Explore every episode of the podcast The PricePlow Podcast
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| #241: Dan Lourenço Introduces GHOST Energy Blueberry Cream and Talks Legend V5 | 29 oct. 2026 | 01:21:06 | |
Fans invented a GHOST flavor online, and now it’s in a real life can. And it is phenomenal. On Episode #241 of the PricePlow Podcast, Ben and Mike visit GHOST headquarters in Las Vegas to sit down with co-founder and CEO Dan Lourenço. The visit picks up a conversation the three started at FNIS, and takes it a whole lot further. Dan opens with what he calls the first official flavor review of GHOST Energy Blueberry Cream, a flavor that started as an AI-generated internet rumor before the team decided to actually make it. The flavor is beyond what anyone expected. From there, he previews a rebuilt GHOST Legend platform: a more affordable flagship Legend, a more premium Legend All Out, and a stimulant-free Legend designed for lifters who already bring an energy drink to the gym. The bigger question is how GHOST keeps its identity as energy drinks, protein foods, and major partnerships keep growing. Dan’s answers keep circling back to the fans, and to the 100-year vision he laid out on Episode #143. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/dan-lourenco-241 Video: Dan Lourenço at GHOST HQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7iRinmbCbiM Detailed Show Notes: Inside GHOST HQ with Dan Lourenço
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Dan Lourenço and GHOST
Previous Episodes | |||
| #240: Mitchell Hooper: World's Strongest Man Tells All | 22 oct. 2026 | 01:27:15 | |
Mitchell Hooper won his second World’s Strongest Man title in April 2026, and he’s the first professional strongman to join the PricePlow Podcast. He’s also a kinesiologist with a master’s degree in clinical exercise physiology, so his answers on protein, creatine, and caffeine come with a clinician’s reasoning behind them. In Episode #240 of the PricePlow Podcast, Mitchell sits down with Ben and Mike alongside Jim McMahon, founder of Fit Foods and Mutant, who first teased Mitchell’s signature line on Episode #215. Mitchell explains how he eats 6,000 calories a day, why he takes 20g of creatine daily while Mr. Olympia (Nick Walker) skips it entirely, and how he times caffeine across a contest. He also gets candid about drug use in untested strongman, the two-point finish that decided World’s Strongest Man 2026, and his upcoming mental health memoir. Then Jim delivers the news. Mutant’s Stronger Series, a product line built around Mitchell, starts with a “creatine plus” formula Mitchell has been testing for almost two years, and it launches at the Arnold in March 2027. Fair warning: the conversation gets explicit at times. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for Mutant news alerts on PricePlow before diving in. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/mitchell-hooper-240 Video: Mitchell Hooper on Strongman Fuel and the Stronger Series https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hr2HbSnsWw8 Detailed Show Notes: Mitchell Hooper and Jim McMahon of Mutant
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| #239: SteelFit Is Back - Rob Kaufman on Pro Tan, Steel Fuel, and His Fungies Exit | 15 oct. 2026 | 01:06:31 | |
Rob Kaufman grew up around bodybuilding stages. His father, Stacy Kaufman, founded Pro Tan®, and Rob turned the family’s topical expertise into SteelFit, a sports nutrition and skin fitness brand. In 2020, he also co-founded Fungies, the mushroom gummy brand that reached more than 13,000 stores before the family sold it in July 2026. Now Rob is back on SteelFit full-time, and he’s finally making his debut on Episode #239 of the PricePlow Podcast. Mike and Ben dig into SteelFit’s clean-label rebrand, starting with the new Steel Fuel® pre-workout and its one- or two-scoop dosing, plus the reworked Steel Hydrate amino and electrolyte drink. They also cover Rob’s first HYROX race, why “wellness” marketing misses former athletes in their 30s and 40s, third-party testing, a fish oil supply crunch, and how a self-funded brand uses AI to compete. It’s a candid conversation with a founder building his brand around one idea: staying Still Fit. Through Every Season of Life. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/rob-kaufman-steelfit-239 Video: Rob Kaufman on SteelFit’s Comeback https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H1yTgJTB1ww Detailed Show Notes: SteelFit Founder Rob Kaufman Is Still Fit
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Rob Kaufman and SteelFit
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| #238: Mr. Olympia Nick Walker on Morphogen Nutrition, His Signature Line, and What He Actually Uses | 08 oct. 2026 | 00:57:32 | |
Nick Walker is the new Mr. Olympia, and he won the title as a co-owner of Morphogen Nutrition, not just a sponsored athlete. He made sure of that before he ever switched companies. Episode #238 of the PricePlow Podcast brings Nick together with Morphogen founder Ben Hartman, who explained the equity deal from his side in Episode #221. This time, Mike and Ben get Nick’s version: why ownership mattered to him, why he checks on Hartman’s stress during his own prep, and how much say he has in the products carrying his name. Those products include a signature VOLUGEN without creatine, a reworked pump capsule, and a Red Velvet Cheesecake PROTEGEN that Hartman reveals mid-episode. Nick also gets refreshingly blunt about his own habits: a pared-down pre-show stack, very little caffeine, no creatine in years, and zero interest (actual hatred) for protein cookies. Then there’s his post-Olympia food run, which you have to hear to believe. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for Morphogen Nutrition news alerts before diving in. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/mr-olympia-nick-walker-238 Video: Mr. Olympia Nick Walker Joins Morphogen’s Ownership https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=naKbkCCBqzE Detailed Show Notes: Nick Walker and Ben Hartman on Ownership, Signature Products, and Real Food
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Nick Walker, Ben Hartman, and Morphogen Nutrition | |||
| #237: The Protein King Also Does Carbs: Musclesport's CreaM'D Rice with Jason Mancuso | 01 oct. 2026 | 01:34:46 | |
Jason Mancuso built Musclesport‘s name on flavor-first Lean Whey, the protein line that turned cereal marshmallows and cannoli cream into a real category. He joined Ben for Episode #208 of the PricePlow Podcast to walk through that story, but this conversation is Mike’s first full sit-down with him, alongside Musclesport EVP and CMO Rob “Franky” Oberholzer. CreaM’D Rice Outperforms Lean Whey?! Musclesport’s Next Big Play A lot’s changed since that visit. The headline: Jason says CreaM’D Rice now outsells Lean Whey unit for unit, a strange turn for a brand built on protein powder. This episode covers how that happened, Musclesport’s push into savory CreaM’D Rice flavors (bacon, egg, and cheese included, built on real egg protein instead of whATey), the wellness-minded Fiber Lean-AM, the revived Lifted brand’s functional pouches and a possible energy drink, and a candid look at protein pricing, inventory strategy, and what Jason wants Musclesport to become next. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for Musclesport alerts before diving in. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/musclesport-jason-mancuso-creamd-rice-237 Video: Jason Mancuso and the Musclesport Team on CreaM’D Rice, Savory Flavors, and What’s Next https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5vWP5KwPYBQ Detailed Show Notes: Jason Mancuso and Rob Oberholzer of Musclesport
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Jason, Rob, and Musclesport
Resources Mentioned | |||
| #236: Kris Gethin Puts Biohackers in Their Place | 24 sept. 2026 | 01:32:03 | |
Episode #236 of the PricePlow Podcast welcomes back Kris Gethin, the Welsh-born natural bodybuilder, former Bodybuilding.com Editor-in-Chief, and co-founder of Unmatched Supps and Nova Prime Labs. It’s Kris’s first full episode with us since Episode #012 back in 2018, well before Ben joined as co-host, though longtime listeners got an update on his current chapter when Unmatched co-founder Doug Miller stopped by Episode #219 earlier this year. This wide-ranging conversation covers how Kris and Doug built Unmatched around an all-natural, no-sucralose philosophy, why the line between biohacking and being natural keeps blurring, and how Kris’s own protocol includes stem cell therapy, peptides, EMF mitigation, and regular blood donation. Kris also gives PricePlow its deepest look yet at Unmatched’s upcoming Longevity Bar, 16 months in development, plus previews of a reformulated BH2K, an ElectraShred stick-pack launch, and the new Unmatched University education platform. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for Unmatched Supps alerts before diving in! https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/kris-gethin-biohacking-236 Video: Biohacking, Peptides, and the Longevity Bar with Kris Gethin https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EMiOysYRcwA Detailed Show Notes: Kris Gethin on Unmatched Supps, Longevity, and Biohacking
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Kris Gethin and Unmatched Supps | |||
| #235: Hydroxycut GLP-1 Elite Shred Unveiled by Iovate's New CEO Raza Bashir | 17 sept. 2026 | 01:06:54 | |
Iovate has a new CEO, and he used the PricePlow Podcast to reveal his company’s biggest weight-management launch in years. On Episode #235, recorded at the inaugural Future Nutra Innovation Summit in Lake Conroe, Texas, Raza Bashir joins us for the fifth time, now as the newly appointed CEO of Iovate Health Sciences, parent company of MuscleTech and Hydroxycut. Raza spent 20 years building Iovate’s R&D engine before taking the top job in June 2026, and he brings that formulator’s mindset straight into unveiling Hydroxycut GLP-1 Elite Shred, a stimulant-light fat burner built around an exclusive ingredient called TheoLim® that Iovate already proved out inside MuscleTech’s own Peptide Series. Joining Mike and Ben is Joey Savage, founder and president of the Future Nutra Foundation, who brings sharp questions of his own about stacking supplements with GLP-1 drugs. The episode also covers Muscle Peptide 185’s move into Walmart, CellTech’s TikTok-driven second life, and the regulatory tightrope Hydroxycut now walks. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for MuscleTech and Hydroxycut news alerts before diving in. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/raza-bashir-hydroxycut-glp-235 Video: Iovate’s New CEO Unveils Hydroxycut GLP-1 Elite Shred https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7jtqKOENWg0 Detailed Show Notes: Raza Bashir Unveils Hydroxycut GLP-1 Elite Shred
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Raza Bashir and Iovate
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| #234: Beta-Alanine Without the Tingles - CarnoSyn 4X and TriBsyn with NAI's Mark LeDoux | 10 sept. 2026 | 01:25:11 | |
Mark LeDoux is back on the PricePlow Podcast, and this time the conversation goes well beyond a pre-workout scoop. In Episode #234, Mike sits down with the founder, chairman, and CEO of Natural Alternatives International (NAI) (the company behind CarnoSyn® Beta-Alanine) for an update on where NAI’s research has gone since Mark’s last appearance on the show. Get Ready for Tingle-Free Beta-Alanine with CarnoSyn® 4X and TriBsyn® The headline is CarnoSyn® 4X, a liposomal beta-alanine engineered for 4x the bioavailability of the standard ingredient, meaning an 800mg dose can deliver the equivalent of a 3.2g loading dose without the paresthesia (tingling) that turns off a huge share of potential users. NAI also markets this technology under a second brand name, TriBsyn®, aimed at the wellness and healthy-aging market rather than sports nutrition. Mark and Mike also dig into why beta-alanine matters more than ever in the GLP-1 era, where rapid weight loss often comes with unwanted muscle loss. As Mike digs in, he realizes that there are dozens of benefits to increased carnosine stores, but in sports nutrition, we only concern ourselves with just one. This ingredient goes a lot further than we give it credit for, and Mark is ready to take it to the next level through NAI’s platform. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for NAI alerts before diving in. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/mark-ledoux-carnosyn-tribsyn-234 Video: CarnoSyn® 4X, TriBsyn®, and Beta-Alanine’s Next Chapter https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZJxPj7i5T5c Detailed Show Notes: Mark LeDoux of Natural Alternatives International (NAI)
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Mark LeDoux and Natural Alternatives International
Resources Mentioned | |||
| #233: Joey Savage's Pump-Boosting Probiotic and the Future of Nutrition at Savage Nutra | 03 sept. 2026 | 01:11:54 | |
Joey Savage returns for Episode #233 of the PricePlow Podcast, and he’s got two announcements stacked on top of each other:
Ben and Mike get the full download on both. Joey walks through what makes FNIS different from a typical trade show (hint: it’s built more like a tech company retreat than a supply-side booth crawl), then pivots into the science behind Tensia, a second ingredient made from upcycled duckweed protein, and where strain-specific probiotics are headed next. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for Savage Nutra alerts before diving in. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/joey-savage-fnis-tensia-233 Video: Future Nutra Innovation Summit and the Launch of Tensia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hzXwZMTbl38 Detailed Show Notes: Joey Savage on FNIS, Tensia, and Savage Nutra’s Pipeline
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Joey Savage and Savage Nutra | |||
| #232: TruShield™ Certified BHB Shots for NFL-Strength Head Shots with Marc Lobliner | 27 août 2026 | 01:19:21 | |
Marc “The Machine” Lobliner returns to the PricePlow Podcast for Episode #232, catching up on everything happening at CleanForm Nutrition and Ketone Labs since his last visit on Episode #186. This episode is sponsored by TruShieldâ„¢ Certified, the WADA-level banned substance testing program from Eagle Diagnostics and SMRTL, and Marc explains why CleanForm chose it to certify the CleanForm Nutrition goBHB Energy Shot. Mike, Marc, and Ben also crack open cans of Conor McGregor’s new MAC Energy drink, which runs on the same goBHB ketone ingredient that built Marc’s career, alongside PurCaf natural caffeine and Cognizin citicoline. Marc walks through his history fighting amino acid spiking, CleanForm’s full product lineup, a new Purest Creatine partnership with NNB Nutrition, and lessons from his recent hip replacement. TruShieldâ„¢ Certified App: Easier to Track New Drug-Tested Supplements TruShieldâ„¢ Certified is also proud to announce the creation of the TruShieldâ„¢ Certified App, so you can get notified when new products get certified. It’s a wide-ranging catch-up covering testing standards, celebrity-backed formulas, and three decades of supplement industry stories. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for alerts before diving in. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/marc-lobliner-trushield-certified-shots-232 Video: TruShieldâ„¢ Certified, MAC Energy, and Marc Lobliner’s goBHB Update https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MnCXO5JdZhU Detailed Show Notes: Marc Lobliner on TruShieldâ„¢ Certified, MAC Energy, and CleanForm Nutrition
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Marc Lobliner, CleanForm Nutrition, and TruShieldâ„¢ Certified | |||
| #231: Amino Acid Fortification (Not Spiking!) with Leuvate: Dr. Daniel Traylor | 20 août 2026 | 01:55:38 | |
Episode #231 of the PricePlow Podcast is a science deep dive, and this one comes with tons of citations. Dr. Daniel Traylor, a protein and amino acid researcher at DePaul University, joins Jim McMahon of Fit Foods to launch PVL’s ISO CLEAAR, a dairy-free protein drink built around Leuvate, Traylor’s leucine-forward essential amino acid blend making its first commercial appearance. Traylor has spent close to 15 years studying how fast different protein sources and amino acid forms show up in the bloodstream, and this episode walks through that research paper by paper, from a 2012 dose-threshold study out to Traylor’s own ongoing GLP-1 crossover trial. McMahon, who’s been building Fit Foods since 1996 (he joined us on Episode #215 to talk protein price shocks and the Mutant story), explains why he built ISO CLEAAR around collagen, pea, and fava protein instead of whey, and why absorption speed matters as much as total EAA content. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for PVL and Leuvate news alerts before diving in. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/daniel-traylor-leuvate-231 Video: Dr. Daniel Traylor and Jim McMahon on Leuvate and ISO CLEAAR https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UI0lwdat2lc Detailed Show Notes: Dr. Daniel Traylor and Jim McMahon on Leuvate, ISO CLEAAR, and the Science of Fast Amino Acids
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Dr. Daniel Traylor and Jim McMahon
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| #230: Perfect Day is Coming for the Protein Market - Kyle Failla | 13 août 2026 | 01:02:24 | |
Whey protein isolate keeps getting more expensive, and the reasons go deeper than most people realize. In Episode #230 of the PricePlow Podcast, Mike and Ben sit down with Kyle Failla, Head of Commercial at Perfect Day, to unpack why whey protein prices have climbed so far, and what the company’s new precision fermentation plant means for the supply side of the equation. Perfect Day’s ingredient, ProFermâ„¢, is a fermented version of beta-lactoglobulin (BLG), the dominant and most anabolic fraction of whey protein. Instead of pulling BLG from cow’s milk, Perfect Day grows it in a fermentation tank using a genetically engineered fungus, sidestepping the cheese production bottleneck that’s been squeezing whey supply for years — especially with cheese consumption dropping in the GLP-1 drug era. Kyle walks through the science, the regulatory approvals across five countries, why Perfect Day went quiet for two years, and how the company’s new manufacturing plant changes its ability to serve the sports nutrition, GLP-1, and RTD markets at scale. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for Perfect Day alerts before diving in. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/perfect-day-protein-kyle-failla-230 Video: Kyle Failla on Perfect Day’s ProFerm and the Whey Protein Crisis https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fD5fQzZaw5w Detailed Show Notes: Kyle Failla on ProFerm, Precision Fermentation, and the Whey Protein Crisis
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Kyle Failla and Perfect Day
Resources Mentioned
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| #229: Solving the Protein Problem: NNB Nutrition's Jake Mulder & Dustin Elliott | 06 août 2026 | 01:02:31 | |
NNB Nutrition CEO Jake Mulder and Chief Brand Officer Dustin Elliott join us for Episode #229 of the PricePlow Podcast, recorded live at IFT FIRST 2026 in Chicago. It’s the second of two conversations we recorded with NNB on-site. The first, Episode #227, dug into Shawn Wells’ science-first philosophy. This one turns to the business side of building an ingredient supplier: how NNB scales dipeptides like DL185 Dileucine and the newly trademarked VasoRush, why the company favors ingredients that already exist in nature over new dietary ingredient filings, and how a tightening global whey supply is pushing brands toward clarified plant proteins like NNB’s clear pea protein. Jake and Dustin also walk through the flavor science behind SweetVantage+, NNB’s brazzein-enhanced stevia system built to mask some of the worst-tasting (and most effective) ingredients in the industry, and look back at how far the company has come since it first started working with PricePlow back in 2019. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for NNB Nutrition news alerts before diving in. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/jake-mulder-dustin-elliott-nnb-nutrition-229 Video: NNB Nutrition Talks Business, Manufacturing, and Flavor Science at IFT FIRST 2026 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l-qUhVvrGNc Detailed Show Notes: Jake Mulder and Dustin Elliott on NNB Nutrition’s Growth
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Jake Mulder, Dustin Elliott, and NNB Nutrition
Resources Mentioned
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| #228: SuperHuman Goes Red: Darin Decker Reveals Alpha Lion's New Pre-Workouts | 31 juil. 2026 | 01:15:24 | |
Darin Decker returns to the PricePlow Podcast for Episode #228, his fifth appearance on the show and his first since becoming VP of Sales at Alpha Lion. He joins Mike and Ben for a full walkthrough of the biggest SuperHuman relaunch in years: five reformulated pre-workouts, a rebrand from black to red, and the debut of a new ingredient called Tensia. Alpha Lion built its name on SuperHuman, and starting July 31, the entire sub-brand gets a V2 treatment. SuperHuman Original, Pump, Extreme, Jacked, and Burn all return with updated formulas, a new Superhuman Energy System, and packaging built around the idea that red means activation. Jacked adds PeptiPump and the novel probiotic-derived Tensia alongside its existing PeptiStrong content, while Burn stays untouched because, as Darin puts it, you don’t fix something that isn’t broken. Decker also walks through Alpha Lion’s pricing overhaul, its GNC weight-management win with the Burn2O system, and why the brand is leaning into retail instead of chasing Meta ad spend. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for Alpha Lion alerts before diving in. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/darin-decker-superhuman-228 Video: Darin Decker Unveils the New Red SuperHuman Lineup https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Jz68mzZXxDo Detailed Show Notes: Darin Decker Returns for the SuperHuman Relaunch
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Darin Decker and Alpha Lion | |||
| #227: Shawn Wells Breaks Down GLP-1 Drag: Muscle Loss, Mitochondria, and Dopamine | 23 juil. 2026 | 00:59:24 | |
Episode #227 of the PricePlow Podcast takes us back to the NNB Nutrition booth at IFT First 2026 in Chicago, where Shawn Wells sat down with Mike and Ben for the first of two conversations recorded on-site. This one skips the usual business updates (that’s what part two, with Dustin Elliott and Jake Mulder, covers) and goes straight for the theoretical side of things: where Wells thinks the next several years of supplement innovation are headed, and the problems NNB’s science team wants solved before anyone else notices they exist. Shawn Wells’ Working Theories, and Where NNB Nutrition Takes Them Wells has built a working framework around what he calls “GLP-1 Drag”, three linked theories covering muscle loss, mitochondrial fatigue, and dopamine flattening in people using GLP-1 medications. From there, the conversation covers precision fermentation’s takeover of the herbal extract market, a buccal pouch platform built around fast-absorbing nootropics and stimulants, and an unplanned detour into flush niacin and nicotine pouches. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for NNB Nutrition news alerts before diving in. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/shawn-wells-glp-1-drag-227 Video: GLP-1 Drag, Precision Fermentation, and What’s Next for NNB Nutrition https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YN6_wqnDkA Detailed Show Notes: Shawn Wells on GLP-1 Drag and the Future of NNB Nutrition
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Shawn Wells and NNB Nutrition
Resources Mentioned | |||
| #226: Tom Reilly Returns with Grocery Wins and Creatine at VMI Sports | 16 juil. 2026 | 01:22:42 | |
Tom Reilly, president of VMI Sports, returns for Episode #226 of the PricePlow Podcast, just five months after his debut on Episode #205. This time, Ben is joined by Spencer, PricePlow’s VP of Partnerships and Operations, who steps in for Mike and steers a big chunk of the conversation toward retail strategy. Tom walks through how VMI keeps winning grocery shelf space at Wegmans, Giant Eagle, and now Wakefern’s ShopRite banner, and why understanding vendor portals, credits, and shipping requirements matters as much as the formula itself. He also unveils VMI’s newest creatine lineup, teases an unnamed protein snack headed for shelves by late summer, and explains why the brand waited two years to find the right creatine gummy manufacturer. Along the way, Tom breaks down VMI’s GNC franchise partnerships, a new VP hire aimed at the beverage business, and the MAX Catalyst-powered formula behind KXR Stacked. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for VMI Sports alerts before diving in. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/tom-reilly-vmi-sports-226 Video: Tom Reilly of VMI Sports on Grocery Wins, New Creatine Launches, and What’s Next https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ByrAxgt7kfk Detailed Show Notes: Tom Reilly and VMI Sports
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Tom Reilly and VMI Sports | |||
| #225: Doug Grant - The NBA's First Nutritionist on Microplastics, Digestive Enzymes, and TruShield™ Testing | 09 juil. 2026 | 01:10:04 | |
Doug Grant is the founder and chief formulator of Optimal Health Systems (OHS), a whole-food supplement company he built from the ground up starting in 1990. By 1993, he’d become the first full-time nutritionist hired by an NBA franchise, starting with the Phoenix Suns and later serving the San Antonio Spurs and Miami Heat through seven championship seasons in a decade. In this episode, Doug covers three major areas:
We also get into DSHEA, in-house manufacturing, and why TruShieldâ„¢ Certified is the natural fit for a brand that was already doing third-party testing before anyone required it. TruShield’s origin story is told in our conversation with Lori Bestervelt, Ph.D., and Thane Campbell on Episode #193. Here, we get into why a company like Optimal Health Systems, who works with professional athletes, formulates the way they do, and why they need a service like TruShield Certified to ensure drug-free compliance. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/doug-grant-optimal-health-systems-225 Video: Doug Grant of Optimal Health Systems Explains Microplastics and More https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1MSHRt328fs Detailed Show Notes with Doug Grant of Optimal Health Systems
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Doug Grant Optimal Health Systems
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| #224: SPINS' Scott Dicker on Creatine Trends, GLP-1, and the Next Ingredients to Watch | 02 juil. 2026 | 01:30:50 | |
Three years ago, Scott Dicker of SPINS joined us on Episode #082 of the PricePlow Podcast to talk creatine, collagen, and where sports nutrition was heading next. On Episode #224, Scott returns to grade his own predictions and dig into everything that’s changed since February 2023. The report card is mostly great news for Scott. Creatine’s move into cognitive health and older demographics played out almost exactly as he called it, hydration supplements kept climbing even as ready-to-drink sports drinks flattened out, and Red Bull is still the top-selling energy drink despite years of Celsius, Alani, Ghost, and C4 taking share. Scott, Mike, and Ben also cover where his 2023 calls needed adjusting, from ashwagandha’s staying power to pre-workout’s real exposure to energy drinks. From there, the conversation moves into new territory: the creatine gummy boom, GLP-1 ripple effects on weight management and protein, precision fermentation’s push into alternative dairy proteins, and Scott’s fresh picks for the next ingredients to watch. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/kaitlyn-kenna-smith-223 Video: Scott Dicker of SPINS Grades His 2023 Supplement Trend Predictions https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sDaC4LVirBk Detailed Show Notes: Scott Dicker Returns After 3 Years of SPINS Supplement Trend Predictions
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Scott Dicker and SPINS | |||
| #223: Kaitlyn Kenna Smith: CrossFit, Creatine, and Content Creation with PricePlow | 25 juin 2026 | 01:23:44 | |
Episode #223 of the PricePlow Podcast brings one of PricePlow’s own to the mic: Kaitlyn Kenna Smith, content creator for PricePlow and Bevlab, the face behind PricePlow’s TikTok, and host of the Powerhouse Mentality podcast. If you’ve watched PricePlow’s supplement and energy drink content on social, there’s a good chance Kaitlyn’s behind a lot of it. In this episode, Mike and Ben dig into Kaitlyn’s full story: from a teenager who turned to running to escape a difficult home life to an aspiring professional CrossFit athlete eating over 3,000 calories a day and training twice daily. She’s open about recovering from an eating disorder, why the 1,200-calorie recommendation harms active women, and how she coaches clients to focus on habits and biofeedback over scale weight. The conversation also covers creatine’s well-earned mainstream moment, the rise of functional ingredients in energy drinks, what 1st Phorm gets right about community, and why in-person events matter more than follower counts. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for PricePlow news alerts before diving in. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/kaitlyn-kenna-smith-223 Video: Kaitlyn Kenna Smith of Powerhouse Mentality on CrossFit, Nutrition, and Content Creation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W4XZpR0-9K8 Detailed Show Notes: Kaitlyn Kenna Smith of Powerhouse Mentality
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Kaitlyn Kenna Smith
Resources Mentioned | |||
| #222: Doss Cunningham Sees the Future - C4's Origin, Cellucor's Rebrand, and Nutrabolt's Next Chapter | 18 juin 2026 | 00:59:53 | |
Nutrabolt CEO Doss Cunningham has spent more than two decades building Nutrabolt and the C4 brand into global household names, doing it almost entirely from behind the scenes. In Episode #222 of the PricePlow Podcast, that changes, and we get to shine a light on the visionary leader. Doss sits down with Mike and Ben for our first in-depth podcast conversation together, covering everything from C4’s origin story to the strategic reinvention of Cellucor. Changes for Cellucor, C4 Energy’s Growth, and Expansion Beyond Bloom The trigger for the conversation is what’s happening right now. Cellucor wiped its social media slate clean and launched Cellucor Longevity Creatine + NAD as the opening move in a new Active Health & Wellness direction. But Doss goes much further here, covering the hard lessons from failed brands, the Bloom investment and portfolio vision, C4 Energy’s push to own the “Everyone’s an Athlete” performance lane, and what’s coming next across the Nutrabolt lineup. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for Cellucor alerts on PricePlow before diving in. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/doss-cunningham-nutrabolt-222 Video: Doss Cunningham on C4, Cellucor, and Building a Supplement / Wellness Empire https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Rvm-9VieMt4 Detailed Show Notes: Doss Cunningham and Nutrabolt on the Future of Cellucor and C4
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Doss Cunningham and Nutrabolt
Resources Mentioned
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| #221: Ben Hartman on Morphogen's Comeback, Nick Walker's Equity, and the 10g Tyrosine Return | 11 juin 2026 | 01:42:49 | |
Ben Hartman is back for his third visit to the PricePlow Podcast in Episode #221, and Morphogen Nutrition has never been in a stronger position. Ben walks through everything: the second rebrand’s full backstory, a never-before-told story about a failed acquisition that nearly sold the company, the financial reckoning that followed, and how selling the building and moving to a 3PL model finally cleared the slate. He calls this the best formula work Morphogen has ever done, at the healthiest margins in company history. The conversation covers AlphaGEN’s return to 10g L-Tyrosine, why PRIME is the anchor of the entire health line, details like how he navigates AstraGin® and BioPerine® across a multi-product stack, and the surprising origin of CALM. Then comes the main event: the Nick Walker equity partnership, explained in full, including some of the financial structure the internet has been speculating about. The episode closes with a frank look at the longevity wave ahead, the natural-vs.-enhanced debate, and a nostalgic look back at the golden age of stimulants. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for Morphogen Nutrition news alerts before diving in. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/ben-hartman-morphogen-nutrition-221 Video: Morphogen’s Second Rebrand, Nick Walker Equity, and the 10g Tyrosine Return https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1avyjD3spOk Detailed Show Notes: Ben Hartman on Morphogen’s Rebrand, the Nick Walker Deal, and Where Supplements Are Heading
Where to Follow and Learn … | |||
| #220: Uday Gosalia - Fighting Mandatory Product Listing from the US Capitol | 04 juin 2026 | 00:19:03 | |
Episode #220 of the PricePlow Podcast brings Ben Kane and guest host Joey Savage to Washington, DC for the 2026 NPA (Natural Products Association) Fly-In Day. Their guest on the US Capitol steps at sunset: Uday Gosalia, founder of UGo Beyond and a proud advisor to Future Nutra. This year’s trip had a sharper edge than most. For the first time in several years, the industry came to DC specifically in opposition to active legislation, not just to make a general case. Two bills are in play: Senator Dick Durbin’s Dietary Supplement Listing Act of 2026 (S.3677), which would require every supplement SKU registered with the FDA before market entry, and the Dietary Supplement Regulatory Uniformity Act (H.R. 7366), introduced by Rep. Nick Langworthy, which needs a Senate companion to stop states from layering their own supplement restrictions on top of federal law. The conversation covers those two bills, the drug preclusion clause risk, what actually happens when you explain DSHEA to a senator’s staffer, and why consistent DC presence matters more than any single meeting. Our NPA Fly-In Day preparation guide and Episode #100 with NPA CEO Dan Fabricant offer essential background on PricePlow’s history at these events. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast and sign up for FDA news alerts before diving in. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/uday-gosalia-220 Video: Uday Gosalia and Future Nutra Oppose MPL at NPA 2026 Fly-In Day https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L7WBa-IPH5I Detailed Show Notes: Uday Gosalia (UGo Beyond) at the NPA 2026 Fly-In Day
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Uday Gosalia and UGo Beyond Sign Up for FDA News on PricePlow Resources Mentioned in This Episode
Thanks to Uday Gosalia for joining from the Capitol steps, and to Joey Savage and Future Nutra for making this episode happen. For anyone ready to get involved in supplement advocacy, our NPA Fly-In D… | |||
| #219: Doug Miller Returns - Nova Prime Labs Peptides Extends Empire Beyond CORE & Unmatched | 28 mai 2026 | 01:05:28 | |
Episode #219 of the PricePlow Podcast welcomes back Doug Miller, founder and CEO of Core Nutritionals, for a full portfolio catch-up 4.5 years after Episode #050: Protein Prices on the Rise and Figuring it Out with Doug Miller. Doug’s opening line sets the tone perfectly: “We’re *still* figuring it out and protein prices are *still* on the rise!” In this conversation, Mike and Ben cover the entire Crush It Holdings universe:
Along the way, the crew digs into CreGAAtine, Unmatched’s DTC pivot away from broad retail, an incoming Stem Cell product launch, the Unmatched Bar targeting Olympia 2026, and how another protein price spike is reshaping Core’s lineup. Merica Labz gets a few shouts as well. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for news alerts before you dive in! https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/doug-miller-219 Video: Doug Miller Returns: Core Nutritionals, Unmatched Supps & Nova Prime Labs https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOXpJ94gZR4 Detailed Show Notes: Doug Miller on Core, Unmatched Supps, and Entering the Peptide Space
Big thanks to Doug Miller for coming back after four and a half years and talking through everything happening across the portfolio. If you’re following Core, Unmatched, Nova Prime, or Merica Labz, PricePlow has news alerts for all of them. And thanks to Darren and the team at PerfectShaker for sponsoring the PricePlow Podcast — check out their lineup of shaker cups at PricePlow.com/perfect-shaker, or get the full story behind the brand in Darren Thompson: Inside PerfectShaker | Episode #209. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast, sign up for news from Core, Unmatched, Doug Miller, and Merica Labz on PricePlow, and leave us a great review on iTunes and Spotify! Where to Follow and Learn More &… | |||
| #218: Blake Ebersole - The Ashwagandha Standards Alliance and India's Leaf Advisory | 21 mai 2026 | 01:08:10 | |
The supplement industry is pushing back. In May 2026, a group of long-tenured ashwagandha producers and regulatory experts launched the Ashwagandha Standards Alliance (ASA), a new coalition dedicated to countering misinformation about ashwagandha leaf safety, defending GMP standards, and responding to what many in the industry see as scientifically unsupported regulatory actions: India’s April 2026 FSSAI/AYUSH leaf advisory and Denmark’s earlier ban. In Episode #218 of the PricePlow Podcast, Mike and Ben sit down with Blake Ebersole, founding member of the ASA and president of NaturPro Scientific, a B2B quality and regulatory consulting firm. Blake unpacks and rejects the “root good, leaf bad” narrative, explains why in vitro cancer cell studies are being misused to target ashwagandha leaf, and details how lab shopping and supply chain fragmentation quietly erode quality across the botanical category. This episode pairs directly with our companion article on India’s ashwagandha leaf advisory. Together they cover both the regulatory deep-dive and the industry coalition response. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for our ashwagandha news alerts on PricePlow before diving in. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/ashwagandha-standards-alliance-218 Video: The Ashwagandha Standards Alliance Responds to India’s FSSAI Leaf Advisory https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GxYGLOcgVIw Detailed Show Notes: Blake Ebersole on the Ashwagandha Standards Alliance, FSSAI, and Industry GMP
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Blake Ebersole and the Ashwagandha Standards Alliance
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| #217: NuLiv Science's Full Portfolio with Luis Gonzalez - AstraGin, Senactiv, and a Unique Industry Start | 14 mai 2026 | 01:10:04 | |
NuLiv Science ingredients are everywhere in the modern supplement stack. AstraGin® shows up in pre-workouts, protein powders, energy drinks, and gut health supplements. Senactiv® anchors some of the most performance-focused formulas in sports nutrition. Yet for all that visibility, the brand hasn’t sat down for an in-depth podcast with Team PricePlow for quite some time. Episode #217 brings in Luis Gonzalez, VP of Sales at NuLiv Science, for a 70-minute walkthrough of the NuLiv story and its full ingredient portfolio. Mike hosts solo and the two cover Luis’s path from financial services into supplement sales, the full NuLiv Science ingredient lineup, the evolution of the brand’s research, and every ingredient in the portfolio: AstraGin®, Senactiv®, Zylaria®, InnoSlim®, JointIQ®, Astrion®, and CordycepsPrimeâ„¢. The centerpiece is NuLiv’s most ambitious AstraGin® clinical to date: a 2026 whey protein absorption study documenting 12% to 14% amino acid uptake improvements and a meaningful zonulin reduction across three age demographics. A lot has changed since Episode #059 in 2021. This episode gets you fully caught up, and Luis has a pretty cool story getting into the industry as well. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/nuliv-science-luis-gonzalez-217 Video: Luis Gonzalez of NuLiv Science: AstraGin, Senactiv Senolytics, and the Full 2026 Portfolio https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Et_ErGPaP2I Detailed Show Notes: NuLiv Science’s Full Ingredient Portfolio with Luis Gonzalez
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Luis Gonzalez
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| #216: Balchem's Tom Druke - VitaCholine®, Albion® Chelated Minerals, K2VITAL®, and the NY Jets | 07 mai 2026 | 01:04:46 | |
Balchem makes its first appearance on Episode #216 of the PricePlow Podcast. Tom Druke, Senior Marketing Manager at Balchem’s Human Nutrition & Health division, joins Mike and Ben to cover three flagship branded ingredients: VitaCholine® (choline bitartrate), Albion® Minerals (chelated mineral technology), and a first look at K2VITAL® (vitamin K2 MK-7). Tom walks through Balchem’s growth story: from roughly 30% human nutrition a decade ago to 60-70% today, driven by strategic acquisitions (Albion® in 2016, then Bergstrom Nutrition for OptiMSM® and Kappa Bioscience, which brought K2VITAL®, in 2022). He also explains the New York Jets partnership launched in May 2024, which Balchem and the Jets jointly described as the first partnership between an ingredient company and a major U.S. professional sports team. The choline discussion covers depletion in athletes and knowledge workers, the L(+)-bitartrate vs. DL-bitartrate distinction, the connection to nitric oxide, and what a 2015 published study on visuomotor performance revealed about choline’s role in focus and fine motor coordination. On the mineral side, Tom unpacks Albion’s chelation technology, FT-IR quality verification, and what NOW Foods’ 2022 Amazon audit revealed about third-party magnesium products. This is an educational one, to say the least. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast and sign up for Balchem news alerts before diving in! https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/balchem-vitacholine-216 Video: Tom Druke of Balchem on VitaCholine®, Albion® Minerals, K2VITAL®, and the NY Jets https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h3FYWarAy0E Detailed Show Notes: Balchem’s Tom Druke on VitaCholine®, Albion® Minerals, and K2VITAL®
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Tom Druke and Balchem
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| #215: Jim McMahon of Fit Foods: Protein Price Shocks and the Mutant Story | 30 avr. 2026 | 01:56:13 | |
Jim McMahon turned 60 in early 2026, and his supplement industry experience now spans nearly four decades. He founded Fit Foods Ltd. (parent of Mutant, PVL, Whey Gourmet, and North Coast Naturals) in 1996 with $13,000 and a newborn at home, and built one of the industry’s most disciplined manufacturing operations: 200,000 square feet in Port Coquitlam, BC, roughly 200 employees, and distribution in 70+ countries. This is his first appearance on the PricePlow Podcast, and he doesn’t hold back. In Episode #215 of the PricePlow Podcast, Jim traces the full arc from introducing whey protein to Canada at the 1993 CHFA trade show to signing the Creapure® trademark agreement two days before Prolab. He explains that Mutant’s internal testing found creatine gummies at 28 times the allowable impurity limit, predicts whey protein prices will roughly double within six months, and breaks down the Canadian NHP regulatory system from the inside. Jim also teases a novel pre-workout stimulant nobody has used in sport, Mitchell Hooper‘s upcoming “Stronger” signature line, and a protein extension partnership with Dr. Daniel Traylor of DePaul University. This is a good one — subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for Mutant news alerts on PricePlow before diving in. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/jim-mcmahon-mutant-215 Video: Jim McMahon on 40 Years, Creatine Gummy Quality, and the Whey Protein Avalanche https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9zUsvh5PlrQ Detailed Show Notes: Jim McMahon, Founder and CEO of Fit Foods / Mutant
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Jim McMahon and Mutant / Fit Foods | |||
| #214: Elite-Tier Functional Mushrooms: Inside NuCelium with Riley Boudreau and Rob Swiderski | 23 avr. 2026 | 01:32:29 | |
Episode #214 of the PricePlow Podcast goes deep with the two co-founders of NuCelium, a functional mushroom cultivation company operating out of Coldstream, British Columbia. Riley Boudreau and Rob Swiderski join Mike and Ben to explain NuCelium’s biology-first approach to potency and why their full-spectrum growing method can outperform conventional extraction without stripping out a single compound. The conversation covers Rob’s unusual path to mushrooms (he sold his shares in nine restaurants after a vision he attributes to God) and Riley’s journey from mushroom-picking robotics into cultivation science. Together with a founding mycology team carrying over 75 years of combined experience, they’ve built a facility where quality and affordability don’t have to be trade-offs. The headline result: NuCelium’s CordyFuelâ„¢ won the 2025 Cordy Cup with a third-party verified 14.83 mg/g cordycepin reading, the highest in competition history, achieved without extraction. For the full backstory on the company, see our NuCelium brand introduction on the PricePlow Blog, but this discussion is worth your full time. Once you’re done, you’ll be figuring out ways to add CordyFuel and these other top-tier mushroom ingredients to your stack. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for NuCelium news alerts on PricePlow before diving in! https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/nucelium-mushrooms-214 Video: Biology-First Mushrooms with NuCelium’s Riley Boudreau and Rob Swiderski https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zHqyx2tCS3A Detailed Show Notes: Riley Boudreau and Rob Swiderski of NuCelium on CordyFuel, Full-Spectrum Cultivation, and the Cordy Cup
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Riley, Rob, and NuCelium | |||
| #213: Supplyside Connect New Jersey 2026 - Hot Takes & Fresh Finds | 16 avr. 2026 | 01:04:51 | |
For the second year running, PricePlow took the main stage at SupplySide Connect New Jersey with a live panel podcast. Episode #213 of the PricePlow Podcast brings you that roundtable in full, recorded live in 2026 with three of the most plugged-in editorial voices in the supplement and functional food space: Cassie Smith (Senior Director of Editorial Content, SupplySide), Heather Carter (Associate Editor, SupplySide Food & Beverage Journal), and Devon Gholam (Editor, SupplySide Supplement Journal and food scientist), while Ben hosts from the PricePlow side. The agenda they agreed on: protein, peptides, and fiber. From there, the conversation branches into GLP-1’s downstream effects on the dairy supply chain, the creatine stability arms race in RTDs and gummies, a debate on Mandatory Product Listing vs. DSHEA 2.0, delivery forms on the edge of legality, and frank takes on CBD, THC beverages, and where functional mushrooms are heading. If you caught Episode #164 from SupplySide Connect NJ 2025, this is the 2026 follow-up. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for alerts before diving in. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/supplyside-connect-nj-213 Video: Hot Takes & Fresh Finds – The Live Industry Breakdown at SupplySide Connect NJ 2026 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WCjUOg5Y8d4 Detailed Show Notes: Cassie Smith, Heather Carter & Devon Gholam at SupplySide Connect NJ 2026
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with the Panel
SupplySide / Informa Markets
Previous Episodes | |||
| #212: Tactical Nutrition Using PLT Health and CellFlo6® with Chris Lobb and Brett Bernier | 09 avr. 2026 | 01:09:03 | |
Episode #212 of the PricePlow Podcast covers tactical nutrition from two perspectives that rarely share a microphone: the soldier who tested an ingredient in active combat and the scientist who helped commercialize it. Retired Green Beret Chris Lobb, who served nearly 13 years in the Army with a decade in special operations (including five years with the 10th Special Forces Group), joins PLT Health Solutions Director of Sports and Active Nutrition Brett Bernier to explore what performance supplementation actually looks like under operational conditions. The episode’s anchor is Chris’s firsthand account of testing unlabeled CellFlo6® capsules in Afghanistan in 2019, five years before PLT’s commercial partnership with the ingredient launched. The conversation covers sustained energy management without crashes, caffeine optimization through zümXR®, adaptogen stacking with ingredients like Rhodiolife®, and delivery format innovation (gummies, lozenges, dissolvable strips) suited for environments where water is scarce and silence is mandatory. Brett brings relevant credibility of his own: four years in the Marine Corps as a scout swimmer and assault climber, followed by 16 years in dietary supplements. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast and sign up for PLT Health Solutions and CellFlo6 alerts on PricePlow before diving in. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/tactical-nutrition-cellflo6-212 Video: Tactical Nutrition with Chris Lobb and PLT Health’s Brett Bernier https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gWCVFiisTm0 Detailed Show Notes: Tactical Nutrition with Chris Lobb and Brett Bernier of PLT Health Solutions
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Chris Lobb and Brett Bernier
Connect with PLT Health Solutions | |||
| #211: Robert Samborsky - The Full Apollon Nutrition Origin Story, Hooligan, and the 2026 Roadmap | 02 avr. 2026 | 01:40:13 | |
Robert “Robik” Samborsky, founder of Apollon Nutrition and owner of the legendary Apollon Gym in Edison, New Jersey, has been one of the most authentic voices in the hardcore supplement space for over a decade. Most fans know the products. Fewer know the man behind them. Episode #211 of the PricePlow Podcast fixes that. Robik traces his full origin story from Soviet-era western Ukraine through Israel, South Africa, and New York, covering Lee Strasberg Theatre acting school, a decade of competitive Muay Thai including a title fight at Bangla Stadium in Thailand, and a gym purchase made with maxed-out credit cards. From there, the conversation moves through Apollon Nutrition’s founding while working with NutraBio’s Mark Glazier to utilize their manufacturing, then gets into the brand’s formulation philosophy (clinical-plus dosing, full label transparency, no kitchen sinks), and a full walkthrough of the current product lineup. Robik also drops the first public spoiler for Hooligan V8 and outlines everything Apollon has planned for 2026. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for Apollon Nutrition alerts on PricePlow before diving in. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/robert-samborsky-apollon-nutrition-211 Video: Robik Samborsky on Apollon Nutrition, Hooligan V8, and the 2026 Product Roadmap https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OkRqoD6iqi8 Detailed Show Notes: Robik Samborsky on Apollon Nutrition’s Origin, Philosophy, and 2026 Plans
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Robik Samborsky and Apollon Nutrition
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| #210: Evan Centopani, Easton Drake & Jason Budsock at The Cage on Animal's Next Chapter | 26 mars 2026 | 00:48:33 | |
Episode #210 of the PricePlow Podcast lands live from the expo floor of the Arnold Sports Festival 2026 in Columbus, Ohio, with three back-to-back conversations that cover 40-plus years of supplement history, a landmark creatine collab, and a glimpse at where the whole category is headed next. Spencer and Ben sit down first with Evan Centopani, a 20-year Animal athlete and competitive bodybuilder who now runs a financial planning practice in New Jersey. Next up is Easton Drake, just 90 days into his role as Animal’s Athlete Manager after stints at Bodybuilding.com (BBCOM) and Applied Nutrition. The third conversation brings back Jason Budsock, an OG in Animal’s brand and marketing history who has been on the podcast before. The through-line across all three: the Smarties creatine chew collaboration (Animal’s first-ever licensed flavor collab and the first of its kind in a chewable creatine tablet), the newly signed athlete Billy Love, and how creatine is pulling in audiences far beyond the meathead demographic — including women, the elderly, and yes, even kids. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for Animal news alerts on PricePlow before diving in. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/animal-evan-centopani-210 Video: Animal at Arnold 2026 with Evan Centopani, Easton Drake, and Jason Budsock https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nVpezxJhxik Detailed Show Notes: Animal at Arnold 2026 with Evan Centopani, Easton Drake, and Jason Budsock
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Evan Centopani, Easton Drake, Jason Budsock, and Animal Evan Centopani
Resources Mentioned | |||
| #209: Darren Thompson - Inside PerfectShaker - Supply Chains, Superheroes, and the Science of Mixing | 19 mars 2026 | 01:14:03 | |
Most supplement users have owned a shaker bottle, but very few have thought much about what separates a good one from a bad one. Episode #209 of the PricePlow Podcast changes that. Recorded live at the 2026 Arnold Sports Festival, Ben Kane and Spencer Lynn sit down with Darren Thompson, co-founder of PerfectShaker. This episode pulls back the curtain on one of the supplement industry’s most overlooked categories. Darren and business partner Mark started PerfectShaker in 2009, and over 15-plus years have built it into a full-service custom shaker brand used by Bucked Up, Redcon1, and hundreds of others. From injection molding in China, Hungary, and the USA to DC and Marvel licensing deals, to laser-etched stainless steel and a forthcoming aluminum shaker built for the RTD era, this conversation goes places most supplement media doesn’t. The episode also covers trade show drayage, COVID survival, the Action Rod patent, and why a shaker bottle with your name on it psychologically hits differently than one without. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for Perfect Shaker news alerts on PricePlow before diving in. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/darren-thompson-perfectshaker-209 Video: Inside PerfectShaker – Supply Chains, Superheroes, and Custom Shaker Innovation https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iwsmQW-8cnQ Detailed Show Notes: Darren Thompson of PerfectShaker at the 2026 Arnold Sports Festival
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Darren Thompson and PerfectShaker | |||
| #208: Jason Mancuso and Team Musclesport - Lean Whey, Flavor-First Protein, and Building a Brand from the Ground Up | 12 mars 2026 | 01:10:43 | |
What does it take to build one of the supplement industry’s most flavor-forward protein brands from scratch? In Episode #208 of the PricePlow Podcast, Ben headed up to Long Island, New York, for an in-person visit at Musclesport HQ with founder and CEO Jason Mancuso, EVP and CMO Robert Oberholzer, and Kate Christensen, who handles everything from flavor development to logistics to customer service. Together, they trace Jason’s path from getting fired at McDonald’s in 1993 to managing GNC stores at 18 to running his own manufacturing plant, ultimately building a protein brand that has become a retail floor staple. The conversation digs into how Lean Whey evolved from a side project into the core of Musclesport’s identity, why Jason bet big on dessert-inspired flavors and cereal-style inclusions before anyone else in the industry, and what it really takes to launch a new flavor: 6 months of planning, tight supply-chain relationships, and a small team that does everything in-house. They also cover the brand’s evolution from a strict brick-and-mortar-only model into a balanced omnichannel business — and why the community of ambassadors Kate manages is one of the most underrated growth engines behind the brand. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for Musclesport news alerts on PricePlow so you don’t miss what’s coming next. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/musclesport-jason-mancuso-208 Video: Jason Mancuso and the Musclesport Team on Lean Whey, Flavor Innovation, and Building a Brand https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OaovuO8ra6Q Detailed Show Notes: Jason Mancuso, Kate Christensen, and Robert Oberholzer of Musclesport
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Jason, Kate, and Robert
Resources Mentioned
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| #207: Keely Johnson & Jessie Cavanaugh - Cortisol Awakening Response Research: Arjuna Natural's Upcoming Shoden Study Explained | 05 mars 2026 | 00:49:31 | |
Episode #207 of the PricePlow Podcast brings together Keely Johnson, VP of Sales and Marketing at Arjuna Natural, and Dr. Jessie Cavanaugh of Nutraceuticals Research Institute for a deep dive into cortisol science and ashwagandha research methodology. Jessie, a Harvard Medical School Clinical Scholars Training Program alumna, just completed what she describes as the first botanical study ever to use timestamped cortisol awakening response (CAR) measurements. The subject: Shoden ashwagandha at 60mg, in a three-arm trial with Shoden, Shoden-R, and placebo. Also joining for her podcast debut is Victoria Johnson, registered nurse and familiar face from the PricePlow Instagram channel, who brings a hands-on clinical angle to the conversation. The episode covers what separates quality nutraceutical research from noise, why cortisol balance matters far more than cortisol suppression, and where Shoden is headed: into beverages, pre-workouts, and potentially women’s multivitamins. If you caught Keely on Episode #171 covering the Shoden revolution, this is the scientific sequel. Before diving in, subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for Arjuna Natural news alerts on PricePlow so you’ll know the moment the CAR study publishes. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/cortisol-awakening-response-shoden-207 Video: Shoden Cortisol Awakening Response Research with Jessie Cavanaugh https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vEDJdOv4B14 Detailed Show Notes: Keely Johnson, Jessie Cavanaugh, and Victoria Johnson on Cortisol, Stress, and Shoden
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with the Guests
PricePlow Resources
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| #206: Paul Eftang & Matt Harrier - Nootropics Depot Against the World, Part 2: The Product Line | 26 févr. 2026 | 01:37:25 | |
If you thought Part 1 with Paul Eftang and Matt Harrier was wild — an FDA raid with guns drawn, two years of legal battles, and a crusade against supplement fraud — Part 2 is where it gets genuinely useful. Episode #206 of the PricePlow Podcast picks up right where we left off, this time diving deep into the actual ingredients and products that Nootropics Depot has developed, sourced, and standardized over more than a decade of pharmaceutical-grade R&D. Recorded at Nootropics Depot’s headquarters in Tempe, Arizona, Paul and Matt walk us through tongkat ali’s redemption arc from “gas station boner pill” to clinically meaningful testosterone support, explain why almost every mushroom supplement on the market is mislabeled, detail a 6-year journey to bring a real Ecklonia cava to market, and reveal how a bacopa extract binds to the same receptor as psilocybin. Along the way, they cover cistanche, lion’s mane, Tribugen, a prebiotic fiber system, a novel protein concept, and an industry-wide testing fraud landscape that makes their product philosophy make total sense. Sign up for Nootropics Depot news alerts on PricePlow and subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform before diving in. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/nootropics-depot-products-206 Video: Paul Eftang and Matt Harrier of Nootropics Depot Break Down the Products https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LkZ-GDzEQRo Detailed Show Notes: Paul Eftang and Matt Harrier of Nootropics Depot on Ingredients, Innovation, and Industry Fraud
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Paul Eftang, Matt Harrier, and Nootropics Depot | |||
| #205: Tom Reilly - VMI Sports, PEZ Collab, and Two Mystery Canned Beverages | 19 févr. 2026 | 01:10:09 | |
Tom Reilly, president of VMI Sports, brings a perspective from all over the industry, and he’s got a lot of educational things to say. Two decades spent at GNC, then in natural food distribution at UNFI, and eventually as a purchasing director and director at Lone Star Distribution gave him an unusually complete map of how supplements actually move through the market. VMI grew out of that experience, launched as a house brand for Lone Star in 2012 before Tom took it full time in late 2015, and has been grinding ever since — bootstrapped, profitable, and growing every single year. In Episode #205 of the PricePlow Podcast, Mike and Ben sit down with Tom to cover the full arc: how VMI got started, what distribution taught him that brand founders usually learn the hard way, the evolution from specialty sports nutrition into grocery chains, the K-XR pre-workout legacy, the PEZ collaboration strategy, and some genuinely exciting teases for what’s coming in 2026, including two canned beverages that are neither energy drinks nor protein sodas. This is a good one, and Tom’s willingness to mentor others shines through, as we learned a lot in this one – and we guarantee you will too. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for VMI Sports news alerts before diving in — you won’t want to miss those can reveals when they drop. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/tom-reilly-vmi-sports-205 Video: Tom Reilly of VMI Sports on Distribution, Grocery, PEZ, and What’s Next https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nIkHJOngDPk Detailed Show Notes: Tom Reilly and VMI Sports
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Tom Reilly and VMI Sports | |||
| #204: Eric Withee & Marc Bruggemann - Vegan Collagen?! How VC-H1 Can Disrupt Amazon | 12 févr. 2026 | 00:53:55 | |
What if you could deliver all the benefits of traditional collagen without any animal ingredients? In Episode #204 of the PricePlow Podcast, we explore VC-H1, a revolutionary vegan collagen alternative derived from organically grown hibiscus. Eric Withee from Freemen Nutra returns to discuss the science behind this innovative ingredient, while Marc Bruggemann, an e-commerce expert specializing in Amazon strategy, reveals the massive untapped market opportunity for plant-based collagen products. Unlike traditional “vegan collagen boosters” that merely mimic amino acid profiles or throw together kitchen-sink formulas, VC-H1 delivers actual collagen peptides from a botanical source. At just 1.5 grams per serving, this clinically studied ingredient stimulates collagen synthesis through the same pathways as bovine or marine collagen (with price parity, organic certification, and sustainable sourcing from Laos). With 400,000+ annual searches for “vegan collagen” on Amazon alone and virtually no legitimate products to meet that demand, the timing couldn’t be better for brands to enter this blue ocean market. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for our alerts before we dive into this game-changing ingredient. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/vegan-collagen-freemen-nutra-vc-h1 Video: Vegan Collagen from Hibiscus: VC-H1 with Eric Withee & Marc Bruggemann https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Tchb8BYjqpU Detailed Show Notes: Eric Withee (Freemen Nutra) and Marc Bruggemann Discuss VC-H1 Vegan Collagen 0:00 – Introductions Ben welcomes returning guest Eric Withee from Freemen Nutra and introduces Marc Bruggemann, an e-commerce expert with deep Amazon marketplace experience. Unlike typical podcast episodes that focus purely on ingredient science, today’s conversation takes a different angle by examining how innovative ingredients actually perform in the marketplace. Marc brings valuable perspective from his career building Amazon channels for supplement brands, including working at NutriBio Labs and Thrasio (the fastest company in US history to reach $10 billion valuation) before specializing in helping top-10 supplement brands dominate Amazon’s competitive landscape. 0:45 – Marc’s E-commerce Background and Amazon Expertise Marc shares his journey through the dietary supplement e-commerce space, starting with building Amazon channels and eventually working with some of the industry’s largest brands. His experience spans everything from product development to advertising strategy, taking brands from limited distribution to nationwide presence. This unique perspective on both the marketplace dynamics and consumer behavior sets the stage for understanding why certain ingredients succeed or fail on platforms like Amazon. Marc’s track record includes elevating multiple brands into Amazon’s top 10 supplement sellers, giving him invaluable insights into what drives consumer purchasing decisions in the crowded digital marketplace. 1:45 – Introducing VC-H1 Vegan Collagen Alternative Eric introduces VC-H1, a vegan collagen alternative that immediately captured Marc’s attention during their initial conversation. Unlike traditional collagen supplements derived from animal sources, VC-H1 is composed entirely of peptides… | |||
| #203: Paul Eftang & Matt Harrier - Nootropics Depot Against the World, Part 1 and The FDA Raid | 06 févr. 2026 | 01:58:27 | |
What happens when a supplement company built on pharmaceutical-grade testing standards gets raided by federal agents? In Part 1 of our two-part series with Nootropics Depot on the PricePlow Podcast, founder Paul Eftang and Director of Business Development Matt Harrier take us through their origin story, the harrowing 2021 FDA raid that changed everything, and why regulatory inconsistencies leave consumers more vulnerable than protected. Paul started on Reddit’s r/Nootropics community, calling out mislabeled supplements that sent people to hospitals. When donations to test products revealed widespread fraud across the industry, he founded Ceretropic (later acquiring Nootropics Depot) to prove quality control was possible. Matt was part of the original Nootropics Depot team, and they united by their shared priority: making sure what’s on the label is actually in the bottle. But their commitment to transparency and pharmaceutical-grade testing made them a target. In 2021, while Paul was out of the office, armed agents raided their facilities — not for safety violations, but for technical regulatory interpretations around compounds like racetams. The agents complimented their equipment and testing standards even as they seized products. Two years and significant legal costs later, a deferred prosecution agreement required destroying inventory and paying fines, but no criminal charges stuck. This episode reveals uncomfortable truths about FDA enforcement: selective raids while warning letters go to others, funding through civil asset forfeiture, and regulatory ambiguity that punishes good actors while bad actors continue unchallenged. It’s the backstory that shaped why Nootropics Depot now operates pharmaceutical-grade supplement testing lab that most supplement brands wouldn’t even recognize. Be sure to subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for Nootropics Depot news alerts before we dive into this revealing conversation. Part 2 of this series is in Episode Episode #206: Nootropics Depot Against the World, Part 2: The Product Line. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/nootropics-depot-fda-raid-203 Video: The FDA Raid That Changed Everything – Paul Eftang & Matt Harrier of Nootropics Depot https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gSZIlbPsT7c Detailed Show Notes: Inside Nootropics Depot’s Origin, Raid, and Fight for Consumer Protection
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| #202: Rich Gaspari - Building Gaspari Nutrition, Surviving Bankruptcy, and the Big Comeback | 29 janv. 2026 | 01:18:57 | |
Rich Gaspari needs no introduction in the bodybuilding and supplement industry. From childhood dreams inspired by Arnold in muscle magazines to setting new standards for conditioning on the Mr. Olympia stage, Rich’s journey represents decades of dedication to the sport and science of bodybuilding. After a career-ending injury forced him to transition from competing to entrepreneurship, he founded Gaspari Nutrition nearly three decades ago with a singular focus: creating effective supplements backed by proper dosing and real science. In Episode #202 of the PricePlow Podcast, Rich shares the complete arc of his entrepreneurial journey, from gym ownership and personal training to building one of the industry’s most respected brands. He discusses his science-forward nutritional philosophy that was well ahead of the curve, the devastating impact of the amino spiking scandal, going through bankruptcy, and his difficult-yet-principled decision to rebuild. We also get into why Proven Egg became the cornerstone of his comeback, where he was once again ahead of the curve. Throughout the conversation, Rich emphasizes the importance of ethics, innovation, and adapting to changing markets while staying true to quality ingredients and efficacious dosing. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/rich-gaspari-202 Video: Rich Gaspari Discusses Three Decades of Supplement Innovation and Ethical Business Practices https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JNkeJCtr7MI Detailed Show Notes: Rich Gaspari on Building, Losing, and Rebuilding Gaspari Nutrition
Where to Follow and Learn More Connect with Rich Gaspari and Gaspari Nutrition
Key Products Discussed
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| #201: Nate Frazier & Brooks Thomas - Gym Snack - Savory High-Protein Snacks Without Seed Oils | 22 janv. 2026 | 01:13:47 | |
Welcome back to Episode #201 of the PricePlow Podcast! We’re thrilled to be joined by Brooks Thomas, Chief Marketing Officer at Louisville Brands, and Nate Frazier, Founder and CEO of Red Knot Capital and Managing Partner at Gym Snack. Long-time listeners will remember Nate from Episode #098 when he was COO at GNC. Today, he’s back to discuss an exciting new venture that’s filling a massive gap in the protein snack market. Gym Snack: Deliciously Savory High-Protein Snacks Gym Snack is tackling a problem many of us face: protein fatigue. The market is saturated with sweet, chewy bars and gummies, but where are the savory options? Brooks and Nate have created a crunchy, plant-based snack delivering 30 grams of protein per bag with clean ingredients and zero seed oils. Using pea protein as the foundation, they’ve launched three distinct flavors that satisfy both taste and macro goals. The discussion covers everything from manufacturing excellence and vegan certification to the impact of GLP-1 agonists on protein absorption and the critical importance of authenticity in today’s crowded supplement market. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform, and sign up for Gym Snack news alerts before diving into this exciting conversation! https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/gym-snack-201 Video: Savory Protein Snacks That Actually Deliver https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hHw8X0eeb5g Detailed Show Notes: Brooks Thomas & Nate Frazier on Gym Snack’s Mission
Where to Find Brooks Thomas, Nate Frazier, and Gym Snack | |||
| #200: EPISODE 200! | 15 janv. 2026 | 02:01:53 | |
Welcome to Episode #200 of the PricePlow Podcast, where Team PricePlow gathers to celebrate an incredible journey through the supplement industry. Mike Roberto is joined by Ben Kane (first appearing in Episode #010) and Spencer Lynn (debuting in Episode #092), along with video producer Cody Fernley making his PricePlow Podcast debut. This reflective conversation takes listeners through seven years of podcasting history, from that bold 2018 Arnold Sports Festival recording to becoming the industry’s go-to platform for ingredient science, business strategy, and supplement innovation. The team discusses memorable episodes with industry legends, the evolution of precision fermentation technology, the explosive growth of the functional beverage category through PricePlow’s Bevlab offshoot, and the balance between technical depth and entertainment value. They also honor the memories of Dallas McCarver, John Meadows, and Dr. Hector Lopez, whose contributions to the industry and the podcast remain impactful. The episode turns into a business talk about some potential ventures Team PricePlow will get into, and different segments they want to attack after Bevlab and an upcoming Functional Foods target — namely if they should scale this into the peptide space. From sitting down with CEOs of major retailers to exploring cutting-edge ingredient discovery platforms, the PricePlow Podcast has chronicled the supplement industry’s transformation in real time. Join us as we celebrate 200 episodes of science, strategy, and storytelling. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for our alerts before diving in! https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/episode-200 Video: Team PricePlow Celebrates 200 Episodes! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wXXd6Y9K5QY Detailed Show Notes: Reflecting on 200 Episodes of Supplement Industry Leadership 0:00 – Welcome to Episode 200 Team PricePlow assembles for this milestone episode with Mike Roberto hosting alongside Ben Kane (team member since Episode #019 with Dave Palumbo), Spencer Lynn, and Cody Fernley. The conversation opens with gratitude for listeners who’ve followed the podcast’s evolution from its 2017 launch. Mike notes how the show has refined its focus toward industry insiders, scientists, and marketing professionals, creating a specialized following that’s evident at trade shows. The team is drinking fitting beverages — Mike sips Cereal Killer C4 Energy (his favorite flavor ever) while Ben enjoys Welch’s Cran-Grap Ghost Energy Drink. Spencer and Cody also enjoy a Ghost Energy. 3:00 – The legendary Arnold episode The team recalls Episode #010, recorded at the Arnold Sports Festival hotel lobby with NutraBio’s Dan Margolis while Ben was still with the brand. The crew commandeered a hotel table without permission, embodying the “ask forgiveness, not permission” philosophy that would characterize many future episodes. The chaotic energy of the Arnold, with big dudes everywhere and constant activity, provided a charged backdrop th… | |||
| #199: Brad Meyers - Better Protein for Better-For-You Foods with Glanbia | 08 janv. 2026 | 01:06:20 | |
Welcome back to Episode #199 of the PricePlow Podcast! Today we’re diving deep into the science and innovation behind functional proteins with Brad Meyers, VP of Functional Proteins and Snacking at Glanbia. This conversation explores how the supplement and functional foods industry is evolving to meet growing consumer demands for higher protein, lower sugar products that actually taste good, all while navigating the rapid market transformation driven by GLP-1 medications and changing lifestyles. Brad brings over 20 years of food ingredients experience to the table, including a fascinating background in sweeteners and natural ingredients before specializing in proteins. In this episode, we explore the food science fundamentals that make or break protein-fortified products, from understanding Maillard browning reactions to solving the infamous protein bar hardness problem. We also get an inside look at Glanbia’s extensive applications lab capabilities, including their OvenPro platform specifically designed for high-protein baked goods, and discuss innovative future product concepts that could reshape on-the-go protein consumption. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform, and sign up for Glanbia news alerts below before we dive in! https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/glanbia-functional-proteins-199 Video: Functional Protein Innovation with Brad Meyers from Glanbia https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VcE2kcUwyfQ Detailed Show Notes: Brad Meyers Breaks Down the Science Behind Better-For-You Functional Foods
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| #198: Nora Khaldi - The Nuritas AI-Powered Peptide Discovery Platform | 30 déc. 2025 | 01:24:25 | |
In Episode #198 of the PricePlow Podcast, we sit down with Nora Khaldi, founder and CEO of Nuritas, the groundbreaking company revolutionizing ingredient discovery through artificial intelligence and peptide science. Nora’s journey from pure mathematician and computer scientist to pioneering AI-driven nutrition innovation represents a fascinating intersection of technology and human health. Most listeners know Nuritas from PeptiStrong, the natural anabolic peptide ingredient derived from fava beans that’s making waves in the sports nutrition industry. But there’s so much more to the Nuritas story. This episode explores how Nora, a mathematician, identified a fundamental problem in the supplement industry: an inability to create truly new ingredients to address rapidly evolving consumer health trends. Traditional ingredient development takes decades and costs hundreds of millions of dollars, making innovation nearly impossible for the nutrition sector. Nora explains how Nuritas spent seven to eight years building proprietary AI technology called Magnifier, which integrates machine learning, proteomics, peptidomics, and molecular biology to identify bioactive peptides in nature. The conversation covers the company’s entire peptide portfolio, including PeptiSleep, PeptiYouth, PeptiControl, and the upcoming PeptiPump, along with the clinical science, regulatory challenges, and manufacturing processes behind each ingredient. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/nora-khaldi-nuritas-198 Video: Nora Khaldi on AI-Powered Peptide Discovery https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TJ7Mmft2maA Detailed Show Notes: From Mathematics to Peptide Innovation
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| #197: Laura Katz & Pamela Besada-Lombana - Helaina's effera® Lactoferrin Growth Story | 23 déc. 2025 | 00:54:08 | |
Welcome back to Episode #197 of the PricePlow Podcast, where we take you inside Helaina’s Manhattan research and development facility for an in-depth conversation with CEO Laura Katz and Pamela Besada-Lombana (Pam), Director of Early R&D. After our initial online episode with Laura back in June, we traveled to New York to experience firsthand the groundbreaking precision fermentation work happening in the heart of Midtown Manhattan. This episode reveals the sophisticated science, collaborative culture, and clinical validation driving effera® lactoferrin from a novel ingredient to an industry-changing reality. In this conversation, Pam takes us deep into the yeast engineering process that makes effera possible, explaining how her team designs, builds, and optimizes microbial factories to produce human-equivalent lactoferrin more efficiently with each iteration. Laura shares recent clinical breakthroughs, including the landmark alloimmunization study that proved effera triggers no immune response while bovine lactoferrin does, along with emerging data on gut permeability and microbiome health. The discussion also explores Helaina’s empathy-driven culture, their data infrastructure capturing 170 million rows of metabolic information, and how they’re attracting innovative brands that value genuine science and transparency. This episode complements our earlier conversation with Helaina’s Dan DeMarino and Anthony Clark from the same New York trip. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for Helaina news alerts before diving in. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/helaina-laura-katz-pamela-lombana-197 Video: Inside Helaina’s Manhattan Lab with Laura Katz and Pam Besada-Lombana https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4LWUrgTkF98 Detailed Show Notes: The Science and Strategy Behind effera® Lactoferrin
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| #196: Teresa Pellicer & Bernardo Gonzaga - The Science of Vitamin B12 and HTBA's MecobalActive Study | 18 déc. 2025 | 01:19:46 | |
Vitamin B12 is essential for energy production, nervous system function, and overall metabolic health, but not all B12 forms deliver equal bioavailability or stability. In Episode #196 of the PricePlow Podcast, we welcome back HTBA (HealthTech BioActives) for a comprehensive deep dive into the science behind their MecobalActive methylcobalamin ingredient and the groundbreaking clinical study that validates its efficacy in athletes who are not deficient. Joining us are Teresa Pellicer, PhD, Pharmacologist and R&D Manager in Biotechnology at HTBA, and Bernardo Gonzaga, Global Division Manager for Functional Health Solutions. This conversation builds on Episode #188 with Edwin Gonzalez, where we explored practical applications of MecobalActive in functional foods. Today, we go deeper into the molecular mechanisms, clinical evidence, bioavailability data, and manufacturing innovations that make MecobalActive a next-generation B12 solution for supplements, functional foods, and beverages. Teresa’s expertise in pharmacology and molecular biology shines as she explains why methylcobalamin represents the biologically active form your body actually uses, while Bernardo provides industry context on applications, regulatory considerations, and market opportunities. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform, and sign up for HTBA news alerts before we dive into the science. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/podcast/htba-mecobalactive-vitamin-b12-196 Video: The Science Behind MecobalActive Vitamin B12 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3v5NgW5jD-E Detailed Show Notes: Teresa Pellicer and Bernardo Gonzaga Discuss MecobalActive B12
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| #195: Konlan James & Lucas Kaelin - Pouches, Supplement Social Media, and The Reality of Content Creation | 11 déc. 2025 | 00:48:16 | |
Two of the supplement industry’s rising content creators join the PricePlow Podcast for Episode #195, recorded live from NNB Nutrition’s massive booth at SupplySide Global 2025. Lucas Kaelin (@WhatsUpWithLucas) and Konlan James (KJ from V1 Nutra) sit down with Mike and Ben to discuss the realities of building an audience in the supplement space, from navigating criticism to battling imposter syndrome. The conversation takes an unexpected turn into the regulatory gray area surrounding supplement pouches, exploring why the FDA needs to provide clarification before the industry gets blindsided. As content creators who ask tough questions, Lucas and KJ offer candid perspectives on what it means to be “chronically online” while building legitimate businesses. This episode is essential listening for anyone interested in the future of supplement content creation and the challenges facing the next generation of industry voices. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/konlan-james-lucas-kaelin-195 Video: Lucas Kaelin & Konlan James Talk Content Creation at SupplySide Global https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pnmN1Pxk4lY Detailed Show Notes: Content Creator Challenges with Lucas Kaelin & KJ
Where to Find Lucas Kaelin, Konlan James, and V1 Nutra
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| #194: Katie McCammack - Build Beverages at LaCore Nutraceuticals | 04 déc. 2025 | 00:49:45 | |
Welcome back to Episode #194 of the PricePlow Podcast, where we tour LaCore Nutraceuticals in Van Alstyne, Texas with Kaitlyn McCammack, their Manager of Research and Development. Fresh off running the CREATEA Mighty Mango beverage — the collaborative innovation featured at SupplySide Global 2025 — we explore LaCore’s impressive manufacturing capabilities and discuss why creatine belongs in functional beverages. LaCore represents a rare breed in supplement manufacturing: a facility offering everything from personalized nutrition packs to 12-ounce cans, stick packs to tetras, all while maintaining startup-friendly minimums. Katie walks us through their two Texas facilities, including a nostalgic former Johnson & Johnson building housing their can line with the biggest tanks we’ve seen. The conversation ranges from creatine for kids to liposome technology, proving that manufacturing innovation drives ingredient innovation. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for LaCore Nutraceuticals alerts on PricePlow before we dive into this facility tour. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/lacore-nutraceuticals-194 Video: Behind the Scenes at LaCore Nutraceuticals in Van Alstyne, Texas https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QQi2MBma9RM Detailed Show Notes: Manufacturing Innovation with Kaitlyn McCammack
Where to Follow Kaitlyn McCammack and LaCore Nutraceuticals
Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on any platform, sign up for LaCore Nutraceuticals alerts on PricePlow, and leave us a great review on iTunes and Spotify! All PricePlow Articles Mentioning LaCore Nutraceuticals | |||
| #193: Trushield Certified - Test for 400+ Banned Substances with Lori Bestervelt & Thane Campbell | 26 nov. 2025 | 01:14:22 | |
The supplement certification landscape is evolving, and Episode #193 of the PricePlow Podcast brings you to the forefront of this transformation. We sit down with Lori Bestervelt, Ph.D., and Thane Campbell from TruShieldâ„¢ Certified, a new certification service that’s challenging the status quo by focusing exclusively on comprehensive banned substance testing. With Lori’s 22 years creating industry standards at NSF International (including the foundational NSF 173 standard) and Thane’s expertise from SMRTL (one of only two WADA-experienced anti-doping laboratories in the United States), they’re introducing a certification approach that tests for well over 400 prohibited substances, including entire drug classes like glucocorticoids and HIF stabilizers that other programs overlook. TruShieldâ„¢ Certified: Finished Product Drug-Testing from an Elite Lab Unlike traditional bundled certification programs that require brands to repeat testing across multiple areas they may already have covered, TruShield takes a streamlined approach by focusing solely on what athletes and tested individuals need most: certainty that their supplements are free from banned substances. The conversation explores the evolution of performance-enhancing substances from prohormones to SARMs to peptides, the challenges of cross-contamination in manufacturing, and why the certification industry hasn’t kept pace with modern supply chain realities. Whether you’re a brand looking to protect athletes or a consumer wanting transparency about what’s in your supplements, this episode delivers critical insights into the future of supplement safety. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for TruShield Certified news alerts on PricePlow before we dive into the details! https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/trushield-certified-193 Video: Introducing TruShieldâ„¢ Certified with Lori Bestervelt and Thane Campbell https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G-m-QHg6nDk Detailed Show Notes: TruShieldâ„¢ Certified’s Approach to Banned Substance Testing
Where to Follow Lori B… | |||
| #192: Shawn Wells and Dustin Elliott #2: NNB Nutrition's Pure, Potent, Precise Revolution | 23 nov. 2025 | 00:55:33 | |
We’re back at SupplySide Global 2025 as Shawn Wells and Dustin Elliott from NNB Nutrition return for Episode #192 of the PricePlow Podcast. Since Episode #152, NNB has undergone a dramatic transformation, fully committing to precision fermentation and launching their Pure Potent Precise campaign that’s reshaping how the supplement industry thinks about ingredient quality, potency, and manufacturing. Filmed directly from NNB’s stunning new booth at SupplySide Global, this conversation explores the company’s evolution from novel ingredient supplier to industry thought leader driving pharmaceutical-grade supplement innovation. Shawn and Dustin detail their strategic shift toward 99%+ pure compounds, fermentation-based manufacturing, and microdosing strategies that deliver unprecedented efficacy while solving sustainability challenges. The episode showcases NNB’s OnSwitch concept beverage, discusses their Pürest Creatine and Pürest Collagen launches, and dives deep into why isolated compounds often outperform whole herbs for modern formulation. We also tackle the controversial question of whether commodity creatine quality is declining as demand skyrockets, explore microplastic contamination in supplements, and preview three mystery ingredients launching with exclusive brand partners. Subscribe to the PricePlow Podcast on your favorite platform and sign up for NNB Nutrition news alerts on PricePlow before diving in. https://blog.priceplow.com/podcast/nnb-nutrition-pure-potent-precise-192 Video: NNB Nutrition’s Precision Fermentation Revolution with Shawn Wells & Dustin Elliott https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aFSQpMdQyXI Detailed Show Notes: Pure, Potent, Precise – NNB’s Industry Evolution
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