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CONTRIBUTED CONTENT — The Utah-based, family-operated company Bucked Up has transformed a local brand to a booming business, selling pre-workout supplements and other products in over 10,000 stores nationwide. Now they’re expanding into the St. George market with a new retail location opening this weekend.
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Bucked Up owners (and twin brothers) Ryan and Jeff Gardner said they never anticipated the brand taking off like it has and selling fitness supplements that have helped countless customers gain strength, focus and energy. Prior to creating Bucked Up, they had a successful internet marketing company in Utah County.
In 2013, their company purchased a domain called deerantlerspray.com, a supplement touting increased athletic performance and accelerated muscle recovery. While relatively new in the supplement market, deer antler velvet has been used for millennia in Eastern medicine to treat a variety of ailments. Deer are able to regrow their antlers every year, quickly stimulated by velvet which allows them to grow as much as an inch a day.
However, deer antler spray is a banned substance in the NFL. Several months after the brothers started selling the product, Ray Lewis of the Baltimore Ravens was accused of using it ahead of the Super Bowl. The ensuing media coverage boosted interest in deer antler spray, and their website exploded.
“We sold everything in one day,” Jeff Gardner said. “It was just a blessing to be in the right spot at the right time.”
The Gardners capitalized on the newfound popularity of deer antler spray by striking a deal with GNC to offer their product in stores, as well as other nutritional shops. They sold thousands of bottles per week over the next two years.
After more than a decade of successfully marketing other people’s products, they realized it was time to finally put their talents to work promoting their own. They launched Bucked Up in January 2016, adding a line of pre-workout supplements.
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“We quickly became the No. 1 pre-workout in GNC, vitamin shops and mom-and-pop shops,” Jeff Gardner said. “Today, according to Satori/Spins reporting, we have 10 items in the top 20 bestsellers, including the top three belonging to us.”
The deer antler velvet used in Bucked Up products comes from red deer in New Zealand, the world’s premier location for harvesting antlers.
Jeff Gardner said customers can’t get enough of Bucked Up because it’s the best-tasting pre-workout supplement on the market. Their flagship product combines deer antler velvet with compounds to boost athletic performance, sharpen mental focus and improve recovery. It’s designed for dedicated athletes, bodybuilders and anyone else looking to gain power and endurance as they train.
“We don’t skimp on any key ingredients,” he added. “We only use nine ingredients in our pre-workouts, and because of that, we put in the full clinical doses, so it’s very effective.”
Bucked Up continues to dominate the market and now offers more than 100 products, including energy drinks, weight loss supplements, proteins, shaker bottles and workout equipment, as well as an apparel line. The company helps support athletic programs in communities throughout Utah.
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Jeff Gardner said adding another retail shop in St. George was a natural fit for the company. Southern Utah customers love Bucked Up, and now they don’t have to drive to the nearest location in American Fork to get what they need.
During the grand opening on Friday and Saturday, Bucked Up will be offering discounts on their top-selling products, giveaways, shaker bottles and T-shirts for just $5 and free energy drinks. Jeff Gardner invites everyone in the community to stop by, from longtime Bucked Up enthusiasts to those jumping into a new fitness quest.
“You’ll see why we’re No. 1,” he said. “It tastes great, and it works great – every product.”
Written by ALEXA MORGAN for St. George News.
• S P O N S O R E D C O N T E N T •
Event details
- What: Bucked Up grand opening celebration.
- When: Friday and Saturday, June 11-12, from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m.
- Where: Bucked Up, 2091 E. Riverside Drive, Suite B, St. George.
- Resources: Facebook.
Resources
- Bucked Up | Address: 2091 E. Riverside Drive, Suite B, St. George | Hours: Monday-Saturday, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. | Telephone: 855-205-2825 | Website.
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