Vitacost
| Company type | Subsidiary |
|---|---|
| Industry | Online retail, Nutritional supplements |
| Predecessor | Nature's Wealth Company |
| Founded | 1994 |
| Founder | Wayne Gorsek |
| Headquarters | Boca Raton , United States |
Area served | United States |
Key people | Wayne Gorsek (founder) |
| Products | Vitamins, dietary supplements, organic grocery items, beauty care, sports nutrition products |
| Parent | Kroger |
| Website | vitacost |
Vitacost.com, Inc. is a U.S.-based online retailer located in Boca Raton, Florida, focusing on vitamins, dietary supplements, and organic grocery items. Since its acquisition by Kroger in 2014, Vitacost has been acknowledged for its rapid expansion, including being inducted into Inc Magazine's "Inc. 500 Lifetime Hall of Fame" for five consecutive years from 2001 through 2005.
History
Established in 1994 by Wayne Gorsek under the name Nature's Wealth Company, Vitacost introduced its e-commerce website in 1999 and gradually broadened its exclusive product range to encompass food, beauty care, and sports nutrition products. In 2008, the company constructed a manufacturing plant in Lexington, North Carolina, which it later leased to an external party by 2012.
Vitacost made its public market debut on NASDAQ in 2009; nevertheless, trading was halted in 2010 following financial irregularities that adversely affected shareholder interests. To support its growth trajectory, the company expanded distribution centers on both the West Coast (Las Vegas) and East Coast (Lexington) between 2010 and 2011.
In 2003, founder Wayne Gorsek was held accountable for securities fraud under federal law. Despite this legal setback, Vitacost persisted in diversifying and advancing its product portfolio.
The year 2012 marked the launch of a cruelty-free specialty store certified by the Leaping Bunny Program, aimed at consumers prioritizing ethical products. In 2013, the company introduced the ARO: Black Series line targeting sports nutrition with pre- and post-workout supplements.
Kroger completed the acquisition of Vitacost.com for $280 million in August 2014, incorporating it into its extensive health and wellness segment to strengthen its position within the online nutritional supplement market.
Reception
In 2017, Vitacost received two awards from ConsumerLab.com recognizing it as a Top-rated Supplement Brand and Merchant based on Overall Consumer Satisfaction.
References
- Nutrition Industry Stocks Rebound Significantly in 2009. Nutrition Business Journal
External links
- Nutritional supplement companies of the United States
- Health food stores
- Online food retailers of the United States
- Companies formerly listed on the Nasdaq
- Companies based in Boca Raton, Florida
- American companies established in 1994
- Retail companies established in 1994
- 1994 establishments in Florida
- Kroger
- 2009 initial public offerings
- 2014 mergers and acquisitions
- Companies of the United States by year of establishment