GNC, Rite Aid add to partnership

GNC and Rite Aid Corp. announced Tuesday that they have agreed to expand their partnership by adding 1,125 GNC LiveWell store-within-a-store locations inside Rite Aids by the end of 2014.

Nearly 1,300 GNC stores operate inside Rite Aid stores currently as part of a partnership that began in December 1998.

The contract with GNC also provides Rite Aid with the option to extend the contract for another five years through 2019 and open an additional 250 stores during that period.

Rite Aid said it plans to add "several hundred" GNC stores during its current fiscal year, which ends March 1, 2008, including adding them to some of its recently acquired Brooks and Eckerd stores.

Rite Aid has about 5,100 locations in 31 states and the District of Columbia.

GNC has more than 4,800 retail locations nationwide, plus franchise operations in 48 international markets. It provides vitamin, mineral, herbal and other supplements and sports nutrition, diet and energy products.

Rite Aid is based in Camp Hill, Pa. GNC is based in Pittsburgh.