Brand Overview#
Twinlab is a historic American nutritional supplement company founded in 1968 by David Blechman. Originally started in a family garage in New York, the company grew to become a leading name in vitamins, minerals, and bodybuilding supplements. Now operating as Twinlab Consolidated Holdings, Inc. (OTC: TLCC), the company is headquartered in Boca Raton, Florida, and manufactures over 500 products.
History#
- 1968: Founded by David and Jean Blechman in their garage in New York
- 1968: Named “Twinlab” for the founders’ two sets of twin sons
- 1970s: Liquid protein supplement became a bestseller
- 1980s: Expanded into vitamins, supplements; acquired Muscular Development magazine
- 1996: David Blechman retired; son Ross became CEO
- 1998: Acquired Bronson Nutritional Division for $55 million
- 2000-07-07: Founder David Blechman passed away (age 76)
- 2002: Sales declined significantly
- 2003-09: Filed Chapter 11 bankruptcy
- 2004: Acquired by IdeaSphere Inc. for $65 million
- 2014-08: Management buyout by Capstone Financial Group ($130M)
- 2018-07: Anthony Zolezzi named CEO
- 2025: Continued operations, exhibitor at Natural Products Expo West 2025
Corporate Structure#
- Legal Entity: Twinlab Consolidated Holdings, Inc.
- Stock Symbol: TLCC (OTC)
- Headquarters: Boca Raton, Florida
- Manufacturing: American Fork, Utah (NSF GMP for Sport certified)
- Type: Publicly traded (OTC)
- Products: 500+ different products
Founder: David Blechman (1924-2000)#
- 20+ years pharmaceutical sales experience prior to founding
- Started company in family garage with liquid protein supplement
- Named company for two sets of twin sons (Neil, Brian, Ross, Steve, Dean)
- Retired 1996, passed CEO role to son Ross
- Died July 7, 2000 at New York-Presbyterian Hospital
Key People (Historical & Current)#
- David Blechman: Founder (1968-1996)
- Ross Blechman: CEO (1996-2003)
- Tom Tolworthy: CEO (2014 buyout leader)
- Anthony Zolezzi: CEO (2018-present) - founder of Bubba Gump Shrimp Company
Product Focus#
- Product Count: 500+ products
- Formats: Capsules, tablets, powders, liquids, teas
- Categories: Vitamins, minerals, sports nutrition, beauty, weight management
Brand Portfolio#
| Brand | Focus | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Twinlab | Core vitamins & supplements | Since 1968 |
| Twinlab Fuel | Sports nutrition | Pre/post workout, amino acids |
| Reserveage Nutrition | Healthy aging | Premium supplements |
| ResVitale | Beauty supplements | Collagen, skincare |
| Metabolife | Diet & energy | Weight management |
| Alvita | Herbal teas | Since 1922 (acquired) |
| Trigosamine | Joint support | Glucosamine products |
| NutraScience Labs | Private label | B2B services |
Notable Products#
- Amino Fuel (liquid amino acids)
- Daily One Caps (multivitamin)
- Super Gainers Fuel (mass gainer)
- BCAA supplements
- CoQ10 formulas
- Creatine products
Manufacturing & Quality#
| Certification | Status |
|---|---|
| NSF GMP for Sport | ✅ Certified |
| Manufacturing Facility | ✅ American Fork, Utah |
| In-house Production | ✅ |
Retail Presence#
| Channel | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Official Website | ✅ Active | twinlab.com |
| Amazon | ✅ Active | Wide selection |
| GNC | ✅ Active | Traditional channel |
| Vitamin Shoppe | ✅ Active | Specialty retail |
| Health food stores | ✅ Active | Natural channel |
Financial History#
| Year | Event |
|---|---|
| 1998 | Acquired Bronson for $55M |
| 2003 | Chapter 11 bankruptcy ($108M debt) |
| 2004 | Sold to IdeaSphere for $65M |
| 2014 | Capstone buyout (~$130M) |
| 2025 | Publicly traded (TLCC), 28.1% earnings growth (5yr) |
IdeaSphere Era (2004-2014)#
IdeaSphere Inc. was led by:
- Dave Van Andel: Amway heir
- Bill Nicholson: Former Amway COO
- Anthony Robbins: Self-help entrepreneur
- Mark Fox: Former DuPont health strategy
- Peter Hoyt: Hedge fund manager ($1.5B)
Industry Events (2024-2025)#
- Newtopia Now 2024: Exhibitor (August 25-28, 2024)
- Natural Products Expo West 2025: Exhibitor (March 4-7, 2025)
- Hiring: Active recruitment (Quality Supervisor, Sales Manager, Designer)
Legacy#
Twinlab played a significant role in:
- Popularizing liquid protein supplements (1970s)
- Bodybuilding supplement industry growth (1980s-1990s)
- Publishing Muscular Development magazine
- Introducing many mainstream supplement categories
Investigation Notes#
- DSLD Presence: 193 products in database
- UPC Prefix: 027434 (confirmed)
- Stock: TLCC (OTC markets)
- Ownership: Publicly traded, post-bankruptcy restructuring
- Manufacturing: Own facility in Utah
Status Determination#
| Criterion | Finding |
|---|---|
| Official Website | ✅ Active (twinlab.com, tchhome.com) |
| Retail Availability | ✅ Multiple channels (Amazon, GNC, Vitamin Shoppe) |
| DSLD Presence | ✅ 193 products |
| Recent Activity | ✅ 2025 Expo West, active hiring |
| Public Company | ✅ TLCC on OTC markets |
Status: active (High Confidence)
Relationships
From this profile →
- → Founded by: David Blechman (external) (1968)
- → Acquired By: IdeaSphere Inc. (external) (2004)
- → Acquired By: Capstone Financial Group (external) (2014)
Live Data (Census)
E-Commerce Presence
Amazon
193 products
Top Reviewed Products
- 1,362 reviews MetaboLife Ultra - Dietary Supplement - Hunger Supplement for Women & Men - 800 …
- 1,362 reviews Twinlab MetaboLife Ultra - Dietary Supplement - Hunger Supplement for Women & …
- 1,140 reviews Twinlab Daily One Caps Without Iron - Nutritional Supplement with Zinc, B …
iHerb
14 products
Top Rated Products
- Stress B-Complex Caps, 250 Capsules
- Stress B-Complex Caps, 100 Capsules
- Magnesium Caps, 420 mg, 200 Capsules
Regulatory Data (DSLD)
- Total Products
- 78
- Brand Variants
- Twinlab (78 products)
Product Types
- 40 Other Combinations
- 10 Amino acid/Protein
- 8 Mineral
- 5 Vitamin
- 5 Non-Nutrient/Non-Botanical
- 5 Botanical with Nutrients
- 2 Fat/Fatty Acid
- 1 Single Vitamin and Mineral
- 1 Multi-Vitamin and Mineral (MVM)
- 1 Botanical
Dosage Forms
- 40 Capsule
- 13 Powder
- 11 Liquid
- 9 Tablet or Pill
- 2 Softgel Capsule
Core Ingredients (Top 5)
- 22 Calcium
- 21 Magnesium
- 18 Chromium
- 17 Vitamin A
- 16 Vitamin D
Manufacturer Information
- TWIN LABORATORIES
(manufacturer)
Location: RONKONKOMA, NY - IDEASPHERE INC.
(manufacturer)
Location: AMERICAN FORK, UT - Twinlab Corporation (manufacturer)
- TWINLAB CORPORATION
(manufacturer)
Location: AMERICAN FORK, UT - Twinlab Corporation
(manufacturer)
Location: American Fork, UT - ISI Brands Inc.
(manufacturer)
Location: American Fork, UT - IDEASPHERE INC.
(manufacturer)
Location: AMERICAN FORK, UTAH - Twinlab (manufacturer)
- TWINLAB CORPORATION
(manufacturer)
Location: American Fork, UT - ISI Brands Inc.
(manufacturer)
Location: American Fork, Utah