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General Nutrition Centers
 

GNC is the leading specialty retailer of vitamins, minerals, herbs and sports nutrition supplements and is uniquely positioned to capitalize on the accelerating self-care trend. As the leading provider of products and information for personal health enhancement, the company holds the largest specialty-retail share of the nutritional supplement market. GNC was ranked America's #1 retail franchise for 17 consecutive years.

Franchisor Background

Year Established:

  1935

Franchising Since:

  1988

Operating Units:

Franchised Units:2,162 45.2%  
Company-Owned Units:2,625 54.8%  
 ______ _____  
Total Operating Units:4,787 100%  
 

Geographic Distribution:

U.S.:3,747 64.8% In 50 States
Canada:1,212 21% In 0 Canadian Provinces
International:822 14.2% In 0 Foreign Countries
 ______ _____  
Total:5,781 100%  
 

North America:

States/Provinces with the largest number of operating units:
DensityUnits    
1. California0
2. Florida0
3. Texas0

Registered in Following Registration States:

   California, Florida, Hawaii, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, New York, North Dakota, Oregon, Rhode Island, South Dakota, Virginia, Washington, Wisconsin, District Of Columbia, Alberta

Financial Requirements

Investment:

Minimum Net Worth:$100K
Cash Investment:$65K
Total Investment:$125-229K
Average Total Investment:$177K
 

Fees:

Initial Franchise Fee:$40K
Average Franchise Fee:$40K
On-Going Royalty:6%
Average Royalty:6%
Advertising Fee:3%

Average Number of Employees:

   1 Full-time, 3-5 Part-time

Space Needs (in square footage):

   1,402 (avg.)

Preferred Sites:

   Storefront, Strip Center, Regional Mall

Other Sites:

  

Encourage Conversions?

   No

Earnings Claims Provided?

   Yes

Listed in the SBA Registry?

   No

Support and Training

International Franchise Association:No
Canadian Franchise Association:No
Franchisee Association/Member:No
Size of Corporate Staff:600
Site Selection Assistance?Yes
Lease Negotiation Assistance?Yes
Financial Assistance?Yes, Direct
 

Marketing Support:

Co-Op Advertising:No
National Advertising:No
Regional Advertising:No
Local Advertising:No
Marketing Materials:None Specified
Additional Services:None Specified
Other Marketing Support:None Specified
 

On-Going Support:

Central Data Processing:Included in Fees
Central Purchasing:Not Applicable
Field Operation Evaluation:Not Applicable
Field Training:Included in Fees
Initial Store Opening:Included in Fees
Inventory Control:Included in Fees
Franchisee Newsletter:Included in Fees
Regional or National Meetings:Included in Fees
800 Telephone Hotline:Included in Fees
 

Training:

1. On-Site in Local Corporate Store1 Week
 

Franchisee Qualifications

Ranked from 1 (unimportant) to 5 (important):
 
Financial Net Worth:5
General Business Experience:5
Specific Industry Experience:1
Formal Education:1
Psychological Profile:1
Personal Interview(s):4

Minority Representation

Units Owned by Minorities:

African-American:38
Asian-American:63
Hispanic:76
Native American:0
Other:178 Other, 88 Unknown
Specific Minority:GNC Directors of Financing promote minority assistance programs including the Local Initiative Support Corporation and programs associated with the International Franchise Association.

Terms of Contract

Term of Initial Contract:10/5/5 Year(s)
Term of Renewal Period: Year(s)
Passive Ownership:Not Allowed
Area Development Agreements?Yes, for 0 Year(s)
Sub-Franchising Contracts?No
Franchisees Allowed to Expand Within Territory?Yes

Expansion Plans

Projected New Units Over Next 12 months:

  
U.S.:Yes, All United States
Canada:Yes, All CAN Exc. PQ
Overseas:Yes, All Countries
 
 
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