#110: Ken Huntly - GNC's Crystal Ball Operator (VP of Merchandising)

https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/ken-huntly-gnc-merchandising-110 Team PricePlow recently traveled to GNC headquarters in Pittsburgh, PA to support the Kaged Elite Series launch, the largest product launch in the retailer’s history with a whopping 27 SKUs. In Episode #098, Ben interviewed GNC’s Nate Frazier (Chief Operating Officer) and Kenneth Huntly (VP of Merchandising) at the company’s 2023 Franchise Convention. However, that was a quick conversation, so this time, we had to do it again with Ken, zeroing in on his hunt for innovation and collaboration. Ken brings more than 20 years of experience in merchandising to the role, and has hit some grand slams lately, so it’s always great to get a chance to pick his brain. Aside from Kaged, we talk about other things they’re excited about, spending some time discussing the recent Marvel collaboration in GNC’s Pro Performance 100% Whey Protein. There are other exciting new brands heading to GNC, including Raw Nutrition and an exclusive on CBum’s Thuper Thavage pre-workout supplement. Detailed notes are below, and you can watch on YouTube or listen on your favorite audio podcast app: Watch on Video: On the Brad Hunt with GNC’s Ken Huntly https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MBpTayOra2U Detailed Show Notes: On the Hunt for Innovation at GNC (0:00) – Introductions (2:00) – A Retailer’s Challenges from a Buyer’s Perspective (12:45) – GNC Kaged Partnership (20:30) – GNC’s Latest Products (25:00) – Long-term relationships (30:30) – Retail involvement in viral marketing and trends (33:30) – The importance of good data (37:00) – Energy drinks, functional foods, and RTDs Important Links Sign up for Beyond Raw news alerts on PricePlow Follow @GNCLiveWell and @BeyondRawLabs on Instagram Follow Ken Huntly on LinkedIn Thanks to Kaged and GNC for having Team PricePlow at both the 2023 Franchise Convention and for the epic Kaged launch! You can subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on the podcast app of your choice.