Vitacost.com, Inc., Boca Raton, FL, an online retailer of health and wellness products, has launched the “ARO Black Series,” a new proprietary sports nutrition line. ARO, which stands for “Attack, Recover and Optimize,” offers specially designed formulas and superior quality products at everyday low prices for the elite as well as the everyday athlete.
 
The new line includes pre- and post-workout formulas, protein powders, flavored glutamine, creatine, and branched-chain amino acids (BCAAs), in addition to other general health items designed to support athletic performance. All items in the line are free of artificial colors and gluten and contain no hidden ingredients, an increasingly important characteristic for sports nutrition products. The new ARO line initially will contain 27 SKUs with additional products to be added throughout the year, including a line of meal replacement products marketed under the “ARO Lean” brand name.
 
According to the Nutrition Business Journal, U.S. sales of sports nutrition products accounted for $3.6 billion of the $30.0 billion total U.S. dietary supplement market in 2011. Of this amount, sales sold through the Internet channel accounted for $0.5 billion and are forecast to grow at an 11% CAGR through 2020.
 
“We are excited about the launch of our new ARO Black Series and believe it meets the rapidly growing demand for high-quality sports nutrition products,” stated Jeffrey Horowitz, chief executive officer of Vitacost.com. “In addition, the new ARO line is completely transparent, with no hidden ingredients and is free of harmful impurities — an important distinction when comparing brands and something very important to today's sports-minded consumer.”