The Vitamin Shoppe‘s Whole Health Rx is expanding its support for GLP-1 users.
After launching its telehealth platform Whole Health Rx, The Vitamin Shoppe has been listening to its customers on GLP-1s, leading them to launch a line of support supplements Monday in more than 675 stores and online. The Vitamin Shoppe team did not comment on sales projections, but industry sources said the line could reach several million dollars in sales in its first year, growing as GLP-1 usage continues to expand.
The line consists of the GLP-1 Support Nutrient Powder, $60, a chocolate or vanilla powder with 24 vitamins and minerals, Truserv greens, 25 grams of protein, fiber and digestive enzymes; GLP-1 Support Protein, $50, a chocolate or vanilla 30 gram whey protein with 5 grams of collagen and muscle-boosting ingredients myHMB and PeptiStrong; GLP-1 Support Fiber, $35, a powder with 15 grams of fiber; GLP-1 Support Synbiotic, $65, a pre, pro and postbiotic capsule, and GLP-1 Support Multivitamins (Men’s and Women’s), $25, daily multivitamin capsules. According to the company, it had been researching this category for over a year prior to launch.
“GLP-1 usage went astronomically high, [and] all the projections that you hear from the research companies are that it will continue,” said The Vitamin Shoppe president Muriel Gonzalez.
JP Morgan Research previously reported that 30 million people in the U.S. could be on one of these drugs by 2030, bringing the total market to around $100 billion. However, with this growing usage comes major side effects. The goal with this line was to address these common effects, like digestive issues, muscle loss due to rapid weight loss and missing key nutrients due to a lacking appetite, a task many other supplement brands have taken on as well.
“The major thing that we’re hearing from our customers is that people [are] just not feeling great about cooking, about smells, about eating.…People talk about some of the digestive issues,” Gonzalez said. “The real concern is will customers get enough nutrients, and that’s what we want to make sure that we advise customers to do and have a good offering.”
That being said, Gonzalez said the Nutrient Support is the “star product” of the line as it fights all the key side effects in one formula. Specifically, its protein supports muscle mass; fiber and digestive enzymes support digestive issues, and greens and vitamins provide added nutrients that may be lost due to a smaller appetite.
While the line is specifically formulated for GLP-1 users, any one, whether or not on a weight loss journey, could benefit from it.
The Vitamin Shoppe, by combining this new line with its Whole Health Rx platform, is able to provide customers a better experience.
“What was unique for us as The Vitamin Shoppe is that we could really discuss the whole package with people who are on a weight loss journey,” Gonzalez said.
Additionally, while a tight lineup, Gonzalez claims it is comprehensive.
“If we get good traction, we will definitely survey our customers and see if there’s any more white space that we need [to address,] but we like the way it is for now,” she said.
