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In Episode #169 of the PricePlow Podcast, Mike and Ben sit down with industry veterans Jack Sehgal and Ben Benedict at the 2025 GNC Global Conference to explore the remarkable journey behind Nutralabz and its two breakthrough brands: Basic Supplements and GR8 Lifestyle. This conversation reveals the strategic thinking, authentic partnerships, and “daily driver” philosophy that have rapidly transformed these concepts into successful retail brands. Jack, CEO of Nutralabz and the manufacturing powerhouse behind both brands, shares his evolution from behind-the-scenes manufacturer to brand storyteller, while Ben Benedict brings his extensive GNC franchise background and sales expertise as the newly appointed Chief Revenue Officer. Together, they've created what they call a “brand house” – a strategic approach to developing multiple brands that serve different consumer needs without competing against each other. The discussion dives deep into the revolutionary “daily driver” concept that sparked Basic Supplements, the premium lifestyle positioning of GR8, and the unique eight-ingredient formula constraint that has become central to their product development philosophy. From the authentic friendship forged over a Ruth's Chris dinner to the community-over-competition mentality that's reshaping industry relationships, this episode offers rare insights into modern supplement brand building and the power of strategic partnerships. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/jack-sehgal-ben-benedict-nutralabz-gr8-gnc-169 Video: Jack Sehgal & Ben Benedict Share the Nutralabz Story https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K1gmJdhIJsQ Detailed Show Notes: Building the Nutralabz Brand House (0:00) – Introductions: From Buffalo to GNC Global Conference (0:45) – Ben Benedict's Journey: From Sneaker Sales to Supplement Industry Leadership (4:10) – The Jack and Ben Partnership: Two Years from Concept to Reality (5:50) – Jack's Evolution: From Behind-the-Scenes to Brand Storyteller (8:30) – The Daily Driver Revolution: Addressing Market Overcomplexity (10:30) – Basic Supplements Philosophy: Transparency and Simplicity (14:00) – GR8 Lifestyle: Premium Performance for Modern Lifestyles (18:30) – The Eight-Ingredient Constraint: Innovation Through Limitation (22:30) – Community Over Competition: Reshaping Industry Relationships (25:00) – Manufacturing Excellence and Brand Differentiation (29:30) – Real-World Retail Success: Consumer and Retailer Feedback (34:00) – PricePlow's Product Development Partnership (38:00) – International Success and Growth Strategy (40:30) – The Brand House Vision: Future Expansion Plans (43:30) – Lessons Learned and Strategic Focus (47:00) – Industry Evolution and Future Outlook Where to Follow and Learn More Jack Sehgal: LinkedIn Ben Benedict: LinkedIn Basic Supplements: Learn about… Read more on the PricePlow Blog
In episode #166 of the PricePlow Podcast, Mike and Ben welcome Ed Dosz, VP of Science Innovation at NutriScience Innovations, to discuss MalTor, a groundbreaking ingredient that combines taurine and L-malic acid in a patent-pending complex. With his Ph.D. in food science and extensive background at NOW Foods, Ed brings deep scientific expertise to the conversation about this novel recovery-enhancing and mitochondria-supporting ingredient. Ed Dosz & NutriScience's MalTor: Revolutionizing Recovery Through Mitochondrial Support The discussion explores MalTor's development journey from initial concept to clinical validation, highlighting how this uniquely-complexed ingredient improves upon the individual benefits of taurine and L-malic acid. Ed explains the rigorous research process behind MalTor, including preclinical nematode studies and human clinical research conducted by Dr. Jose Antonio showing significant benefits for muscle recovery and pain threshold management after intense exercise. Beyond recovery applications, the conversation ventures into MalTor's potential for healthy aging, sports nutrition formulations, and synergistic combinations with other ingredients like citrulline. The episode also features an enlightening tangent into Ed's background as the “Broccoli Guy,” where he shares fascinating insights about sulforaphane and optimal cooking methods to preserve broccoli's bioactive compounds. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast for more conversations with industry insiders on breakthrough ingredients and the science behind effective supplementation! https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/podcast/nutriscience-maltor-ed-dosz-166 Video: Ed Dosz Explains NutriScience's MalTor – Taurine & Malic Acid Complexed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jC7JzhKaEgA Detailed Show Notes: The Science Behind MalTor with Ed Dosz (0:00) – Introduction and Ed's Scientific Background (4:15) – NutriScience Innovations: Company Overview and Philosophy (11:45) – The Development of MalTor: From Concept to Finished Ingredient (19:00) – The Scientific Rationale Behind MalTor (24:30) – Research Methods: From Nematodes to Human Studies (33:40) – Human Clinical Research on MalTor (38:00) – Recovery Applications and Mechanisms (42:00) – Formulation Applications and Synergies (44:15) – Additional Product Formats and Applications (48:45) – Healthy Aging Applications for MalTor (53:00) – Additional Ingredient Combinations for Healthy Aging (55:00) – The “Broccoli Guy”: Ed's Research on Sulforaphane (1:04:00) – Closing Thoughts and Contact Information Where to Find Ed Dosz and Learn More About MalTor NutriScience Innovations: NutriScienceUSA.com (track news on PricePlow.com/nutriscience NutriScience on LinkedIn: LinkedIn.com/company/nutriscience-innovations-llc/ Ed Dosz on LinkedIn: LinkedIn.com/in/edward-dosz/ MalTor Breakdown Article:… Read more on the PricePlow Blog
I'd like to thank the Austin Business Journal for carrying on this decade-long tradition of sporadically mentioning Nutrabolt IPO rumors after each new major business milestone has been reached. The first IPO rumors showed up in an August 2014 PricePlow blog post…after it noticed a spike in search traffic related to Nutrabolt receiving a significant minority investment from private equity firm, MidOcean Partners. Then, at the end of 2022…I predicted Nutrabolt would go public within the next year after receiving an $863 million investment from Keurig Dr Pepper. But what major business milestone did Nutrabolt recently reach that restarted this IPO rumors heading into 2025? Nutrabolt just exceeded one billion dollars in trailing twelve months retail sales data. And you might be wondering…how elusive is that feat? Within the ingestible CPG categories of food, beverage, and supplements…there's only about 80 total brands that currently exceed one billion dollars in annual retail sales. In 2002, Nutrabolt (legally known as Woodbolt Distribution) was founded with the launch of the sports nutrition brand Cellucor. And then nine years later, Cellucor launched the C4 pre-workout product, which is currently (and has been for much of the last decade) the leading pre-workout brand globally. In early-2017, Nutabolt acquired Scivation, the maker of the top-selling post-workout recovery brand Xtend. But it was a year later when Nutrabolt made the single-most important decision in the company history to-date by launching carbonated C4 Energy drinks, which as I just mentioned essentially forced that hero SKU of Cellucor to be spun off into its own platform brand. Additionally, Nutrabolt acquired a significant minority stake in Bloom Nutrition last January…having the strategic foresight to allocate a portion of that KDP capital beyond simply fueling the energy drinks segment growth. And by all accounts a year later that strategic investment decision has paid off mightily…especially after Nutrabolt helped Bloom successfully launch its own energy drink about six months ago. And as I predicted…with KDP being impressed by the standout launch Bloom energy drinks had at Target last summer, it decided in October to sign a national sales and distribution deal with the female-forward positioned brand that began officially this month. But while Bloom might've been the first significant minority (but strategic) investment…I don't see it being the last. And that's because since that Nutrabolt and KDP deal content…I've been forthcoming on my belief that the executive leadership team is strategically focused on building a health and wellness focused version of Unilever. But while some portfolio expansion might come from internal brand (and product) development, I believe most will happen from accretive deal making that extends Nutrabolt into more key consumer-driven wellness platforms. So, my latest first principles thinking content will start by stating assumptions of the Nutrabolt investment criteria...but then explain which brands I believe could be potential fits for Nutrabolt within the attractive consumer-driven wellness platforms of healthy longevity need states like brain/cognitive health and gut health, but also protein and hydration. Potential Targets mention include: LMNT, Seed Health, Timeline Longevity, Thorne Healthtech, Neutonic, and Legendary Foods FOLLOW ME ON MY SOCIAL MEDIA ACCOUNTS LINKEDIN YOUTUBE TWITTER INSTAGRAM FACEBOOK
In Episode 155 of the PricePlow Podcast, Ben, Mike, and a panel of beta-testers from the PricePlow Discord sit down with Dan Grasso from MuscleTech to dive into the evolution of the fan-favorite pre-workout, EuphoriQ. Known for its balanced energy and smooth focus, EuphoriQ quickly became a staple in the supplement community after its initial release with paraxanthine. Dan, who has been integral to the development of EuphoriQ V2, takes us through the journey from the original formula to this newly upgraded version, revealing the thought process and customer feedback that influenced each enhancement. Beta-Testing EuphoriQ V2: How Does the Small Yohimbe Dose Hit? Throughout the episode, the team explores how V2 preserves what made EuphoriQ popular while improving on pump, endurance, and mental clarity with adjusted doses of ingredients like L-citrulline, nitrates, and tyrosine. Dan highlights MuscleTech's approach to incorporating feedback and adapting the formula to align with evolving customer expectations, while maintaining the brand's commitment to effective, scientifically-backed products. In addition to product formulation, the discussion covers EuphoriQ V2's distribution strategy, flavor development, and MuscleTech's plans for broader accessibility. Tune in for an engaging conversation on the craft of refining a premium pre-workout, along with exclusive insights into MuscleTech's vision for the future of performance supplements. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/muscletech-euphoriq-v2-beta-test Video: The PricePlow Discord Beta-Tests EuphoriQ V2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1n9xdRdlP_E Detailed Show Notes: Beta-Testing MuscleTech EuphoriQ V2 (00:00) – Introduction to EuphoriQ V2 (00:45) – The Evolution from V1 to V2 (06:15) – User Experiences and Feedback (10:45) – Focus and Performance Insights (18:00) – Comparative Analysis with Other Pre-Workouts (22:00) – Flavor Innovations and Preferences (26:00) – Exploring Unique Flavors: Watermelon and Yuzu Lemonade (30:15) – The Future of V2: Retail Strategies and Availability (33:30) – Enhancing Focus: The Role of Tyrosine and Paraxanthine (36:15) – Expectations vs. Reality: Feedback on V2 Samples (40:45) – Potential for New Nootropic Products (42:15) – The Science Behind Beta-Alanine and User Experiences You can read our main EuphoriQ V2 article, and find deals on PricePlow in the widgets below. As always, subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your platform of choice, and leave us a 9000-star review!
On Episode #152 of the PricePlow Podcast, Mike and Ben are joined by Jonathan Scheiman, co-founder and CEO of FitBiomics, to discuss VNella, a revolutionary probiotic strain derived from the microbiomes of elite athletes. The conversation explores how this cutting-edge innovation optimizes endurance, reduces fatigue, and brings next-generation biotechnology to everyday health and performance. VNella: Optimizing Human Performance Through the Microbiome Dive into the science behind VNella, a first-of-its-kind probiotic that metabolizes lactic acid to fuel mitochondria, enhance recovery, and improve overall energy levels. Jonathan shares the groundbreaking journey of FitBiomics, from analyzing the microbiomes of ultra-endurance athletes to developing consumer products that benefit everyone from Olympians to everyday fitness enthusiasts. The trio also explore the role of athletes in product development, the broader applications of microbiome research, and FitBiomics' ambitious vision to transform health and wellness through proprietary probiotics. This is a podcast packed with science, innovation, and practical takeaways for optimizing performance and well-being. Let's dive in! https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/jonathan-scheiman-fitbiomics-158 Video: Decoding Elite Athletes' Microbiomes and Making VNella at Fitbiomics https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I2XWUZnpQP8 Detailed Show Notes with Jonathan Scheiman (00:00) – Introduction, Jonathan's Background, and the Origins of Fitbiomics (06:00) – Development of FitBiomics Products (09:30) – The Science of VNella and Lactic Acid Metabolism (11:15) – Explanation of Gut Microbiome's Role in Health and Performance (21:30) – Clinical Studies and Validation of VNella (30:30) – Practical Applications for VNella (45:15) – Athletes and Their Role in Product Development (50:45) – Big Picture and Future of FitBiomics (56:15) – Closing Thoughts and Call to Action Where to Follow Jonathan and Fitbiomics Jonathan Scheiman on LinkedIn @Fitbiomics on Instagram Fitbiomics News on PricePlow Thank you to Jonathan for coming on and educating us! Stay up to date with Fitbiomics' latest news by signing up for PricePlow's alerts below, and don't forget to subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast and leave us a great review!
In Episode 157 of the PricePlow Podcast, Mike and Ben sit down with Kyle Thomas, Chief Commercial Officer of Nutrabolt, to discuss the company's groundbreaking partnership with The Hershey Company. Kyle, who joined Nutrabolt in 2021 after years in the Coca-Cola system, provides unique insights into how this collaboration came to be and what it means for both C4 and the broader supplement industry. The conversation covers not only the recent launch of C4 Whey protein featuring real Reese's and C4 Original pre-workout with Bubble Yum flavor, but also dives deep into Kyle's strategic vision for the brand, the evolution of C4's demographics, and how the company is positioning itself in the ever-growing energy drink market. This podcast was recorded shortly after Team PricePlow's visit to Nutrabolt HQ in Austin, Texas, making for some timely discussion of upcoming innovations. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and watch on YouTube to stay updated on the supplement industry's biggest moves! https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/kyle-thomas-nutrabolt-c4-hershey-157 Video: C4's Kyle Thomas Talks Hershey Partnership & Brand Strategy https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0yzsJca0cNA Detailed Show Notes with Kyle Thomas (0:00) – Introductions & Kyle's Background: A Wild Ride to Nutrabolt (4:00) – The Evolution of Sports Nutrition on Coca-Cola's Radar (9:00) – The Hershey Partnership (16:30) – Brand Strategy & Demographics (27:00) – Product Development & Testing (35:00) – Master Branding Strategy (42:00) – Keurig Dr Pepper Partnership Where to Follow Kyle, Nutrabolt, and C4 Kyle Thomas on LinkedIn @C4Energy on Instagram @Cellucor on Instagram Cellucor News on PricePlow Thank you to Kyle Thomas and the entire Nutrabolt team for hosting us at their headquarters and sharing insights into their exciting partnership with The Hershey Company. We're looking forward to trying more innovative collaborations in the future! Stay up to date with Cellucor/C4's latest releases by signing up for PricePlow's news alerts, and don't forget to subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast and leave us a great review!
In Episode 153 of the PricePlow Podcast, we're joined by Danielle Citrolo, Vice President of Scientific and Regulatory Affairs at Kyowa Hakko USA, to discuss exciting new research on Cognizin Citicoline. Cognizin, an industry-leading nootropic ingredient known for its benefits in brain health, has long been praised for its ability to support focus, memory, and attention. In this episode, Danielle dives deep into the latest findings, highlighting the cutting-edge science behind how Cognizin impacts gene expression at the cellular level, offering fresh insights into how it supports cognitive function. Analyzing Cognizin Citicoline at the Genetic Level Danielle explains how recent studies using a sophisticated triculture model of brain cells revealed new mechanisms of action for citicoline. By examining gene expression and neuronal activity, researchers were able to uncover how Cognizin affects brain structure and function, from enhancing neuronal communication to promoting healthy cholesterol synthesis in the brain. These discoveries take the understanding of Cognizin's benefits to the next level, offering a deeper look at how this powerful nootropic works beyond just boosting focus and attention. Throughout the episode, Danielle also touches on the broader implications of this research, particularly in the areas of mitochondrial health and neuroprotection. With ongoing studies into its potential benefits for women's cognitive health, sleep quality, and mood regulation, Cognizin continues to lead the way in the nootropic industry. Whether you're a biohacker, a health enthusiast, or simply curious about the latest advancements in brain health, this episode is packed with exciting discoveries. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/danielle-citrolo-cognizin-genetic-research-153 Video: Daneille Citrolo of Kyowa Hakko Talks Cognizin Gene Research https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g53Mb2PpEf8 (00:00) – Introduction to Danielle (02:15) – Exploring the New Study on Cognizin (07:15) – Understanding Metabolomics and Cognizin (12:15) – The Triculture Model Explained (18:00) – Gene Expression and Cognizin's Impact (23:45) – Future Research Directions and Applications (28:15) – Potential in Women's Health and Cognitive Function (36:30) – Conclusion and Future Studies Where to Find Danielle and Kyowa Hakko USA Sign up for PricePlow's Kyowa Hakko news alerts Danielle Citrolo on LinkedIn Kyowa Hakko USA on LinkedIn Thanks for joining us, Daneille! Please subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on any platform and leave us reviews!
In Episode #152 of the PricePlow Podcast, Mike and Ben are joined by Shawn Wells, Chief Science Officer, and Dustin Elliott, the new Chief Brand Officer at NNB Nutrition, to explore the innovative world of nutraceuticals and the exciting future of the company. Shawn, a returning guest, shares his insights on NNB's cutting-edge ingredient development, while Dustin discusses his new role and the brand-building strategies he's implementing to drive demand for their premium ingredients in the U.S. market. The episode dives deep into NNB's latest innovations, including the highly anticipated ingredient, Dileucine (DL-185), which is poised to make a significant impact in the world of muscle protein synthesis. The conversation also covers the potential of dihydroberberine (GlucoVantage) as a powerful GLP-1 agonist, providing an accessible alternative to popular pharmaceuticals for blood sugar control and appetite suppression. Listeners will also get an inside look at NNB's product development process, including the science behind their hydration formula, ElectroPrime, and the fermentation-based innovation, SalidroPure, which offers a sustainable and potent alternative to traditional Rhodiola extract. The guys also talk about NNB's involvement in the big XPO NRG collaborative promotional energy drink made for SupplySide West. The episode then takes a pretty wild twist at the end, with Shawn explaining his psychedelic experiences and how he uses dietary supplements to replete his neurotransmitters. Packed with fascinating insights from two industry leaders, this episode is a must-listen for anyone interested in the cutting-edge science behind functional ingredients and the growing influence of the nutraceutical industry. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/shawn-wells-dustin-elliott-nnb-nutrition-152 Video: Shawn Wells and Dustin Elliott on NNB Nutrition's Growth and Future https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2bRAYNXNFnk Detailed Show Notes: Shawn and Dustin Talk GLP-1, MPS, Collab Energy, and… Pyschadelic Supplement Stacks?! (0:00) – Introductions (7:30) – GLP-1 Trends (14:00) – GlucoVantage (Dihydroberberine) Branding (22:15) – ElectroPrime and Hydration (30:00) – Dustin's Trip to China (35:45) – SalidroPure: Pure Salidroside Replacing Rhodiola Crenulata (42:30) – The XPO NRG Energy Drink Collab at SupplySide West (49:45) – How MitoPrime Works (59:00) – XPO NRG Energy Drink Continued (1:07:45) – Alpha-GPC (1:10:45) – Grains of Paradise (1:15:30) – Halloween and Leaving SupplySide West early (1:19:45) – Shawn's Story with Psychedelics (1:28:15) – Post-Journey Repletion: Shawn's Supplement Ingredients (1:39:45) – Conclusion This episode was filmed at Nutramedia's headquarters in Houston, TX. Where to Find Dustin, Shawn, and NNB Nutrition Sign up for PricePlow's NNB Nutrition news alerts @NNBNutrition on Instagram Dustin Elliott on Link... Read more on the PricePlow Blog
Ghost Lifestyle founder and CEO Dan Lourenço is back for his six appearance on the PricePlow Podcast, and this one's quite the catch-up, with discussion of all things big and small. This episode focuses mainly on the Ghost Legend V4 launch, which brings a massive formula (look at the size of the tub in the picture) yet at a lower price. We get into the economics and data (or lack thereof) for this decision, then catch up on other launches such as Ghost Energy (new flavor teased at the end), Clear Whey Isolate, Ghost Protein Cereal, minor changes to Legend ALL OUT, the Protein RTD, and the delayed-but-forthcoming Ghost Sleep supplement. Looking to the Future: The Ghost 100 Year Plan But a bigger-picture part of this discussion that cannot be missed is Dan's discussion of the Ghost 100 Year Plan, where he's focusing on building a legacy company the likes of Nike or Oreo that will outlast all of us. To do so, he's building a “team of lifers”, who he refers to as teammates, not employees. This was a great episode with some fun banter, supplement history and economics, rapid-fire product release discussion, and the big shop talk discussed above. Get in, and get ready for the huge Legend V4 tubs. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ili8e5sdAuw Show notes at https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/dan-lourenco-ghost-lifestyle-143 Legend V4 Launch Special: Show Notes with Dan Lourenço (0:00) – Introductions (12:00) – 30 Serving Tubs to Remain! (17:30) – Legend Throughout the Years (24:15) – Caffeine (31:00) – Natural Colors (41:15) – Steady Legend Prices (44:45) – The Ghost 100 Year Plan (50:00) – Biggest Challenges (55:15) – Focusing on the Brand, not Competitors (59:30) – GHOST Energy (1:04:15) – Clear Whey (1:09:00) – Shifting Industry Image (1:12:45) – Brand Authenticity (1:17:15) – Upcoming formulas (1:21:30) – What's Coming Next? How to Find Dan Dan's still off Instagram! But you can follow him and his brands at the following locations: Dan Lourenço on LinkedIn Dan Lourenço on Twitter @GhostLifestyle on Instagram @GhostGamer on Instagram @GhostEnergy on Instagram You can also sign up for PricePlow's Ghost Lifestyle news alerts so that you never miss a drop – and there are a lot of them to cover. Subscribe to the The PricePlow Podcast on any platform and leave us a good review on iTunes and Spotify!
In Episode 141 of the PricePlow Podcast, Mike and Ben welcome Chad Kerksick, President of the International Society of Sports Nutrition (ISSN), to discuss his journey in exercise science and nutrition research. As a university professor and director of the Exercise and Performance Nutrition Laboratory at Lindenwood University, Chad has tons of experience, insights, and wisdom to share. Chad begins with an overview of his academic and professional background, detailing his roles and responsibilities at Lindenwood University. He discusses the challenges of balancing his busy schedule with his desire to be more active on social media, and it's our goal to bring him out to the media world more often. The conversation then shifts to the opportunities for collaboration between academic labs and the industry, highlighting the value of attending conferences for networking and exploring potential partnerships. Chad shares insights into the types of research his lab conducts, including studies on exercise and nutritional interventions that impact health, performance, and recovery outcomes. Elite research on elite athletes One of the key highlights of the episode is Chad's discussion of a unique case study on elite CrossFit athlete Tia-Clair Toomey. He details the process of collecting blood and stool samples to analyze changes in metabolites and the microbiome during intense training and competition, offering listeners a fascinating glimpse into the complexities of researching elite athletes. Throughout the episode, Chad underscores the power of consistency in diet and exercise, sharing practical advice for maintaining a balanced lifestyle. He also touches on his key research areas, including protein supplementation, probiotics, and resistance exercise, providing valuable insights for both researchers and fitness enthusiasts. This episode is the first of a two-part series aimed at introducing Chad to the PricePlow community and recapping the highlights of the ISSN 2024 conference. The second episode will zero in on a couple of specific ingredients. Chad Kerksick: Elite Performance Research & ISSN 2024 Recap | Episode #141″>https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/chad-kerksick-issn-141 Video: Watch Chad Kerksick Discuss Research and ISSN 2024 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GMuvmSSidXc Show Notes with Chad Kerksick – ISSN, Performance, and More (00:00) – Welcome and Introduction to Chad Kerksick (05:00) – Challenges of a Busy Schedule and Social Media Presence (10:00) – Collaboration Opportunities in Academic Labs (15:00) – Recap of ISSN 2024 Conference (20:00) – Case Study on Tia-Clair Toomey's Fecal Matter (25:00) – Metagenomics and Metabolomics Analysis (30:00) – Shifts in Metabolites During Competition (35:00) – The Power of Consistency in Diet and Exercise (40:00) – Key Research Areas in Exercise Science (45:00) – Challenges and Rewards of Elite Athlete Research (50:00) – Future Research (55:00) – Podcast Wrap-Up, Closing Remarks, and Stay Tuned for Part 2 Where to Find Chad Kerksick Online Instagram: @ChadKerksick LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chadkerksick/ ISSN Website: SportsNutritionSociety.org…... Read more on the PricePlow Blog
In episode #138 of the PricePlow Podcast, we introduce you to Gary Millet, the co-founder of Axcess Global, the parent company of Ketone Labs, Real Ketones, Vault, and many others. This is a continuation of Episode #131 with Rob Rogers, Gary's business partner. In the previous episode, Rob explained how goBHB was back on the market, and took us through some of the business dealings over the past decade with the ingredients. With Gary, who has a background in biochemistry, we get into a lot of the scientific applications, focusing on using it as an energy source for cognitive support and performance. New Product Applications with BHB Gary uses quite a bit of BHB (beta-hydroxybutyrate), the ketone body that's generated when beta-oxidizing fat. You create and circulate a lot of it when in a state of ketosis, but the keto diet is no longer the focus! Instead, Gary wants to emphasize the benefits that can be had when combining it with a carbohydrate-based diet, providing the best of both worlds. After this episode, we're excited to try the ingredient at higher doses, and are still looking forward to a pure L-BHB product, which is getting produced more efficiently. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/gary-millet-gobhb-138 Video: BHB Science and Applications with Gary Millet https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3ERZoSycfYI Show Notes (0:00) – Introductions (8:00) – Ketones + Carbs = Dual Rocket Fuel? (16:15) – BHB for Energy (21:30) – Metabolic Costs (25:30) – BHB is High Efficiency (32:30) – Dosage? (39:00) – The Downsides of Fasting (41:45) – The Body's Utilization of Ketones (56:15) – Limitless? (1:01:15) – Patents (1:11:45) – The Need for Research (1:22:15) – Longevity Where to Find Ketone Labs and Gary Millet LinkedIn: Gary Millet Ketone Labs Instagram: @KetoneLabs Real Ketones on PricePlow: https://www.priceplow.com/real-ketones Vault Energy on PricePlow: https://www.priceplow.com/vault Thanks for jumping on the podcast, Gary — keep us in the loop with any scientific findings, even if unpublished! Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on any platform, sign up for our Ketones Labs news alerts on PricePlow, and leave us a great review on iTunes and Spotify!
It's an episode we've been wanting to do for years: the legendary Jose Antonio, co-founder of ISSN, the International Society of Sports Nutrition. Jose, better known as Joey, has been in the game since the very beginning, and gives us his background in an incredibly entertaining and informative podcast episode. ISSN and the Industry Battle for Creatine One of the recurring themes in the PricePlow Podcast is the insanity surrounding creatine, the naturally-found ATP booster that has hundreds of studies behind it, and an impeccable safety status. Since Joey was there from the start, we asked for his take, and got some incredible stories in the process. ISSN 2024 is Coming! Each year, ISSN hosts a conference where sports nutrition researchers, scientists, and related parties can come and present their latest work and findings. This year's conference is in Bonita Springs, Florida, coming a bit more than a month after the airing of this podcast. Joey explains how this is the best and most unique conference, and why interested parties should join and get involved. Watch the video YouTube, listen on Spotify, or find PricePlow on iTunes or any RSS-based podcast app. This podcast has been sponsored by one of ISSN's and PricePlow's mutual partners, Cognizin® Citicoline. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/jose-antono-issn-137 Video: Join Team PricePlow with Jose Antonio https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kjWPgLVkCCM Show Notes with Jose Antonio Detailed Show Notes are Coming Soon! Where to Find Jose Antonio and ISSN ISSN Website: SportsNutritionSociety.org ISSN Journal: https://www.tandfonline.com/journals/rssn20 ISSN Instagram: @the_issn Jose Antonio Instagram: @SupPHd Jose Antonio Twitter: @JoseAntonioPhD Thanks to Joey for joining us and bringing the entire industry up with you – we wouldn't be here without you (seriously). Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and see our article on Cognizin, the sponsors of this Podcast. Leave some great reviews on iTunes and Spotify!
For our final installment of Podcasts held at the 2024 Vitamin Shoppe Brand Summit, we hosted Chris Gronkowski of Ice Shaker for a fun 20 minute discussion to get the story on how he started the growing business, which was first introduced to the world on the hit TV show, Shark Tank. From the NFL to Shark Tank to the NFL: Chris Gronkowski's Ice Shaker Story In this episode, Chris details how he leveraged some success from his wife's Etsy business — which was making more money than his NFL salary — into the most innovative shaker cup company in the entire space. We learn about his experience on Shark Tank, and then get into some of the nuts and bolts of the various versions of Ice Shaker, and how he got it to where it is. We also get to learn about the numerous collaborations they have, which includes DragonBall Z and the NFL. Watch on YouTube below, listen on Spotify, or find PricePlow on iTunes or any RSS-enabled podcast app. And of course, don't forget to sign up for our Ice Shaker news alerts. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/chris-gronkowski-ice-shaker-136 Video: An Inside Look at The Vitamin Shoppe's Brands https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kl-J5gbp4Ug Show Notes with Chris Gronkowski Detailed Show Notes are coming soon! Where to Find Chris Gronkowski and Ice Shaker Ice Shaker Instagram: @IceShaker Chris Gronkowski Instagram: @ChrisGronkowski Chris Gronkowski LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/chrisgronkowski/ Ice Shaker on PricePlow Thanks to Chris for joining us and leveling up the shaker cup industry! Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for our Ice Shaker news alerts on PricePlow. Leave some great reviews on iTunes and Spotify!
Quite a bit has happened since Episode #068 with Matt Karich, the enterprising founder of Soul Performance Nutrition. He's gotten deeper into ultra-endurance sports, and has dropped a few incredible new supplements. So we brought Matt back on to talk about his latest endeavors, getting the official catch-up from over two years of progress. The two major product launches covered so far this year are Soul Performance Nutrition's Nova Immune Renewal and Nexus Peptide Complex. This brings us to talk about three specific ingredients, colostrum and lactoferrin (which make up Nova) and PeptiStrong (which stands alone in Nexus). Peptides, Milk Proteins, and Simple Sugar are Back in Style Along the way, we also get into our returning love for a simple ingredient known as sucrose, but also talk about the joys of other carbohydrate sources like honey. As Matt trains for his next 100 mile race in Northeast Ohio, he's going to need those carbs and far more. We also talk about his incredibly-designed magazine issues that you can find on Soul's website, linked below. Watch on YouTube, listen on Spotify, or find PricePlow on iTunes or any RSS-enabled podcast app. And of course, don't forget to sign up for our Soul Performance Nutrition news alerts. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/matt-karich-soul-performance-nutrition-135 Video: An Inside Look at The Vitamin Shoppe's Brands https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJQdHUq1Psc Detailed Show Notes (0:00) – Introductions (4:00) – Lactoferrin (10:30) – Colostrum (16:30) – Preparation for Burning River 100 (23:30) – The Meditation of the Run (29:15) – Reconnect with Real (39:00) – Carb Sources for Endurance (42:15) – Work / Life Balance (48:15) – Formulation (58:00) – Soul Magazine! (1:04:45) – Certifications (1:13:45) – Glass Over Plastic Where to Find Matt and Soul Performance Nutrition Soul Performance Nutrition Instagram: @soulperformancenutrition Soul Performance Nutrition on PricePlow Thanks to Matt for joining us and putting some incredible products into glass bottles! Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your preferred platform and sign up for our Soul Performance Nutrition news alerts on PricePlow. Don't forget to leave those great reviews on iTunes and Spotify!
While at the 2024 Vitamin Shoppe Brand Summit, we were honored to have none other than Jocko Willink of Jocko Fuel on the PricePlow Podcast for Episode 132. Jocko Willink: Founding Jocko Fuel and Jocko's Supplement Stack We had a quick discussion about the founding of Jocko Fuel, how they strive to do the right thing and formulate supplements in the safest way possible, and we get to hear Jocko's entire supplement stack from start to finish. We also talk about some of the ongoing regulatory activities, and learn that Jocko is very well aware of some of the challenges that the industry faces. This is a great continuation from Episode #111 with Brian Littlefield, Jocko Fuel's co-founder and formulator who hosted us in Maine late last summer. At 23 minutes, this is a short but powerful episode — you can understand the ethos of Jocko Fuel in just a few minutes of him talking. Just like Jocko himself, Jocko Fuel is the real deal. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/jocko-willink-132 Video: At The Vitamin Shoppe with Jocko Willink https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tLh1EmjoJaE Detailed Show Notes with Jocko (0:00) – Hot Mic! (0:20) – Introduction (1:00) – Being a Leader in Sports and Active Nutrition (1:15) – The founding of Jocko Fuel with Brian Littlefield (6:00) – Formulating Beyond Jocko's Use (7:30) – No artificial sweeteners! (12:15) – Jocko Fuel Living in its Own World (14:45) – Jocko Fuel getting involved in regulatory challenges (17:00) – Jocko's Supplement Stack (22:00) – Jocko Magnesium! (22:15) – Caffeine Before Jiu-Jitsu? Where to Find Jocko Willink and Jocko Fuel Jocko Willink Instagram: @JockoWillink Jocko Fuel Instagram: @JockoFuel Jocko Fuel on PricePlow: PricePlow.com/jocko-fuel Thanks again to Jocko for your valuable time. It was a pleasure talking with you both on and off camera! You can subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform, sign up for our Applied Nutrition news alerts on PricePlow, and leave us a great review on iTunes and Spotify!
For Episode #131 of the PricePlow Podcast, we sat down with Rob Rogers from Axcess Global, the parent company of Ketone Labs, Real Ketones, Vault, and many others. Ketone Labs is best known for selling goBHB, the patented exogenous BHB dietary supplement ingredient — which is the main topic of this podcast. Rob and his business partner Gary Millet recently marked their 10th anniversary working together. This was filmed on a morning before the doors of Expo West started, and Rob brings a strong message: goBHB is back on the Market! After a wild few years in the late 2010s, where BHB supplements were seemingly everywhere, things shifted with the new decade. This conversation dovetails into the end of Episode #106 with Mike McCandless, who had a BHB-based supplement company heading into pharmacies that was devastated in spring of 2020. Ketone Labs was forced to pull back on the sales of goBHB, taking this time to remove infringing products from the market. They never stopped conducting research, however, and sold BHB-based products in their Real Ketones brand. The big announcement here and at Expo West 2024 is that Ketone Labs has brought goBHB back into the market for other brands, and some incredible new applications outside of weight loss. Rob, Mike, and Ben get into Rob's background, his sports career, the genesis story, and then talk about the incredible ways goBHB can be used in supplements for performance, nootropics, mood/stress relief, concussion prevention, and even sleep. We also learn a few things about the L-BHB isomer that is oft-neglected lately! https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/rob-rogers-131 Video: Talking BHB, Baseball, and Business with Rob Rogers https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2KIEfaXbRPc Detailed Show Notes (0:00) – Introductions (7:15) – Startup Challenges: How to Harness BHB Before Keto Goes Big (13:45) – Brand Protection (21:30) – Ketone Mafia? (31:15) – Ketones Beyond Keto (38:00) – The Science Behind BHB (46:45) – Introduction to BHB (52:45) – BHB in an RTD (1:00:00) – BHB as Medicine and the Untapped L-Isomer?! (1:12:00) – Wrap Up Thanks for heading to our BNB and joining us early, Rob! Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on any platform, sign up for our Ketones Labs news alerts on PricePlow, and leave us a great review on iTunes and Spotify!
The supplement industry is abuzz with changes, and one of the biggest announcements has been the hiring of Aaron Heidebreicht as Applied Nutrition's USA CEO. This brings with us a major shift to AN's North American strategy, all covered in this podcast. Aaron Heidebreicht Joins Applied Nutrition to Take on The Americas This podcast was recorded early in the morning before Expo West, where we got to sit down with Aaron and dovetail quite a few storylines. Many of our listeners know Aaron from his appearances in Episode #097 at GNC and Episode #105 at The Vitamin Shoppe, which came with Kaged, where he was the chief commercial officer since late 2022. Applied Nutrition's first foray into the American market was with All Black Everything, a brand named from Europe's best-selling pre-workout supplement that shares the same name. To understand the original mission of the business, see our Episode #114 with TJ Humphreys, their previous CEO. Aaron's job is to keep the ABE vision, but take it larger, bringing a whole new series of AN Performance supplements to North America… and far more! https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/aaron-heidebreicht-applied-nutrition-130 Video: Up and Early with Aaron Heidebreicht at Expo West 2024 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bm8joHE1aNw Detailed Show Notes Coming Soon! Where to Find Applied Nutrition and Aaron AN Instagram: @AppliedNutrition ABE Instagram: @ABENation LinkedIn: Aaron Heidebreicht ABE on PricePlow: PricePlow.com/all-black-everything Thanks to Max for the camera support, and thanks Aaron for joining us with an ultra early wakeup before heading home! You can subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform, sign up for our Applied Nutrition news alerts on PricePlow, and leave us a great review on iTunes and Spotify!
Thank you for joining us for another episode of the Low Carb MD Podcast. Mike Roberto is the CEO of PricePlow—a supplement industry education and media website—podcaster, and author of the PricePlow Blog. PricePlow began as a deals website for nutritional supplements and vitamins, but has evolved into so much more as Mike's journey towards optimized healthspan opened the doors to several discoveries. In this conversation, Brian, Tro, and Mike talk about the inception of PricePlow, how Mike became interested in supplements and diet, the evolution of the supplement industry, how you can find out if your supplements are high quality and pure, why liver health is so crucial for overall health, vitamin D and A supplements, Metformin and Berberine, topical magnesium, the value of various protein powders, whether plant-based protein powders are worth using, labeling and quality laws governing the supplement industry, minerals and vitamins that most people are deficient in, the most universally beneficial supplements that almost everyone could be taking, and Vitamin A toxicity. For more information, please see the links below. Thank you for listening! Links: Mike Roberto: Twitter PricePlow Instagram YouTube Dr. Brian Lenzkes: Website Twitter Dr. Tro Kalayjian: Website Twitter Instagram Doctor Tro App Join a growing community of individuals who are improving their metabolic health; together. Get started at your own pace with a self-guided curriculum developed by Dr. Tro and his care team, community chat, weekly meetings, courses, challenges, message boards and more. Apple Google Learn more
It's the story everyone's been waiting for. James Boccuzzi joins The PricePlow Podcast to explain his side of the story in the 2019 Blackstone Labs indictments, where he was found guilty for conspiring to defraud the FDA and spent a bit over a year in prison after a 51-month sentence. James is now out, and came on to PricePlow to tell his side of the story and get re-settled into the supplement industry. James Boccuzzi: The Blackstone Labs Indictment and Prison Time “Boca James” first talks about his background, which includes employment at iForce Nutrition, USPLabs and more. But it's the mania during the Blackstone Labs heyday that everyone's here to listen to, and James explains the situation from his perspective as a salesman. It's a long discussion with many worthy moments, including a cheerful story about how Aaron Singerman had him treated well in prison, likening it to “The Godfather” movie series. The most interesting part of this? James was the only one of six indicted who did not plead guilty. You'll need to listen to the story – this apparently got him some ‘cred' in prison. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/james-boccuzzi-126 Video: James Boccuzzi Explains His Side https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZRganmXNR8 Detailed Show Notes: James Boccuzzi (0:00) – Introductions (8:30) – USP Labs (15:15) – Blackstone Labs Booming (30:00) – The Raid (42:30) – To cooperate or not? (50:00) – Leading up to trial (1:06:00) – The Trial (1:23:00) – Understanding your legal risks (1:29:30) – Conviction and Prison (1:34:30) – Prison Time and Aaron Singerman as “The Godfather” (1:40:00) – Prison was… fun?! (1:44:45) – Ego in the fitness industry (1:48:30) – An eye towards the future A big thank you to James for telling your story on PricePlow. As always, subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your platform of choice. Leave us a great review if you enjoy it!
In Episode #125 of the PricePlow Podcast, Ben and Mike welcome Michael Alfaro, the founder and CEO of Master Foods Lab, a specialty contract manufacturer in the supplement industry that focuses on functional foods and high-protein snacks. The focus of the podcast is on functional foods, specifically baked goods, which we delve into after a tour of the Master Foods facility and some flavor tastings. But first, we get into Michael's business background, which started in CrossFit, and eventually learn why he's called the “Head Rhino”. This is a long episode, so we dive heavily into a lot of ingredient science. It will explain a lot of common questions that brands have when attempting to create a new functional food. For instance, Michael answers why you can't just easily make a collagen protein bar that has 100% collagen protein. Things also get spun when Michael asks Ben and Mike a question that takes the podcast into a different direction regarding the success of supplement businesses and the role of influencers. It's an all-around great episode, and more content will be coming out, so make sure you subscribe to PricePlow's Master Foods Lab news alerts at the end so you don't miss out on the other parts! https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/michael-alfaro-master-foods-lab-125 Video: Michael Alfaro of Master Foods Lab in Miami, FL https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LZ1tWGp4A7o Detailed Show Notes: Michael Alfaro, Master Foods Lab (0:00) – Introductions (9:30) – Transition to functional foods (16:30) – The launch of Master Foods Lab (25:30) – Manufacturing challenges (36:45) – Innovation as a core driver (43:15) – Experimentation and brand alignment (49:30) – Ingredient science (58:30) – Ethics and liability in food manufacturing (1:03:30) – A forward-looking approach to functional foods (1:13:45) – Trends (1:19:15) – Collagen and plant-based alternatives (1:24:15) – Research and development (1:30:15) – Testing, uniqueness, and brand protection (1:38:45) – Betting on brands (1:49:30) – The influence of TikTok (1:59:45) – Engaging content (2:10:00) – Elements of brand success (2:20:45) – Wrap Up Where to Follow Michael and Master Foods Lab Michael Alfaro on Instagram: @HeadRhino Michael Alfaro on LinkedIn Master Foods Lab Website: https://masterfoodslab.com/ Master Foods Lab on Instagram: @MasterFoodsLab And of course, sign up for Master Foods Lab news alerts on PricePlow – we have a whole lot more coming, including a plant tour, tasting panel, rapid-fire Q&A series, and a cool product ideation and creation session in the lab! And if anyone wants some support making functional foods, hit us up for unique ideas — we'll give our opinions and help you beta-test. Thanks to Michael for having us, this trip was a total blast! As always, subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform, and if you enjoy it, leave us a great review!
For Episode #123, PricePlow welcomes guests Raza Bashir of MuscleTech and Shawn Wells of NNB Nutrition and Ingenious Ingredients back on to the PricePlow Podcast to discuss MuscleTech's new muscle-building supplement, Peptide 185 (pronounced “Peptide One-Eight-Five”), which is made from a new leucine dipeptide (dileucine). Understanding the Dileucine in MuscleTech Peptide 185 Launched in early 2024, the powerful amino acid has repeatedly sold out on MuscleTech's website, but when it's been available, we've received countless inquiries about it, so we worked to get this episode live to help answer many of the most frequently asked questions. Raza and Shawn both also appeared on Episode #072, where they explained paraxanthine enfinity to the world. After we finish discussing the dileucine in Peptide 185, we recap the key takeaways and experiences from the enfinity introduction, learning about new data coming. Interestingly, we're told that the two ingredients are synergistic, so we hope to see more about that in the coming years. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/raza-bashir-shawn-wells-muscletech-peptide-185-dileucine-123 Video: Raza Bashir and Shawn Wells Return to PricePlow to Explain Dileucine in MuscleTech Peptide 185 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=udPM3UG8M7E Raza Bashir and Shawn Wells Explain Peptide 185 (Dileucine) and Recap enfinity Paraxanthine (0:00) – Re-Introductions (10:45) – Defeating Leucine's Limitations with Dileucine (19:00) – Dileucine Dosage (25:45) – Dileucine Benefits and Market Readiness (32:15) – Dileucine and Paraxanthine (41:30) – The Benefits of Paraxanthine (53:45) – Leucine Resistance and Wrap-Up You can find the published research on dileucine in our Peptide 185 article. Where to Find Raza, Shawn, and MuscleTech Sign up for PricePlow's MuscleTech news alerts @MuscleTech on Instagram Raza Bashir on LinkedIn @ShawnWells on Instagram Listen to Episode #072 of the PricePlow Podcast Thanks once again to Shawn and Raza for supporting the PricePlow Podcast and coming on to discuss your new ingredients. As always, subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your platform of choice, and leave us a 10-star review!
It's a brand new year, and you know what that means! It is now time for PricePlow's annual Supplement Industry Awards ceremony, where we take a look at the past year and decide the coolest and most interesting supplements and brands that hit the market. PricePlow's 2023 Supplement Industry Awards This year, we have quite a few awards, similar to prior years past. The list are as follows: Flavor System of the Year Functional Food of the Year Product of the Year Protein of the Year Brands to Watch in 2024 Innovator of the Year MVP of the Year Rookie of the Year Breakout Brand of the Year Brand of the Year Without further ado, let the ceremony commence! This is posted as Episode #121 on the PricePlow Podcast. Video and audio versions are below, with the details after that: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8xL-NVZ5sd8 (0:00) – Introductions (2:45) – Flavor System of the Year (7:00) – Functional Food of the Year (12:30) – Product Launch and Pre-Workout of the Year (28:45) – Protein of the Year (36:00) – Brands to Watch in 2024 (45:00) – Innovator of the Year (53:00) – MVP of the Year (1:07:00) – Rookie of the Year (1:13:30) – Breakout Brand of the Year (1:20:10) – Brand of the Year See our Raw Nutrition news page for the full listing. Mike points out that Raw Nutrition's success is due in large part to their partnership with influential figures like Chris Bumstead and their ability to combine high-quality products with effective marketing and community engagement. They discuss how Raw's approach contrasts with previous industry partnerships with big names that did not pan out successfully. 2023 Brand of the Year: Raw Nutrition. What a great year! Congratulations to everyone named, and good luck in 2024 – we know it'll be a wild one, at least if Merica Labz' first launch (Orange Man Bad) is any indication. As always, subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast and leave us a review on your platform of choice.
In October of 2023, we made our annual trip to the “mecca of ingredientology” – SuppySide West 2023 in Las Vegas, NV. This is a major trade show that includes basically every component of the dietary supplement and nutrition industry's supply chains, from ingredient developers to flavor houses to machine manufacturers to distribution experts. If you're active in this industry, it's the one to be at. We kept our tradition strong by recording a new podcast with Katie Emerson of Nutrition21, who's their Manager of Scientific Affairs and an event sponsor. This is a follow-up to two previous PricePlow Podcast episodes, #075 and #085, continuing the conversation but with some new updates, and a few things never before mentioned on PricePlow. nooLVL is for everyone… and what is Lustriva? The big news is that Nutrition21 retargeted nooLVL for nootropics, and isn't just targeting gaming supplements anymore. Katie also updates us about her recent presentations and research, and we finally get to ask the question, “What is Lustriva?!” https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/nutrition21-ssw-2023-119 Nutrition21's Katie Emerson Talks nooLVL and Lustriva https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NVYd385veJI (0:00) – Introduction (6:30) – nooLVL energy and fatigue study (10:15) – Dosage arms race (15:30) – Rebranding / Retargeting nooLVL (18:45) – What's Lustriva?! (21:30) – The success of beauty products (23:00) – Hair growth (26:00) – Wrap up Where to Follow Katie and Nutrition21 Nutrition21 on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/nutrition-21/ Katie Emerson on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/katie-m-emerson/
At SupplySide West 2024, one of the biggest events was a panel discussion held at the Kyowa Hakko USA booth, featuring a star-studded cast of influential industry advocates: Dan Lourenço – Founder and CEO of Ghost Joey Savage – Chief Scientific Officer of Glaxon Chris Lockwood – VP of Scientific Affairs at Nutrabolt David Sandler – Scientific Consultant and COO of Jupiter Wellness The topic of the panel was The Growth of Branded Ingredients, with an initial focus on Cognizin Citicoline, an ingredient used by everyone listed above. The episode offers fresh and unique perspectives from each member, who have different reasons and purposes for various ingredients. When you're as big as these brands, you have to rely on trusted and legally compliant inputs, and few in this industry are as trusted as Kyowa Hakko! Embracing branded ingredients and collaborative competition This was a hallmark moment for the dietary supplement industry — one that we call “collaborative competition”. To put it bluntly, a panel like this simply wouldn't have happened 5+ years ago. But with a growing industry where all good players can win, and companies like PricePlow and Kyowa Hakko here to bring a network of forward-thinking industry advocates together, it's now a reality. With this, we get more information, less duplication of mistakes, and the consumer is ultimately the beneficiary. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/kyowa-branded-ingredients-ssw-2023 Video Version: Watch Dan, Joey, and Chris Talk Branded Ingredients https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PjpmO_3nsk0 Audio Version available for download Detailed Show Notes: Embracing Branded Ingredients with Kyowa at SSW 2023 (0:00) – Introductions and Branded Ingredients (1:45) – Why use Cognizin in supplement formulations? (4:30) – Cognizin Citicoline vs Alpha-GPC (5:00) – Energy, Focus, and Nootropics – Where to Next? (8:45) – Why branded ingredients? (14:15) – Operating in the Information Age (17:15) – Ingredient Suppliers Need to Know their Mechanisms (18:15) – How Important is Flavoring? What if it attracts kids? (24:00) – Ingredients that Don't Taste Well (32:00) – Immune: Kyowa Hakko's Immune Support Postbiotic Ingredient (35:45) – Branded Ingredients in Functional Foods? (41:00) – Trojan Horsing In Healthy Ingredients Where to Follow Everyone Kyowa Hakko USA on LinkedIn Follow PricePlow's Kyowa Hakko news Dan Lourenço on LinkedIn Follow PricePlow's Ghost Lifestyle news Joey Savage on LinkedIn Follow PricePlow's Glaxon news Chris Lockwood on LinkedIn Follow PricePlow's Cellucor news … Read more on the PricePlow Blog
Ghost Lifestyle founder and CEO Dan Lourenço is back for the fifth time on the PricePlow Podcast, in an episode that's becoming an annual tradition – a pre SupplySide West show! We last saw Dan in Episode #088, where he gave us Ghost's Plans for 2023 and celebrated the 2022 PricePlow Brand of the Year award. In this episode, Dan explains what Ghost's been up to in 2023 — besides Cinnabon and Legend V3 going global, it's been all about scaling. But he's also happy to give a sneak peak of Ghost Hydration RTD, trialing out the Strawberry Kiwi flavor that's a fan favorite in the Hydration powder as well. He also teases a few other flavors. This was also a major year for Ghost Energy Drink, which not only took advantage of the scaling, but had new marketing pushes into music festivals and sporting arenas. As for 2024, Dan's extremely excited to state that he's very confident in a new “food item” coming to Ghost. We can't make guarantees, but when Ghost enters a new arena, they do it their way, so we're hoping for something extremely innovative. Same goes for Ghost Sleep, which is also mentioned! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=spcEgeWAtTQ Show notes at https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/dan-lourenco-ghost-lifestyle-116 “Back in Vegas”: Show Notes with Dan Lourenço (0:00) – “Say it! Say It” (1:15) – The challenges of the Ghost YouTube Channel (4:15) – Avoiding Pigeonholing (05:30) – Ghost Apparel (06:15) – Ghost Protein RTDs (or lack thereof?) (9:00) – The success of Ghost Energy (17:45) – Looking at 2023 and forward to 2024 (19:55) – Legend V3 and Global Compliance (20:45) – Ghost Hydration RTD and a Food Item for 2024! (23:30) – Collabs: TMNT V3 Next Year? (26:00) – Energy: FaZe Pop Expansion and the Return of Strawbango (27:30) – Ghost Hydration RTD Kiwi Strawberry: Under the Table Tasting (29:30) – GRAS Status of Some Hydration Ingredients (33:30) – Living in a “More is More” Society (35:00) – Listening to customers (39:30) – Dan's Favorite Thing of 2023 And as always, you can sign up for PricePlow's Ghost Lifestyle news alerts so that you never miss a drop – and there are a lot of them to cover!
This week te boys sit down with supplement insider Ben Kane (@thesuppbouncer) from Priceplow. We learn all about his goals, purpose, and how a size Large T-shirt changed his life. Sit back and enjoy this truly unique episode.
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) – 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/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/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) &... 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... 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... Read more on the PricePlow Blog
https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/jack-gayton-vitamin-shoppe-105 In July of 2023, The Vitamin Shoppe held their annual Wellness Summit, a corporate event where key presentations and discussions are given by employees and partnered brands, highlighting industry trends and business plans. While there, we had Jack Gayton, The Vitamin Shoppe's Divisional Vice President of Merchandising on the podcast along with Aaron Heidebreicht, Chief Commercial Officer of Kaged (and repeat visitor to the podcast). The conversation focuses on how major retailers like The Vitamin Shoppe see the world, and what brands need to do to earn their interest, trust, and long-term business. With Aaron, we also get to hear some strategy from the brand side as well. The Vitamin Shoppe continues to make a big push in the Fit Lifestyle space (what many of us consider to be “sports nutrition” or “active nutrition”), and Jack states that they'll continue to focus on energy drinks, functional foods, and functional beverages. This is an excellent listen for anyone interested in the major retail space of the supplement industry. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIxky9L8Hm8 Before beginning, you can also watch this recap: View this post on Instagram A post shared by PricePlow (@priceplow) Detailed Show Notes with Jack Gayton of Vitamin Shoppe (0:00) – Introductions (2:15) – Trends from Jack's perspective (4:30) – Has social media changed the buyer's role? (6:45) – Sellouts are BAD for Retailers (8:45) – Stable supply chain from the brand's perspective (10:45) – What does a buyer value hearing from a brand? More detailed show notes are coming soon! Where to Find Jack Jack Gayton on LinkedIn The Vitamin Shoppe on Instagram Where to find Aaron and Kaged Sign up for Kaged news alerts on PricePlow Follow @Kaged on Instagram Follow Aaron Heidebreicht on LinkedIn Thanks to Jack and the entire staff at The Vitamin Shoppe for having us, and thank you to Kaged for sponsoring the trip and allowing us to take part. You can return to the PricePlow Podcast — please subscribe on the platform of your choice and leave us a review! A good merchant now has to scour the internet looking for a diamond in the rough, whereas the business used to just come to them. 6:45 – Sellouts are BAD for Retailers The guys joke about selling products out — in some contexts, it's a great thing. But at a retailer like The Vitamin Shoppe, this is not a good thing. A retailer is there because people want something now, and they come in expecting it to be there. If something sells out on day 1, then the customers who come in a few days later will leave disappointed. This presents a problem for both the brand and the retailer, who both need to repair the relationsh... Read more on the PricePlow Blog
https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/jack-gayton-vitamin-shoppe-105 In July of 2023, The Vitamin Shoppe held their annual Wellness Summit, a corporate event where key presentations and discussions are given by employees and partnered brands, highlighting industry trends and business plans. While there, we had Jack Gayton, The Vitamin Shoppe's Divisional Vice President of Merchandising on the podcast along with Aaron Heidebreicht, Chief Commercial Officer of Kaged (and repeat visitor to the podcast). The conversation focuses on how major retailers like The Vitamin Shoppe see the world, and what brands need to do to earn their interest, trust, and long-term business. With Aaron, we also get to hear some strategy from the brand side as well. The Vitamin Shoppe continues to make a big push in the Fit Lifestyle space (what many of us consider to be “sports nutrition” or “active nutrition”), and Jack states that they'll continue to focus on energy drinks, functional foods, and functional beverages. This is an excellent listen for anyone interested in the major retail space of the supplement industry. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PIxky9L8Hm8 Before beginning, you can also watch this recap: View this post on Instagram A post shared by PricePlow (@priceplow) Detailed Show Notes with Jack Gayton of Vitamin Shoppe (0:00) – Introductions (2:15) – Trends from Jack's perspective (4:30) – Has social media changed the buyer's role? (6:45) – Sellouts are BAD for Retailers (8:45) – Stable supply chain from the brand's perspective (10:45) – What does a buyer value hearing from a brand? More detailed show notes are coming soon! Where to Find Jack Jack Gayton on LinkedIn The Vitamin Shoppe on Instagram Where to find Aaron and Kaged Sign up for Kaged news alerts on PricePlow Follow @Kaged on Instagram Follow Aaron Heidebreicht on LinkedIn Thanks to Jack and the entire staff at The Vitamin Shoppe for having us, and thank you to Kaged for sponsoring the trip and allowing us to take part. You can return to the PricePlow Podcast — please subscribe on the platform of your choice and leave us a review! A good merchant now has to scour the internet looking for a diamond in the rough, whereas the business used to just come to them. 6:45 – Sellouts are BAD for Retailers The guys joke about selling products out — in some contexts, it's a great thing. But at a retailer like The Vitamin Shoppe, this is not a good thing. A retailer is there because people want something now, and they come in expecting it to be there. If something sells out on day 1, then the customers who come in a few days later will leave disappointed. This presents a problem for both the brand and the retailer, who both need to repair the relationsh... Read more on the PricePlow Blog
https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/bruce-kneller-nootropic-104 Five years in the making, it's the return of Bruce Kneller to the PricePlow Podcast! We last saw him in in 2018 in Episode #009 where he dosed us with his new Bruce-class nootropic. Well, he's finally back with a real update, and with some good news – the nootropic should be ready at some point in 2024. There are still a few things getting worked out, including the regulatory aspect, but it's about “90% finished” and close enough for beta testing to begin! So during this episode, Mike and Ben try the full dose, and get to hear the backstory, science, and legal side from Bruce. They offer their “reviews” after having now taken it twice. We also then get into some other stuff, discussing “other ingredients that begin with a ‘D'”, and why this stuff can't (or likely won't) be made in America. You can watch this one on YouTube below, or listen on Spotify or any RSS-enabled podcast app: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttl4N2rCPKo Detailed Show Notes with Bruce Kneller (0:00) – Re-Introductions (2:15) – Stimulants that Begin with the Letter ‘D', and what IS a stimulant? (3:45) – Bruce describes his nootropic ingredient (5:15) – Mike gives his review of Bruce's ingredient (6:15) – The guys try their samples (7:45) – Bruce further explains the ingredient (9:00) – Labeling and Compliance of the new ingredient (11:00) – Keeping tight control of the ingredient (14:30) – What pathways does the ingredient work on? (17:00) – Ben gives his review (19:00) – Comparisons to the sample we tested in 2018 (22:00) – Bruce won't let Mike (or formulators) add yohimbine to it (25:00) – Formulating with the ingredient, Bruce protecting his investment (30:00) – Lessons learned from DMHA (37:45) – Steps necessary to get this to the market (42:30) – The guys want to be DOING something (43:30) – When might it be available? (48:00) – Digging deeper into the ingredients inside (51:00) – More Regulatory: Getting GRAS Affirmation? (53:15) – 3DPump Breakthrough and Full Transparency (57:00) – New challenges making money in sports nutrition (1:00:30) – Bruce's final product (1:03:15) – Why can't we manufacture this in the USA? (1:07:30) – Closing down As always, thanks to Bruce for allowing us to be a part of his beta-testing. Return to the PricePlow Podcast and don't forget to subscribe on the platform of your choice and leave us a review!
https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/bruce-kneller-nootropic-104 Five years in the making, it's the return of Bruce Kneller to the PricePlow Podcast! We last saw him in in 2018 in Episode #009 where he dosed us with his new Bruce-class nootropic. Well, he's finally back with a real update, and with some good news – the nootropic should be ready at some point in 2024. There are still a few things getting worked out, including the regulatory aspect, but it's about “90% finished” and close enough for beta testing to begin! So during this episode, Mike and Ben try the full dose, and get to hear the backstory, science, and legal side from Bruce. They offer their “reviews” after having now taken it twice. We also then get into some other stuff, discussing “other ingredients that begin with a ‘D'”, and why this stuff can't (or likely won't) be made in America. You can watch this one on YouTube below, or listen on Spotify or any RSS-enabled podcast app: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ttl4N2rCPKo Detailed Show Notes with Bruce Kneller (0:00) – Re-Introductions (2:15) – Stimulants that Begin with the Letter ‘D', and what IS a stimulant? (3:45) – Bruce describes his nootropic ingredient (5:15) – Mike gives his review of Bruce's ingredient (6:15) – The guys try their samples (7:45) – Bruce further explains the ingredient (9:00) – Labeling and Compliance of the new ingredient (11:00) – Keeping tight control of the ingredient (14:30) – What pathways does the ingredient work on? (17:00) – Ben gives his review (19:00) – Comparisons to the sample we tested in 2018 (22:00) – Bruce won't let Mike (or formulators) add yohimbine to it (25:00) – Formulating with the ingredient, Bruce protecting his investment (30:00) – Lessons learned from DMHA (37:45) – Steps necessary to get this to the market (42:30) – The guys want to be DOING something (43:30) – When might it be available? (48:00) – Digging deeper into the ingredients inside (51:00) – More Regulatory: Getting GRAS Affirmation? (53:15) – 3DPump Breakthrough and Full Transparency (57:00) – New challenges making money in sports nutrition (1:00:30) – Bruce's final product (1:03:15) – Why can't we manufacture this in the USA? (1:07:30) – Closing down As always, thanks to Bruce for allowing us to be a part of his beta-testing. Return to the PricePlow Podcast and don't forget to subscribe on the platform of your choice and leave us a review!
https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/lief-labs-supplement-manufacturing-101 Over the years, PricePlow has continually become more interested in supplement manufacturing, as it is the cornerstone basis of the entire industry. Good manufacturing quality and testing leads to safe, high-quality products for end consumer. In Episode #068, we interviewed Matt Karich of Soul Performance Nutrition, who took us through his exhaustive process of finding a high-quality manufacturer that produce supplements that would pass rigorous tests and become BSCG Certified. It turns out, the manufacturer he ended up with was none other than Lief Labs. So we began to talk more frequently with Lief Labs (and their sister subsidiary ingredient development business, Lief Raws), learning how they differentiate themselves from the rest of the supplement manufacturers out there. We've continually emphasized that dietary supplements are regulated (see Episode #100 with Dan Fabricant of the Natural Products Assocation), but what manufacturer takes these laws with the utmost seriousness? What manufacturer can provide additional services to help inexperienced operators make high-quality products? Manufacturing 101 with Meg Ligot of Lief Labs An answer to both of those questions is Lief. So we brought Meg Ligot, Senior Product Development Manager at Lief Labs, to bring us through Supplement Manufacturing 101. It's an informative and fun episode, and does a great job showcasing how Lief does things right. We also talk a bit about Lief Raws, flashing back to their unique Biozomal Caffeine product that we covered in the past. It's all covered below, and you can watch on YouTube or listen through Spotify or any RSS-capable podcast app: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtVQnv_uUY4 Detailed Show Notes: Manufacturing 101 at Lief Labs with Meg Ligot (0:00) – Introduction (3:30) – How Lief Works With Their Customers (6:00) – Example of the process with Lief as a new brand owner (8:15) – NSF Certification and Continuing the Formulation Process (12:00) – How the costs break down (15:40) – Prop 65 Warning and Legal Requirements (19:40) – Product minimums and what they can do (21:30) – Flavoring and sampling (26:00) – Masking ingredient tastes that may not be pleasant (28:40) – Natural vs. artificial flavors (30:15) – Flavor is picked, what's next? (35:00) – Meg's background (43:00) – Next steps for product (50:15) – Finally, manufacturing! (58:00) – The manufacturing process (1:01:30) – What if something goes wrong? (1:03:30) – Are common ingredients always in stock? (1:05:40) – Ensuring the product contains what it says it does (1:11:15) – Testing is complete, the product is ready to be shipped! (1:13:45) – Now we know Lief Labs, but what is Lief Raws? (1:18:39) – Lief Raws makes function based ingredients too (1:21:00) – Tablet manufacturing at Lief Labs (1:24:50) – How Lief brings ingredients in Important Links … Read more on the PricePlow Blog
https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/lief-labs-supplement-manufacturing-101 Over the years, PricePlow has continually become more interested in supplement manufacturing, as it is the cornerstone basis of the entire industry. Good manufacturing quality and testing leads to safe, high-quality products for end consumer. In Episode #068, we interviewed Matt Karich of Soul Performance Nutrition, who took us through his exhaustive process of finding a high-quality manufacturer that produce supplements that would pass rigorous tests and become BSCG Certified. It turns out, the manufacturer he ended up with was none other than Lief Labs. So we began to talk more frequently with Lief Labs (and their sister subsidiary ingredient development business, Lief Raws), learning how they differentiate themselves from the rest of the supplement manufacturers out there. We've continually emphasized that dietary supplements are regulated (see Episode #100 with Dan Fabricant of the Natural Products Assocation), but what manufacturer takes these laws with the utmost seriousness? What manufacturer can provide additional services to help inexperienced operators make high-quality products? Manufacturing 101 with Meg Ligot of Lief Labs An answer to both of those questions is Lief. So we brought Meg Ligot, Senior Product Development Manager at Lief Labs, to bring us through Supplement Manufacturing 101. It's an informative and fun episode, and does a great job showcasing how Lief does things right. We also talk a bit about Lief Raws, flashing back to their unique Biozomal Caffeine product that we covered in the past. It's all covered below, and you can watch on YouTube or listen through Spotify or any RSS-capable podcast app: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RtVQnv_uUY4 Detailed Show Notes: Manufacturing 101 at Lief Labs with Meg Ligot (0:00) – Introduction (3:30) – How Lief Works With Their Customers (6:00) – Example of the process with Lief as a new brand owner (8:15) – NSF Certification and Continuing the Formulation Process (12:00) – How the costs break down (15:40) – Prop 65 Warning and Legal Requirements (19:40) – Product minimums and what they can do (21:30) – Flavoring and sampling (26:00) – Masking ingredient tastes that may not be pleasant (28:40) – Natural vs. artificial flavors (30:15) – Flavor is picked, what's next? (35:00) – Meg's background (43:00) – Next steps for product (50:15) – Finally, manufacturing! (58:00) – The manufacturing process (1:01:30) – What if something goes wrong? (1:03:30) – Are common ingredients always in stock? (1:05:40) – Ensuring the product contains what it says it does (1:11:15) – Testing is complete, the product is ready to be shipped! (1:13:45) – Now we know Lief Labs, but what is Lief Raws? (1:18:39) – Lief Raws makes function based ingredients too (1:21:00) – Tablet manufacturing at Lief Labs (1:24:50) – How Lief brings ingredients in Important Links … Read more on the PricePlow Blog
https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/ryan-bucki-fitbutters-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/ryan-bucki-fitbutters-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) &... Read more on the PricePlow Blog
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) &... 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/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, 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 Detailed Show Notes coming soon! Follow Chris and Nutrex Research Chris Waldrum on Instagram: @ChrisWaldrum Nutrex Research on Instagram: @NutrexResearch And as always, you can sign up for PricePlow's Nutrex news to get notified when any Nutrex content or product updates hit the system! From our previous announcement… On March 27, 2023, we posted the following in an article titled “Nutrex Research Rebrand Announced with Arrival of Chris Waldrum“, which has now been redirected here: In November of 2022, we announced that Chris Waldrum sold Inspired Nutraceuticals, with big things to come from both parties. As Inspired has begun releasing several unique products (see our Inspired Nutra news page), the question remained what the branding mastermind in Waldrum would do next. Today, we're proud to announce Chris' next step, and it couldn't be with a more deserving brand: Chris Waldrum Joins Nutrex Research and Announces Major Rebrand PricePlow broke the big news today with the following video on Instagram: View this post on Instagram A post shared by PricePlow (@priceplow) We couldn't be more excited for all sides of this one. PricePlow has long f... 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 Detailed Show Notes and Timestamps are coming soon! 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!
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 u... Read more on the PricePlow Blog
https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/dan-lourenco-ghost-lifestyle-2023 After winning Brand of the Year for the third straight time during PricePlow's 2022 Supplement Industry Awards, we invited Ghost Lifestyle's Dan Lourenço back onto the PricePlow Podcast for his fourth appearance on the show. We recapped 2022 with him, and then got Ghost's 2023 plans underway. Inside, we talked about what a great year Ghost had, especially with Ghost Energy blowing up. But being in every major category, what's the next big thing for Ghost to get into? For a long time, they've been working on a functional food — maybe we'll get to see it in 2023, but only if it's ready. Dan also gave us some heads up on Ghost Legend V3, which will have a few unique twists. Ghost Gamer is likely to get some minor change as well. They'll be leaning heavily into wellness, with their sports nutrition lineup and proteins very well squared away. Hilariously, Dan gets caught drinking a black can in the video… and it turns out to be a “fake” product we think they should release! Find out what it is inside! Video: Watch Dan talk about Ghost Lifestyle for 2023 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9IUBxykYV7g Detailed Show Notes: Dan Lourenço #4 on the PricePlow Podcast (0:00) – Introduction (01:42) – Dan's background in the supplement industry (03:48) – The challenges of starting a supplement company (06:29) – The evolution of the supplement industry (09:16) – The story behind Ghost Lifestyle (12:33) – The importance of branding in the supplement industry (14:21) – The role of social media in building a supplement brand (19:24) – How Ghost differentiates itself in a crowded market (23:11) – The importance of ingredient transparency (25:07) – The challenges of ingredient transparency (27:35) – Ghost Lifestyle's product development process (32:05) – Ghost's plans for 2023 (34:27) – The future of supplement regulation (37:13) – 2020's impact on the supplement industry (40:20) – Ghost Legend V3 Pre-Workout (41:20) – Ghost Lifestyle's approach to innovation (45:15) – Ghost Lifestyle's approach to marketing (50:05) – The importance of community in the supplement industry (57:16) – The importance of staying true to your brand's values (59:50) – The future of Ghost Lifestyle (1:00:20) – Ghost Sparkling Water?! (1:03:15) – Dan's advice for aspiring supplement entrepreneurs (1:06:15) – Rapid-fire questions (1:08:32) – TMNT Collab Returning Conclusion Dan Lourenco shares his insights and experiences in the supplement industry, from the challenges of starting a new brand to the importance of building a strong community around your products. He also shares his vision for the future of Ghost and offers valuable advice for aspiring supplement entrepreneurs. Listen to our other Podcasts with Dan Dan Lourenco & Ryan Hughes – Ghost Energy V2 | PPP #035 ... Read more on the PricePlow Blog
Axe & Sledge head formulator Heather Jacques discusses her journey to becoming the formulator for Axe & Sledge. Heather takes us to her decision to drop out of college to pursue a position with PricePlow which eventually led her to Axe & Sledge, her goals at Axe & Sledge and the possibility of her own line in the future.
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