GNC RETURNS TO ROOTS WITH SUNFLOWERS Company looks to past to build a brighter future

PITTSBURGH - Oct. 8, 2002 — Consumers who walk into a GNC franchise or corporate-owned store today will immediately see the results of a $20 million redesign aimed to create a more user-friendly and inviting atmosphere. The most eye-catching element may be the colorful sunflowers that are visible throughout the store. But there’s more than meets the eye to GNC’s incorporation of sunflowers into the sweeping redesign. The sunflower has, in fact, been part of GNC’s heritage since the early 1970s. And as part of the celebration marking the store redesign, this fall the company is returning to its roots by handing out 600,000 packets of edible sunflower seeds in an effort to plant the seed of healthy living in all Americans.

In 1972, GNC developed a pitch for its customer service representatives touting the benefits of “zesties