The Vitamin Shoppe is continuing efforts to expand across the country, with plans to open at least 12 new franchise stores in 2023.

After four decades of corporate ownership, the Secaucus-based nutritional retailer launched an omnichannel franchising program in May 2021 and saw an existing store in Greensboro, N.C., convert into a franchise unit shortly thereafter. Since then, the company has signed 58 franchise territories to 15 partners, The Vitamin Shoppe said in a Feb. 6 press release.

After the Feb. 2 opening of its first-ever, brand-new franchise store in Valparaiso, Ind., The Vitamin Shoppe plans to follow up with locations in Tempe, Ariz., and New Braunfels, Texas, and will announce additional sites in coming months.

In a statement, The Vitamin Shoppe’s chief financial officer Laura Coffey said, “The Vitamin Shoppe is thrilled to officially open our first new franchise location in Valparaiso with our exceptional partners, Rochelle and Rick Cantrell. They are longtime customers of The Vitamin Shoppe who have taken their personal passion for wellness and applied it to building a dynamic, local business that will support the health and well-being of their own community.”

She went on to say, “This store is the first of many to open in the coming months and years, as franchising becomes a significant retail growth engine for The Vitamin Shoppe, building upon our industry-leading position in the flourishing health and wellness space.”

Founded in 1977, The Vitamin Shoppe, a subsidiary of Franchise Group Inc. – the parent of Sylvan Learning, Pet Supplies Plus and American Freight – is an omnichannel specialty retailer and wellness lifestyle company with more than 700 stores nationwide.

Last month, The Vitamin Shoppe was named No. 418 in Entrepreneur Magazine’s ranking of the 500 fastest growing ventures in the country. In October 2022, the company broke into the top 100 of Franchise Times’ listing of the top 500 U.S.-based franchise systems.