Pittsburgh, PA - GNC (General Nutrition Companies) has engaged Edgeworth, Inc., a Pittsburgh-based human-capital consulting firm, to develop an employee training program that explains the retail health-food business. This move was prompted by the increasing level of competition in the market, which has meant pressure on profitability. Management has decided to develop a communications tool that delivers a "state of the union" message on corporate business conditions.

Essentially, Edgeworth will create a game that will depict a story of how GNC uses its cash to invest in capital expenditures, Selling, General & Administrative (SG&A), product costs and Research & Development (R&D). It will then show how store operations and home-office activities coalesce to contribute to return on capital invested in the business.

Edgeworth will train the home-office personnel first, then move to regional-store management and the upcoming annual store-operations meeting.

According to Vice-President Eileen Scott, "Making an investment in the knowledge base of our employees will pay dividends to our shareholders, as good employee business decisions will drive economic value. Besides, everyone should understand how their own company does business."

About GNC
With more than 5,300 company-owned and franchise outlets worldwide, GNC is the leading nutritional- supplements maker and retail chain in the United States devoted solely to items such as vitamins, dietary products and herbs. Its stores include General Nutrition Centers, Health & Diet Centres (UK), GNC Live Well, and Value Nutrition.