GOLDEN, CO--(Marketwired - March 26, 2015) - iSatori, Inc. (OTCQB: IFIT), an emerging leader in the development and marketing of scientifically engineered nutritional supplements for healthier lifestyles, today released an interview with their founder and Chief Executive Officer, Stephen Adelé. Sue Mosebar, Executive Editor of Real Solutionsfor Iron Warriors, talked with Stephen to discuss his insights and findings after attending the renowned Natural Product Exposition in Anaheim, California, and how developments there may affect the supplement industry and his company, iSatori, Inc. (www.isatori.com).
Sue Mosebar: Natural Products Expo West is always the most anticipated show of the year for the nutritional industry; how was it this year?
Stephen Adelé: From the over 70,000 in attendance, it's apparent our $35-billion industry is alive and well (pun intended). Just like every Natural Products Expo, this one certainly didn't leave me disappointed. And better yet, consumers and retailers alike should be excited about the year ahead.
Sue Mosebar: What were the biggest trends?
Stephen Adelé: Even though the Expo was the most crowded I've ever seen it, I walked every square inch of the Anaheim Convention Center. I didn't want to miss any opportunities to spot what I believe could be the next hottest trend in our industry.
I can say, without hesitation, that the trends of non-GMO [genetically modified organisms], gluten free, organic, "farm to table," and transparency among our food supply chain are here to stay. They are not a fad. And in my humble opinion, in 25 years, most of the processed, artificial foods we grew up on will be replaced with these. It's inevitable now that we know better -- they taste better and are more affordable and easily accessible.
Sue Mosebar: What were the hottest new products you noticed?
Stephen Adelé: There were certainly a few that stood out, namely:
- Plant-based protein stole the show. It's apparent that plant proteins are carrying the protein growth in the market. At the top, as the most acceptable forms, are pea, rice, and hemp. Interestingly, I observed that most companies that were sampling plant-based proteins did so with almond or rice milk to make them taste better. Companies definitely need to work on a better taste profile if we are going to expect wider consumer acceptance.
- Probiotics... everywhere and in virtually everything. To be frank, if you name the supplement format or type, there was one with probiotics in it. I think probiotics have truly crossed over the line and are 100% accepted into the mass consumer market, much in the way protein was in the early 2000's.
- Coconut is super hot! Whether it's water, chips, oil, or whatever you can make from it. I found one coconut product that even bacon lovers would clamor for.
Sue Mosebar: How does iSatori fit into these new trends?
Stephen Adelé: After visiting the Natural Products Expo for many years, I have been introduced to or come away with some of my most prized new product ideas. From novel ingredients to interesting packaging formats to new emerging trends we can explore adding to our mix. Innovation comes in many forms. For me, it's taken years of practice, and lots of trial and error, to spot the great trends and separate them from short-term fads. Keep in mind, it takes only one good idea to turn into millions of satisfied consumers.
Sue Mosebar: How does iSatori segment its products and compete within the industry?
Stephen Adelé: We divide our products into four product families. This is how the industry breaks out the categories and how consumers think about their use. Those are:
- Sports Nutritionals: Sports nutritionals, including powder and pill forms, are a $4.5 billion market, growing around 13% annually, and comprise nutritional ingredients and diet as it relates to bodybuilding, fitness, and improving athletic performance. iSatori currently generates 44% of its business from this sector, and it is growing as a percentage of our business. We see the most potential for continued growth and stability here, especially through creation and marketing of the Bio-Gro' bio-active peptides.
- Energy & Sports Drink Products: Energy products, including energy and sports drinks and shots, are an approximately $17.1 billion market, growing at 3.5% annually. iSatori's popular energy supplement, Energize, is the only product from iSatori distributed within this sector and generates 11% of our total business.
- Meal Replacements: Meal replacement protein ("MRP's"), protein-based products related to weight loss and nutritional bars, are a $6.9 billion market, growing at 11.6% annually. MRP's are either pre-packaged powdered drink mixes or edible bars, designed to replace prepared meals or serve as a healthy snack. MRP's such as iSatori's Eat-Smart® branded bars and powders make up 2% of the total business. It is currently not a major area of focus for iSatori.
- Weight-Loss Products: Weight-loss (pill-form) products are a $2.0 billion market, growing at 11.6% annually. Methods to promote weight loss by using nutritional supplements have proven to be more volatile and tend to have shorter lifecycles, and therefore, even though the sector is growing annually, iSatori has purposely chosen to minimize its dependency on this part of its business going forward. It is currently 42%. In the long run, I strongly believe this is a smarter move for our company because it will create more stability and predictability for our business and for our stakeholders.
** Data Source: Nutrition Business Journal, SNWL Annual Report, 2014.
Sue Mosebar: Where are iSatori products available in retail?
Stephen Adelé: We currently sell our products in over 35,000 retail outlets domestically, including GNC, The Vitamin Shoppe, Vitamin World, Walmart, Walgreens, Rite-Aid, CVS, and online retailers like Bodybuilding.com. For the size of our company, this is actually very impressive distribution. It comes from our experienced management team and the strong relationships we've built with our customers over the years. So we have a good footprint within specialty retailers and have penetrated some of the mass market. Our growth lies in going deeper into our point of strength, which is the specialty retailers, and driving more velocity around our innovative products, like Bio-Gro'.
We will do this with an expansion of our sales representative and broker network we've been building up over the last year, as well as through the demand we are creating from our increased marketing impressions. This is coming from our recent celebrity endorsements and massive social media online presence of influencers. To date, through our endorsers, we've accumulated over 4-million social media followers, which we expect to begin to translate to revenues and profits over time.
Sue Mosebar: Thank you for your time today and sharing your informative insights.
Stephen Adelé: Thank you. I enjoy sharing my thoughts and insights about the industry I am so passionate about. It's imperative we keep our finger on the pulse and ensure we're all thriving together and helping people make positive lifestyle changes to improve their health and wellness.
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About Stephen Adelé and iSatori, Inc.
Stephen Adelé has been helping individuals from all walks of life create measurable results in their physiques and performance for almost 20 years and has rapidly become a respected authority. He has published numerous articles for magazines around the world, been quoted in several trade publications, appeared on radio shows, conducted seminars around the globe, is the CEO of the prestigious supplement manufacturer, iSatori, and won Outstanding Young Coloradan, Best Boss in America by Fortune magazine, and was named as a finalist for Entrepreneur of the Year by Ernst & Young.
iSatori is a consumer products firm that develops and sells scientifically engineered nutritional products through online marketing, Fortune 500 retailers, and thousands of retail stores around the world. The Company is headquartered in Golden, Colorado, and its common stock trades on the OTCQB, under the symbol "IFIT." More information about the Company is available at http://www.isatori.com.
Forward-Looking Statements
Statements made in this news release relating to the Company's future sales, expenses, revenue, product developments, and all other statements except statements of historical fact, are forward-looking statements within the meaning of Section 27A of the Securities Act of 1933 and Section 21E of the Securities Exchange Act of 1934. We have used the words "anticipate," "believe," "could," "estimate," "expect," "intend," "may," "plan," "predict," "project," "should," "will," "potential," and similar terms and phrases to identify forward-looking statements in this press release. These statements are based on assumptions and estimates that management believes are reasonable based on currently available information; however, management's assumptions and the Company's future performance are both subject to a wide range of business risks and uncertainties, and there is no assurance that these goals and projections can or will be met. Any number of factors could cause actual results to differ materially from those in the forward-looking statements, including, but not limited to, the timing and extent of changes in demand for the Company's products, the availability and price of ingredients necessary to manufacture such products, and the outcome of any current or future litigation regarding such products or similar products of competitors. Please see our Risk Factor disclosures included in our Registration Statement on Form S-1, as amended, initially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission on April 30, 2013, and in subsequent filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission. All future written or oral forward-looking statements attributable to us or persons acting on our behalf are expressly qualified in their entirety by the previous statements. The forward-looking statements herein speak as of the date of this press release. We undertake no obligation to update any information contained herein or to publicly release the results of any revisions to any forward-looking statements that may be made to reflect events or circumstances that occur, or that we become aware of, after the date of this press release.
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