Weight-loss and sports nutrition business Basic Research is to merge with Total Nutritional Technologies (TNT), a newcomer in the sports nutrition industry, creating the new business Basic Research Sports.
The merger will involve New Jersey-based TNT managing the sales and marketing of Basic Research's three lines of sports nutrition products (NutraSport, Klein-Becker Sports, Urban Biologics). In addition, six of TNT's body enhancing products will be folded into the Basic Research family of sports nutrition products, said the company.
Basic Research Sports' sales department will be run by the founding partners of TNT.
"This is an exciting venture for both our companies," said Dennis Gay, president of Basic Research, based in Utah. "TNT has grown quickly not only because of its aggressive sales force but also because of the personal relationships they develop with athletes. They know which products are popular in gyms and fitness centres across the country, and they know their clients very well."
TNT president Robert Dente said his company's "personal" touch and Basic Research's emphasis on research, patented formulas and clinically proven blends would prove to be a winning combination.
"We see the marriage of these two companies as bridging the gap between distributors and manufacturers in the sports nutrition industry," Dente said. "Basic Research's clinical approach to sports nutrition and TNT's real world contact with athletes will produce products with broad appeal to wholesalers and consumers alike."
Basic Research Sports will use top athletes to endorse products and work with Basic Research to develop and market new sports-related products, Dente said.
"We really feel we're going to be one of the top players in the sports nutrition industry," Dente said. "There's no limit to where we can take this."
Basic Research has received several industry awards, such as "Best Up and Coming Product" and "Best Seller" from Whole Foods, and three consecutive awards of "The Silver Vity" from Vitamin Retailer magazine.