Have you ever passed by a store and accidentally peered in to find multitudes of large plastic bottles and cardboard cut-outs of buff men and women? Then you’ve probably had the General Nutrition Center (GNC) first look. The store that inspires you to be healthy, and maybe someday achieve that sculpted body you see on their cardboard models. No one would ever have guessed that they actually started off as a small shop which has been operating since 1935 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania managed by one David Shakarain.

Because of its staying power in the health supplements industry, GNC truly deserves the name General, in military terms, this connotes rank and respect. Their products range from over the counter medication, food supplements, vitamins, energy drinks and almost anything you can think of that is related to a person’s health and nutrition. Their first store has a reputation for being a relentless little health food store, it was damaged when the Ohio River overflowed but was rebuilt and continues to operate. Shakrain died in 1984 but has since then built an empire around the concept of health and nutrition. General Nutrition Center, as their name suggest has always been a leader in their industry, always being in the foreground of research and development and ensuring that their products are natural and safe is what made them an international brand. Since their beginning in 1935, they have opened around 6,000 plus stores in the United Stated alone and a few hundred more in 52 other countries. Also because of its popularity, the company eventually gave rights to drugstore.com to exclusively distribute the products online.

GNC products include all types of weight management aide, supplements, vitamins, amino acids, bodybuilding supplements, beauty products and herbal medications; the majority of these products are made by their own research teams while a few items coming from suppliers. The company ensures that they maintain the highest standards from researching and developing products up to packaging and distributing them. They ensure that all products go through 150 quality tests and follow the guidelines set by the Food and Drug Authority (FDA). All products are under their "money back" guarantee because it is GNC’s promise that all the ingredients in the labels are included in the products themselves. This ensures that any unsatisfied customer will be heard and it also gives a chance for the company to improve the quality of the items they sell.

They have proven their staying power not only in the heath supplements and fitness industry but as an international company as well. One thing that could be attributed to their continuous growth is their willingness to open up the corporate-owned business and allow franchisers to acquire stores. Truly, their reputation has lived up to their name, General Nutrition Center, an authority when it comes to health and fitness. If not for the countless stores around the globe, their name alone is priceless, even those who are not from the small town of Pittsburg trust GNC with all their health needs.