According to the company, the national expansion comes after a successful trial run in Hawaii. The finished product has been a significant source of revenue for the publicly traded ingredient maker Cardax as it struggled to stay afloat financially, the company said in May.
“GNC’s network of knowledgeable and motivated GNC store managers and sales associates nationwide provides a ZanthoSyn sales team unmatched by any of the big box stores,” said Cardax CEO, David G. Watumull.
“This national sales network, combined with physician awareness, provides a powerful marketing strategy to catalyze ZanthoSyn growth across the US, in accordance with our mission.” National distribution in corporate-owned GNC stores is slated for this fall, with a possible expansion to the 1,100 franchises as well.
Increased same store sales across demographics
ZanthoSyn is based on Cardax’s proprietary synthetic version of the carotenoid astaxanthin, which can be found naturally in the algae species Haematococcus pluvialis, marketed for its anti-inflammatory benefits.
In a previous interview with NutraIngredients-USA, Watumull said that the ingredient has gone through peer-reviewed published studies to back its safety, and is designated as GRAS in accord with FDA regulation. He also claimed that this bio-indetical version has better oral bioavailability than algal astaxanthin.
According to Cardax’s official statement, there were increased same store sales of ZanthoSyn across a range of demographics during its trial run in Hawaii—a promising sign for success on a national scale.
“We are very pleased to see this important step unfold in our expanding relationship with GNC,” said George W. Bickerstaff, Cardax Chairman. “GNC’s commitment to science based products and client/customer education provides a strong foundation for their broad retail reach and aligns perfectly with our vision and strategy to become the inflammatory health, anti-aging leader.”