – PeptiStrong Bioavailability (41:30) – PeptiStrong Leg Extension Recovery Study (46:48) – Low Exercise Intensity As Confounding Variable (47:32) – PeptiStrong and Hormones (49:58) – PeptiStrong Protects Against Overtraining? (53:27) – PeptiStrong Mechanisms – Fully Understood? (54:49) – PeptiStrong Use Cases (55:42) – PeptiStrong and Joint Health (58:27) – PeptiStrong and Metabolic Health (1:00:59) – Neil’s Career (1:04:09) – New Studies Coming Where to Follow Nuritas and Neil Nuritas on LinkedIn Neil Foster on LinkedIn Thanks to Neil for taking the time to discuss this new peptide, and the revolutionary research tools that enabled is development. Until next time, return to the PricePlow Podcast — please subscribe on your favorite platform and leave a good review!

https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/brian-littlefield-jocko-fuel-111 On September 7, 2023, Team PricePlow traveled northeast to Maine, to visit the offices of Jocko Fuel and Origin USA. Jocko Fuel was born out of Origin, who manufactures jiu-jitsu gis, boots, and other apparel in the USA, using American materials. After touring the facility, we sat down with Brian Littlefield, co-founder and Chief Product Officer of Jocko Fuel. We came primarily to introduce the new Jocko Pre-Workout, but actually kicked it off by trying the new Blue Raspberry Jocko Go energy drinks, a Vitamin Shoppe exclusive. In this long and incredible conversation, we first talk about the founding of Origin and the arrival of retired US Navy Seal Commander Jocko Willink, which led to the creation of Jocko Fuel. After introducing the new Jocko Pre-Workout formula (first released on PricePlow through this podcast), we discuss why Jocko Fuel only uses natural flavoring and sweeteners, avoiding sucralose, aspartame, and ace-K at all times. The trio also discusses other products coming down the pipe, life lessons from jiu-jitsu, Brian’s background, products that are made in the USA, and some of the “tuition payments” they had to make as a growing brand. This was an all-around incredible trip, one of our best podcasts ever, and we’re more than honored to be the team to disclose the Jocko Pre-Workout to the world. Detailed show notes are below — you can listen on your favorite audio podcast app or watch on YouTube: Watch on Video: Jocko’s Black Belt Formulator, Brian Littlefield https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g5HZb-Y1Z3k Our Trip Recap to Maine, Visiting Jocko Fuel and Origin View this post on Instagram A post shared by PricePlow (@priceplow) Detailed Show Notes with Brian Littlefield (0:00) – Introductions and Go Energy Drinks (14:00) – Jocko Fuel’s Branding (20:30) – Jocko’s affiliation with Origin (24:15) – Partnerships (29:45) – New JOCKO GO flavors (36:15) – The Jocko Pre-Workout (41:00) – The philosophy behind JOCKO FUEL (54:00) – The importance of good partnership alignment (1:04:30) – Caffeine and sweeteners (1:19:00) – Making “Life Bets” (1:29:20) – Upcoming Product with the 3-Sweetener Trifecta (1:31:30) – Hydrate, and Jocko Fuel’s Stance on Carbs (1:33:30) – What is Brian? Brian’s Background in Supplements (1:43:30) – The learning principles of jiu-jitsu (1:48:00) – New Jocko Molk Protein Bags, Retail Exclusivity (1:49:45) – Jocko Greens (1:57:30) – The Behemoth that is Jocko and his Podcast (2:01:00) – Will Jocko Fuel try Manufacturing in the USA again? (2:08:45) – If only PricePlow were doing this in 2016… (2:14:45) – We need more research data (2:18:30) – Made in the USA? (2:26:15) – Recap at the End Important Links Sign up for Jocko Fuel news alerts on PricePlow Follow… Read more on the PricePlow Blog

https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/ken-huntly-gnc-merchandising-110 Team PricePlow recently traveled to GNC headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA to support the Kaged Elite Series launch, the largest product launch in the retailer’s history with a whopping 27 SKUs. In Episode #098, Ben interviewed GNC’s Nate Frazier (Chief Operating Officer) and Kenneth Huntly (VP of Merchandising) at the company’s 2023 Franchise Convention. However, that was a quick conversation, so this time, we had to do it again with Ken, zeroing in on his hunt for innovation and collaboration. Ken brings more than 20 years of experience in merchandising to the role, and has hit some grand slams lately, so it’s always great to get a chance to pick his brain. Aside from Kaged, we talk about other things they’re excited about, spending some time discussing the recent Marvel collaboration in GNC’s Pro Performance 100% Whey Protein. There are other exciting new brands heading to GNC, including Raw Nutrition and an exclusive on CBum’s Thuper Thavage pre-workout supplement. Detailed notes are below, and you can watch on YouTube or listen on your favorite audio podcast app: Watch on Video: On the Brad Hunt with GNC’s Ken Huntly https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBpTayOra2U Detailed Show Notes: On the Hunt for Innovation at GNC (0:00) – Introductions (2:00) – A Retailer’s Challenges from a Buyer’s Perspective (12:45) – GNC Kaged Partnership (20:30) – GNC’s Latest Products (25:00) – Long-term relationships (30:30) – Retail involvement in viral marketing and trends (33:30) – The importance of good data (37:00) – Energy drinks, functional foods, and RTDs Important Links Sign up for Beyond Raw news alerts on PricePlow Follow @GNCLiveWell and @BeyondRawLabs on Instagram Follow Ken Huntly on LinkedIn Thanks to Kaged and GNC for having Team PricePlow at both the 2023 Franchise Convention and for the epic Kaged launch! You can subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on the podcast app of your choice.

https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/2023-supplement-sales-trends-sportlife-109 In Episode #102 of the PricePlow Podcast, we hosted Michael Rossman of SportLife Nutrition, who explained the rapidly-growing supplement distributor’s business model and future plans. Q3 2023 Trends: PricePlow Jams with the SportLife Sales Team Towards the end of that episode, we decided it would be a good idea to get together with the SportLife sales team, who talk to the retailers and get the word out about hot products, new deals, and ongoing trends. These are the guys with daily touch points with the proverbial “feet on the street”, so they bring a wealth of knowledge into brands, products, and categories that are hot and heavy. This was a fun and informative podcast, and we hope to run it quarterly or at least twice a year. Inside, we cover a lot of brands and products – some that PricePlow’s followers are very familiar with, others that may be new. This episode’s cast includes Sami Ghanem, Jordan Varela, and Dylan Betcher, making for a lively quintet alongside Mike and Ben. This one may be better to watch on video (below the audio buttons) because of the larger number of participants, but you should still subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite podcast app as well as the YouTube channel below: Watch on Video: The SportLife Distribution Sales Team Talks Q3-2023 Trends https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzLCEssouag Detailed Show Notes with the SportLife Sales Team (0:00) – Introductions (11:00) – Gorilla Mind and Alpha Lion (15:30) – Launch Logistics – Getting Distributors involved (19:45) – Morphogen Nutrition – An Upcoming Star in Distribution (25:15) – Geographic differences of brands (30:00) – Regulatory approach to ingredients (34:00) – Brands owned by one group (48:00) – Snacks (1:02:30) – Distributor partnerships (1:06:00) – Demographic differences (1:13:15) – More Functional foods (1:16:00) – Lower-caffeine drinks (1:20:45) – Paraxanthine (1:28:15) – Wrapping up How to Follow SportLife Nutrition Website: SportLifeDistribution.com SportLife Jobs: SportLife Distribution Jobs LinkedIn: SportLife Distribution Instagram: @SportLifeDistribution Thanks again to the SportLife team for pulling this together! You can head back to the PricePlow Podcast — subscribe and leave a review on your favorite platform.

https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/arla-foods-ingredients-whey-protein-108 Here on PricePlow, we’re happy to eat some crow. We recently mentioned that there hasn’t been much innovation in protein itself, and that most innovation has been coming in the add-on ingredients and protein enhancement technologies. It turns out that we were wrong — there’s plenty of protein innovation coming, especially in the field of whey protein. To understand more, we brought on two experts in the field of dairy proteins to explain: Arla Foods Ingredients: Innovating Whey Protein Jakob Madsen Pedersen and Preston Losee of Arla Foods Ingredients joined the PricePlow Podcast for Episode #108 to give us a “Dairy 101” lesson, and explain what the protein experts are up to in the coming months. Arla Foods Ingredients is a subsidiary of Arla Foods, the Danish dairy conglomerate that serves as the world’s third-largest dairy. After learning about their dairy process in general, we get to learn about the innovative new liquids and powders coming from Arla Foods Ingredients, including ISO WaterShake (a better clear whey protein isolate than what’s currently on the market) and Beta Lactoglobulin (BLG), which has a higher percentage of leucine inside. This was educational, and coming after this on PricePlow, we’ve put together a contest with three manufacturers to see who can flavor ISO WaterShake the best. Let’s dig in: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sQwmjHMpvcw Detailed Show Notes: Innovating Whey Protein with Arla Foods Ingredients (0:00) – Introductions (3:15) – The many applications of whey protein (9:45) – Arla’s various whey offerings (13:15) – Specific protein extraction: Beta-Lactoglobulin for sports nutrition (17:00) – Beta-Lactoglobulin’s practicality (21:45) – Protein taste profiles (25:00) – How is Arla’s Clear Protein (ISO.WaterShake) Better? (31:00) – Is Arla’s BLG also clear? (37:15) – Essential amino acids (42:00) – Protein structures – What is a “major protein” like BLG? (49:15) – What about WPC-34? (54:15) – Whey and casein combination (58:15) – Coming Next: PricePlow’s ISO.WaterShake Flavor competition Thanks so much to Jakob and Preston for coming on and educating us — we’re incredibly excited about the new products to come! Where to Follow Arla Foods Ingredients Arla Foods Ingredients on LinkedIn Jakob Madsen Pedersen on LinkedIn Preston Losee on LinkedIn You can sign up for our Arla Foods Ingredients news alerts on PricePlow, so that you get notified when new products, studies, and news come out with any of their ingredients!

https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/trung-nguyen-we-go-home-107 With the Global War on Terror drawing to a close, America’s Special Operations veterans are returning stateside and starting lifestyle brands in numerous industries. With that has come a tidal wave of social media content about tactics, physical training, and mindset, as these veterans reach out to share what they’ve learned with their civilian countrymen. Enter retired US Army Ranger Trung Nguyen of We Go Home. He and his brand are a huge part of this trend, and have earned their place at the center of the tactically-focused nutritional supplement market. We Go Home’s core ethos is simple, but profound – Trung wants to sell products that can help tactical operators, whether military or law enforcement, perform at their physical and mental peak. Peak performance as a team means everybody has the best chance of coming home safe. Besides selling awesome supplements, We Go Home offers apparel and strives to uphold a high standard of physical and mental excellence for all, not just military, LE, or first responders. We sat down with Trung to talk about his story, the lessons he learned in the military, and the importance of hybrid athleticism among other things. But we also dove pretty deep into his stack of supplements, including his new No Sacrifice No Victory 2.0 pre-workout supplement. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8lr2mJtrBOA Detailed Show Notes with Trung Nguyen Note: In this podcast, we don’t get incredibly in-depth with Trung’s military and law enforcement life. For more background on that, you can also listen to him on Episode 107 of the Zero Limits Podcast. (0:00) – Trung Nguyen Introduction (03:00) – The Tactical Importance of Fitness (06:30) – What Makes We Go Home Different? (09:45) – Substance Over Style (12:30) – Where Does The “We Go Home” Name Come From? (14:30) – The Importance of Truth for Authenticity (18:15) – Never Penny Pinch On Performance (21:45) – No Sacrifice No Victory 2.0 Ingredients (23:00) – Is NSNV’s Huge Pump a Problem For Aerobic Activity? (23:30) – Ingredient Dosing (24:45) – We Go Home’s Formulation Support from PricePlow (25:15) – Citrulline Malate And Truth In Advertising (27:00) – Never Stop Working! (28:15) – Stim vs. Non-Stim (29:30) – Flavors! Spicy Mangonada (31:00) – What’s Next For We Go Home? (32:45) – Tropical Storm 2.0, the We Go Home Greens And Reds (33:30) – Exceptions To The Rule (36:00) – We Go Home’s Message (37:00) – Evolution of We Go Home (38:30) – We Go Home’s Politics, or Lack Thereof (42:00) – The Value And Challenge of Entrepreneurship (45:30) – How And Why To Become An Entrepreneur (47:15) – Trung’s Take On The Grind (49:30) – We Go Home’s Target Markets (50:45) – Being A Hybrid Athlete (51:15) – We Go Home’s Company Culture (52:20) – Walking The Walk (53:40) – Guerilla Strength (Creatine Formula) (59:00) – In It To Win It? … Read more on the PricePlow Blog

https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/mike-mccandless-106 If you’ve been around the supplement industry the past decade or two, you’ve undoubtedly heard of Mike McCandless, the founder of Scivation and creator of the legendary Xtend BCAA formula that upended the entire sports nutrition industry. Mike McCandless: A Master of Supplement Business Transactions The last time we publicly spoke was when Scivation was sold to NutraBolt in early 2017, but that wasn’t Mike’s first — nor last — business transaction. Before Scivation took off, he started in retail and Internet retail, running and selling 1Fast400 and Bulk Nutrition. After Scivation, he also started and sold KetoLogic and FBomb, and also finally parted ways with his PrimaForce single-ingredient brand that was a longtime PricePlow favorite. Mike’s been listening to the PricePlow Podcast, and, well, he’s got a lot to say. As is often the case with him. So we brought him on to tell his story, give his opinions, and see what he might do next. With no more non-competes in the industry, Mike’s possibly itching to get involved in the next big thing, but at the “old” age of 44, he’s not interested in another startup. He is, however, interested in helping good people turn their supplement businesses into transactable entities that can be sold. Prepare yourself for a podcast of the ages. There is a 0% chance you’ll listen to this and not learn or laugh. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iR3nuvMe5VY Detailed Show Notes with Mike McCandless Note: In these show notes, Mike McCandless will just be called Mike. For references to PricePlow’s Mike, we’ll note him as “Mike R”. (0:00) – Introductions (2:00) – Mike’s origin story and synopsis of sales (4:45) – What is 1Fast400?! Flashback to the Bodybuilding.com Forums (8:00) – Prohormones and Ephedra: The OG Industry Seed Funding in the 2000s (15:00) – The hidden lesson from Bulk Nutrition (16:45) – Question: Why not continue down this path to success? (18:25) – Answer: A counterfeit lawsuit takes down Mike’s retailers (21:00) – Scivation and Branched-Chain Amino Acids (22:30) – The Start of Scivation Xtend (25:15) – Knowing everyone through online retail but trying to start a brand (26:00) – Enter Marc Lobliner, Exit Marc Lobliner (27:30) – Chris Lockwood and the Reflavoringg / Reformulation (30:00) – Beware of “Built to Sell”? (33:30) – 2012: Nutrabolt’s First Acquisition Offer (34:45) – CEO is a Very Overused Term – Getting a Real CEO (37:00) – What changes did the private equity group force? (41:00) – “It’s Just Widgets” (42:00) – Sidebar to Scivation Flexatril (43:45) – The team you start with is almost never the team you end with (46:00) – Gamechanger: Bringing competent staff to GNC (47:45) – Going Pro: Raising Xtend’s Price and Doubling Sales (49:30) – Mike’s real reason for Xtend’s success (55:00) – Winning in retail: Commentary on Vitamin Shoppe Episode #105 (59:30) – Driving Traffic to a Retailer: Can Mike still hang? (1:05:30) – “Supplement Brands” Aren’t Brands (1:06:00) – Why Nutrabolt Bought Scivation (Xtend really) (1:07:00) – How the Scivation / Xtend sale happened (1:09:45) – What key things did Scivati… Read more on the PricePlow Blog