Canadian brand NU LIFE Therapeutics enters US market with The Vitamin Shoppe partnership
The partnership came under The Vitamin Shoppe’s ‘Platinum Vendor Relationship’ program, which the retailer dubbed as 'a selective strategic incubation partnership.'
As part of the program, NU LIFE Therapeutics will enjoy enhanced visibility in The Vitamin Shoppe’s stores, and the retailer’s ‘Health Enthusiasts’—the company’s term for its in-store employees—will be especially trained to educate shoppers about the company’s products.
In return, The Vitamin Shoppe will receive an “increased level of financial commitment from Healthy Natural Solutions,” according to a press release. The retailer will also enjoy brand launch exclusivity.
"With our Platinum Vendor Program, we are creating a special level relationship that allows us to positively impact as well as benefit from the long-term success of a brand," said Colin Watts, CEO and Chief Health Enthusiast at The Vitamin Shoppe.
“We are thrilled to have HNS and NU LIFE as the first strategic partner in an evolving and valuable part of our business,” he added.
With a focus on products using naturally-derived ingredients and free of common allergens or genetically modified substances, the addition of NU LIFE products to The Vitamin Shoppe’s store shelves fits squarely into the retailers’ new strategy of revamping its stores into ‘wellness locations.’
In the retailer’s Q3 2016 earnings call, CEO Tony Truesdale said The Vitamin Shoppe locations will focus more on customers lingering and interacting with health enthusiasts. As part of this strategy, the company announced in March this year that it will invest heavily on educating its in-store personnel, though it did not provide more details.
The next Vitamin Shoppe earnings conference call, for Q2 2017, is scheduled for next Wednesday, Aug. 9.
