Shadow Beverages Makes GNC RTDs

PITTSBURGH, Pa.Shadow Beverages and Snacks LLC entered into an exclusive licensing agreement with GNC Holdings Inc. to produce a line of ready-to-drink (RTD) products that it will market under the GNC brand. Shadow Beverages will develop, produce, market and sell drinks under the GNC Live Well trademark for sale across a wide range of retail outlets. These products will be developed and produced in collaboration with GNC. It is anticipated that the first products developed under the agreement will go into distribution in the third quarter of 2011.

This exclusive licensing agreement with Shadow Beverages allows the GNC brand to expand and grow well beyond GNCs own retail and online outlets and service a much broader and more diverse audience of active consumers looking to live a healthy lifestyle with products they trust," said Tom Dowd executive vice president of GNC. GNC will leverage its 75 years of expertise, quality and name recognition to help develop true better-for-you drink lines across multiple categories in the multi-billion-dollar RTD beverage market."

Sam Jones, COO of Shadow Beverages, added: We are very excited about this relationship with GNC, and the opportunity to bring true health and functionality to multiple beverage categories.

Founded in 2008 by two longtime beverage industry executives, Shadow Beverages and Snacks designs, develops and markets beverage products in the functional beverage category space. It produces and distributes Ironclad Energy + Hydration and No Fear Energy drinks. The range of services offered by Shadow includes brand activation (innovation, research and marketing) and brand logistics (operations, distribution and sales). The companys mission is to provide innovative business solutions to partners by providing brand extensions and margin enhancements through the creation of customized functional food and beverage products.

GNC Holdings Inc. is a global specialty retailer of health and wellness products, including vitamins, minerals and herbal supplement products, sports nutrition products and diet products, and trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol GNC." As of March 31, 2011, GNC has more than 7,300 locations, of which more than 5,600 retail locations are in the United States (including 895 franchise and 2,029 Rite Aid franchise store-within-a-store locations) and franchise operations in 48 countries (including distribution centers where retail sales are made). The Company is a diversified, multi-channel business model that derives revenue from product sales through company-owned retail stores, -domestic and international franchise activities, third-party contract manufacturing, e-commerce, and corporate partnerships.