Last year, GNC unveiled an updated version of its flagship Beyond Raw LIT pre-workout featuring color- and flavor-changing technology. The reformulated product incorporates color-shifting beads that deliver an initial lemonade flavor before dissolving to reveal a green apple flavor and corresponding color change, creating what the company describes as a dual-phase sensory experience.
“We recognize that innovation is one of the core drivers for GNC customers,” said Tyler McGlasson MK, CISSN, director, product innovation & design, GNC. “Many come to us to discover what’s new and learn about what is on the cutting edge of sport performance nutrition science. We came to realize it was time to give the previous version of LIT a kick and bring it up to a new standard the consumer has come to expect.”
McGlasson told NutraIngredients that the color-changing effect has been one of his favorite projects he’s been part of since joining the company in 2021. “The idea had been floating around internally for years, but we never had the means to execute it,” he said. “We finally met the right partner, worked together to formulate a plan, and iterated on concepts for over a year before going to market. Two flavor systems in one is unexpected, fun, exciting, challenging and incredibly rewarding.”
Experience now matters as much as efficacy
According to McGlasson, the bar for what is considered “good enough” has never been higher. Consumers have become increasingly informed about ingredient science and clinically effective dosages while placing greater emphasis on flavor and the overall product experience.
“In addition to that skyrocketing knowledge base, expectations around flavor and experience have gone up as well,” he said. “Often, it’s simply not enough to show the data that substantiates strong language around performance. The product must also taste amazing and feel great to consume as well. First impressions matter, and if our formulas don’t deliver on flavor and experience on top of that scientific excellence, then we haven’t done our job.”
Renewed innovation strategy
McGlasson told NI that the LIT V2 reformulation marked the beginning of a renewed innovation strategy that has since expanded to other products in the Beyond Raw portfolio.
“When LIT first launched, it set a new standard in both flavor and efficacy that customers really latched onto,” he said.
“Today many brands are delivering that kind of excellence on a regular basis, which means continuous iteration and forward motion are required to stay relevant.”
McGlasson said GNC has already expanded the refreshed Beyond Raw lineup over the past year with additional flavor- and color-changing LIT V2 varieties, a reformulated LIT AF V2 and an updated LIT OTG, signaling that the company intends to evolve its performance brands more frequently rather than allowing flagship products to remain unchanged for years.
Before reformulating flagship products, GNC conducts extensive research, drawing on customer reviews, coach feedback, industry trends and social media commentary. “We take everything into consideration,” he said. “All of this comes together to shape what the new idea will be.”
Building on a proven formula
GNC intentionally maintained LIT V2’s stimulant intensity because consumer feedback indicated the original energy system was one of the product’s defining features, McGlasson said.
“Caffeine content is a hot topic in pre-workouts, and this one number can change who interacts with your product before anything else,” he said. “We didn’t want to lose those who have proven to be the biggest fans of LIT by overdoing the caffeine input, so at the start of the reformulation process, we knew the stimulant intensity would remain unchanged and the innovation would come in other parts of the formula.”
Instead, GNC focused its innovation efforts in other areas of the formula, incorporating branded ingredients like Cognizin citicoline for cognitive support, Senactiv for exercise performance and AstraGin to support nutrient absorption, while retaining its 250 mg caffeine system, which combines caffeine anhydrous with extended-release ZumXR.
“Our best ingredient partners do outstanding work in designing rigorous clinical investigations into their ingredients,” he said. “These trials help us prove to our customers that the formulas we create can deliver on the promises we communicate on packaging. Our Science team, which is packed with registered dieticians, PhDs, Masters, and Nutritionists, work closely with our vendors to validate that the claims we make are rooted in competent and reliable scientific methods.”
