What is GNC? – The Things You Need to Know

Nutrition has always had a central role in people’s decision making process. This is because health has a direct impact on both the length and quality of life that a person has. Strictly speaking, proper nutrition can be achieved with the help of a good diet. But for those who cannot get access to a balanced diet or is seeking for “a little bit of extra”, nutritional supplements are included in the mix. This is especially true after the health food craze of the 1960s brought to fore the use of nutritional supplements. One of the biggest names to emerge during this craze was GNC. What is GNC and how it has become, arguably, the biggest name in the nutrition business? Learn all about that and more in this article.

To know the answer to the question what is GNC, you’ve got to explore first where GNC came from in the first place. And you’ll be surprised that the company almost didn’t take off. David Shakarian, the founder of GNC, has started the story of GNC in 1935, when he opened a health store in Pittsburgh (still the location of the headquarters of GNC to this day) by the name of Lackzoom.

As a testament to Shakarian’s skill and work ethic, he has managed to open 2 shops within 6 months of opening shop. However, the legendary Ohio River flood gutted both stores. Refusing to give up, Shakarian rebuilt his shops, and took off from there. By 1941, he has opened 7 new shops in Pittsburgh. His biggest break came in the 1960s. The health food craze made health supplements popular, and this has led Shakarian to expand his business outside Pittsburgh.

To commence this expansion, he changed the name of his business from Lackzoom to GNC, an acronym that stands for General Nutrition Centers. From there, GNC just kept on expanding. To date, there are over 7000 GNC shops worldwide that includes both owned by the company and franchisees. This marks a long way from Shakarian’s humble beginnings almost 70 years ago.

It is equally important to get to know the products of GNC to better answer the question what is GNC. Generally speaking, they are distributing different health supplements containing different ingredients aiming to cure various health malaises. Need a supplement that would help your body keep in shape across the board? They have multivitamins and minerals to provide exactly that for you. Need to make up for a nutritional deficiency? They also have supplements containing specific vitamins and minerals to help you complete your nutritional requirement for that vitamin/mineral. Want to increase your athletic performance? GNC also has products that are inclined in improving your performance in that area of expertise.

With everything from energy boosters to concoctions that can help you gain muscle mass effectively, their products are going to help you gain that edge in whatever sport you are in. If dieting is your thing, GNC also has products that can help you accomplish your diet. With products ranging from natural digestive enzymes to appetite suppressing drugs, GNC’s diet products are going to help you get into the best shape of your life. Want to enhance your performance in bed and increase your virility?

GNC can also help you out with that. With products that help both men and women achieve optimal sexual performance, you don’t have to feel frozen out when you are out in the sack. And if increasing the viability of your appearance is your thing, GNC also has a product line specifically aimed to address your beauty concerns. From supplements to cosmetics, get those winning looks to match your strong fitness.

What is GNC and why most people still trust their product more than most of the other health products around? To say the least, GNC did not last for more than 60 years for nothing. By the strength of its products alone, it has allowed GNC to hang in there despite the number of competitors breathing down their necks year after year. They create more high-quality products than anyone in the business right now, and they take pride in it.

What’s more, they are the types that do not rest on their laurels. If they can find some ingredient they think can help a person improve their health, they are going to incorporate it into their product. Another reason why they are considered to be one of the authorities in the business is because they are created with the highest quality. Their products are made to pass stringent FDA and international requirements, and are quality checked to ensure purity and potency. This commitment to quality has allowed GNC to stick around and remain a factor even after almost 70 years of service in an industry they helped to create.

And then there is the GNC business model that is quite intriguing to say the least. As currently constructed, GNC is almost like a one-stop store for anything related to health. This is where the relative abundance of their products comes into play. Go inside a GNC store and you are going to see just about anything that you’ll ever need to take care of yourself. From multivitamins to sports supplements, GNC has it all. Because of their wide range of products, this has even led some people to describe GNC as the Wal-Mart of wellness products.

Best of all, their products are competitively priced, allowing you to save a lot of cash on the process. And you can even save more if you register in their club membership called the Gold Club. Not only do they give you discounts, but they also offer different promos that will help you save more in addition to the discounts you’ll receive.

But if you are business minded and you think you can make a stab at the lucrative health supplement business, you can get your start by being a GNC franchisee. GNC is committed to give chance to people who want to have a taste of GNC’s success. Investing on a GNC franchise would cost a franchisee about 180000-200000 dollars, which includes everything from the franchising fee to the initial product inventory. All it needs is the franchisee’s commitment in bringing quality service and following simple steps in franchising a GNC store.

GNC will even support you all the way, from training to support and assistance regarding day-to-day operations. This just might be the break you are looking for if you are business minded. What is GNC? It can mean different things to different people. For customers, it means a way to improve their health. For businessmen, it is a chance for growth. Regardless of which meaning you take to, there’s one thing that’s for certain. GNC is all about helping people and making their lives better.