NATURE OF BUSINESS

12 Months Ended

Dec. 31, 2015

Organization, Consolidation and Presentation of Financial Statements [Abstract]

NATURE OF BUSINESS

NATURE OF BUSINESS

GNC Holdings, Inc., a Delaware corporation ("Holdings," and collectively with its subsidiaries and, unless the context requires otherwise, its and their respective predecessors, the "Company"), is a global specialty retailer of health and wellness products, which include vitamins, minerals and herbal supplements ("VMHS"), sports nutrition products, diet products and other wellness products.

The Company is vertically integrated as its operations consist of purchasing raw materials, formulating and manufacturing products and selling the finished products through its three reportable segments, which include Retail, Franchising, and Manufacturing/Wholesale. Corporate retail store operations are located in the United States, Canada, Puerto Rico, and, beginning with the acquisition of THSD d/b/a The Health Store ("The Health Store") in 2014, Ireland. In addition, the Company offers products on the Internet through GNC.com, LuckyVitamin.com, and Drugstore.com. The Company also offered product on the Internet through its 2013 acquisition of A1 Sports Limited d/b/a Discount Supplements (“Discount Supplements”) up to and including December 31, 2015 when the assets of Discount Supplements were sold and operations were ceased. Franchise locations exist in the United States and approximately 50 other countries. The Company operates its primary manufacturing facilities in South Carolina and distribution centers in Arizona, Indiana, Pennsylvania and South Carolina. The Company manufactures the majority of its branded products, but also merchandises various third-party products. Additionally, the Company licenses the use of its trademarks and trade names.

The processing, formulation, packaging, labeling and advertising of the Company's products are subject to regulation by one or more federal agencies, including the Food and Drug Administration (the "FDA"), the Federal Trade Commission (the "FTC"), the Consumer Product Safety Commission, the United States Department of Agriculture and the Environmental Protection Agency. These activities are also regulated by various agencies of the states and localities in which the Company's products are sold.