The Vitamin Shoppe: Lifelong Wellness Starts Here
October 2, 2021
The Vitamin Shoppe is an American retailer of nutritional supplements.
The first Vitamin Shoppe was opened by Jeffrey Horowitz in 1977 on the corner of 57th Street and Lexington Avenue in Manhattan. Horowitz was a pharmacist whose goal it was to help people achieve their healthiest lifestyle. Now, 44 years later and with 715 store locations in the United States, The Vitamin Shoppe continues to foster good health and wellness in all of its customers.
Over the past four-and-a-half decades, The Vitamin Shoppe has evolved from a supplier of basic vitamin pills and powders to a leading multichannel lifestyle destination and whole health resource.
So, how did Horowitz attain his success? His strategy was simple: he discounted prices on every item by at least 20 per cent. The company’s own line of private-label goods was more profitable because they were not advertised. Its line of herbal products and bodybuilding supplements accounted for up to a quarter of the sales.
The company distributed more than 12 million copies of its direct mail catalogue each year. Mail orders accounted for as much as a third of the company’s annual revenues. More than 400 different brand names were offered, with as many as 17,000 different products available through the mail.
In addition to The Vitamin Shoppe’s own brands of nutritional supplements which include FitFactor, NatureFuel, ProBio Care, plnt and Bodytech, they also carry third-party products including professional and specialized lines.
In 2009 The Vitamin Shoppe held an initial public offering and in 2010 made $751.5 million in net sales, with a market capitalization of over $1 billion.
August 2018 saw a rise of 4.6% in the company’s shares as Sharon Leite became Chief Executive Officer (CEO). Formerly president at Godiva Chocolatier and Sally Beauty, Leite brought valuable experience to her new position as CEO.
In 2019, Franchise Group, Inc. acquired The Vitamin Shoppe.
In August 2020, Laura Coffey was hired as Executive Vice-President and Chief Financial Officer. Ms. Coffey’s responsibilities include Corporate Finance, Financial Reporting and Evaluation, Risk Control, Accounting, Internal Audit, Tax and Real Estate. Her 23-year career at Pier 1 Imports, Inc., provides her with broad experience in retail operations, and leadership positions in finance, accounting, strategic planning, e-commerce, merchandise planning, inventory management and business development. Ms. Coffey reports to Sharon M. Leite, Chief Executive Officer of The Vitamin Shoppe.
The Vitamin Shoppe continues to expand globally and, In August 2021, began selling its products to Korean consumers with direct shipping from the U.S.
Today, The Vitamin Shoppe has 715 retail locations in the United States and provides approximately 7,000 different SKUs of supplements through its retail stores and over 17,000 different SKUs of supplements through its retail websites.
Gloria Sauvé
Communications and Marketing