For the first time in its 44-year history, omni-channel specialty retailer of nutritional and CBD wellness products The Vitamin Shoppe will partner with business owners to operate franchise stores.
Known primarily for connecting consumers with health, wellness and dietary supplements brands, The Vitamin Shoppe and its affiliated Super Supplements banner have been at the forefront of bringing CBD products to the wellness marketplace.
The Vitamin Shoppe took a leading role in retailing CBD products when in April 2019 it launched CBD hemp extract lines, including ingestible formulations, in 135 stores. The chain followed up in November 2020, establishing its exclusive concept for quality CBD merchandise, calling it CBD HQ. The concept carries a comprehensive assortment of ingestibles in the form of tinctures, capsules, gummies and beverages. It also offers topical CBD products.
“We were the first national retailer to offer a broad selection of ingestible CBD products and our new CBD HQ concept is the next evolution of our commitment to this thriving, innovative wellness category,” The Vitamin Shoppe CEO Sharon Leite said at the time.
CBD HQ offers reputable CBD brands such as Garden of Life, Charlotte’s Web, Martha Stewart, Irwin Naturals, Uncle Bud’s and SoulSpring, among others. More importantly, the retailer backs those products up with trained store associates it calls “Health Enthusiasts” to educate customers and guide them in finding CBD wellness solutions.
The full CBD HQ experience is now available at 582 The Vitamin Shoppe and Super Supplements stores, with another 143 locations offering a focused assortment of topical and beauty CBD products.
The Vitamin Shoppe also committed to its CBD product strategy with the November 2020 release of its proprietary plnt and Vthrive brands, aiding customers with what it boasts is an easy-to-understand potency classification system with three tiers of strength and solution-oriented blends that address specific consumer needs.
Its pair of brands carry price points between $24.99 and $69.99, designed to offer value for high-quality CBD products compared to leading competitive brands. Both brand lines are put through rigorous quality assurance processes with third party-lab purity and potency verification.
Vitamin Shoppe franchise partners now have the opportunity to leverage the trusted quality of The Vitamin Shoppe brand and its unparalleled expertise in the fast-growing health and wellness sector when they open new locations.
“Now is an especially opportune time to partner with highly motivated entrepreneurs to expand our store fleet,” said Leite. “This new growth strategy is a capital-efficient way to grow our retail footprint in a favorable real estate market, while empowering our franchise partners to create dynamic, locally-owned businesses.”
Leite cited the events of the past year that have driven consumers to become more invested in their health and well-being. The company, she said, is tapping into the industry’s strong runway for growth by partnering with franchisees who share a passion for quality, innovation and the health of their customers and communities.
Potential franchise partners can visit OwnAVitaminShoppe.com to start the discovery and application process, including financial disclosures and requirements.
