General Nutrition Centers/Gnc vs Great Earth Vitamin Store
General Nutrition Centers/Gnc vs Great Earth Vitamin Store: General Nutrition Centers/Gnc costs $48K to $508K to open; Great Earth Vitamin Store costs $60K to $260K. General Nutrition Centers/Gnc has 29 units, Great Earth Vitamin Store has 10. SBA loan history: General Nutrition Centers/Gnc = 36 loans (0.0% default); Great Earth Vitamin Store = 15 loans (33.3% default). The franchise with more SBA funded units, a lower SBA default rate, and a lower royalty load is the safer financing bet; see the comparison below.
General Nutrition Centers/Gnc vs Great Earth Vitamin Store: Capital, Scale & Lending Analysis
Analysis based on FDD filings and SBA 7(a) loan level data. Each pairing reflects a unique combination of capital intensity, system scale, and financing path.
Capital Intensity
General Nutrition Centers/Gnc requires the lower minimum capital commitment ($48K vs $60K for Great Earth Vitamin Store), a 21% spread. Initial franchise fees come in at $33K for General Nutrition Centers/Gnc versus $60K for Great Earth Vitamin Store, General Nutrition Centers/Gnc has the lower entry fee.
System Scale & Tenure
On scale, General Nutrition Centers/Gnc operates 29 units to Great Earth Vitamin Store's 10, roughly 3× the system size.
SBA Lending Profile
General Nutrition Centers/Gnc has the deeper SBA lending track record, with 36 7(a) approvals compared with 15 for Great Earth Vitamin Store. General Nutrition Centers/Gnc's peak SBA year was 2015 (11 loans); Great Earth Vitamin Store's peak was 2000 (4 loans). General Nutrition Centers/Gnc's more recent peak generally indicates fresher lender appetite. General Nutrition Centers/Gnc has the most SBA funded units in TX, with 4. Great Earth Vitamin Store leads in CA, with 4. Borrowers should pick the brand whose strongest SBA state matches their own state for warmer lender introductions. Average SBA loan size on funded General Nutrition Centers/Gnc deals is $273K vs $198K for Great Earth Vitamin Store, useful as a sizing anchor when modeling your own unit.
Risk Signal
SBA default rates are 0.0% for General Nutrition Centers/Gnc and 33.3% for Great Earth Vitamin Store, General Nutrition Centers/Gnc has the cleaner SBA loss record by 33.3 points. PeerSense FPI scores come in at 53 (Moderate) for General Nutrition Centers/Gnc and 21 (Fair) for Great Earth Vitamin Store, giving General Nutrition Centers/Gnc the stronger composite signal across SBA performance, lender appetite, and operational consistency.
Health & Performance
FPI Score | 53/100 | 21/100 |
Health Tier | Moderate | Limited |
Confidence | N/A | N/A |
Lending Trend | Declining | Declining |
SBA Lending
SBA Loans | 36 | 15 |
SBA Volume | – | – |
Default Rate | 0.0% | 33.3% |
Peer Tier | established | growing |
Investment & Costs
Total Investment | $48K to $508K | $60K to $260K |
Franchise Fee | $33K | $60K |
Royalty Rate | 6% | N/A |
Ad Fund | 3% | N/A |
Liquid Capital | N/A | N/A |
Net Worth Required | N/A | N/A |
Financial Performance (Item 19)
Item 19 Status | Disclosed | Not Disclosed |
System Size & Operations
Total Units | 29 | 10 |
Franchised Units | 29 | 10 |
Company Owned | – | – |
Term Length | 10 yrs | N/A |
Brand Information
Year Founded | N/A | N/A |
Franchising Since | 2021 | N/A |
Years Franchising | 5 yrs | N/A |
Headquarters | Salinas, CA | EL CAJON, CA |
Category | Food Supplement Stores | Food Supplement Stores |
Website | ||
FDD Year | 2025 | N/A |
Which Is Better, General Nutrition Centers/Gnc or Great Earth Vitamin Store?
Lower upfront capital required
Tie
General Nutrition Centers/Gnc: $48K starting · Great Earth Vitamin Store: $60K starting
More SBA lender confidence
General Nutrition Centers/Gnc
General Nutrition Centers/Gnc: 36 SBA loans · Great Earth Vitamin Store: 15 SBA loans
Lower SBA default rate
General Nutrition Centers/Gnc
General Nutrition Centers/Gnc: 0.0% · Great Earth Vitamin Store: 33.3%
Larger system & brand presence
Tie
General Nutrition Centers/Gnc: 29 units · Great Earth Vitamin Store: 10 units
More lender financing options
General Nutrition Centers/Gnc
General Nutrition Centers/Gnc: 23 unique lenders · Great Earth Vitamin Store: 12 unique lenders
Decision matrix uses publicly disclosed FDD and SBA loan data. Not a recommendation. Your best franchise depends on capital, market, operating capacity, and risk tolerance.
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About These Franchises
General Nutrition Centers/Gnc vs Great Earth Vitamin Store: Franchise Funding Comparison
Comparing General Nutrition Centers/Gnc and Great Earth Vitamin Store is about more than brand preference. It's about which franchise fits your financial profile and funding strategy. Investment ranges from $48K to $508K.
General Nutrition Centers/Gnc has 36 SBA loans on record and Great Earth Vitamin Store has 15. Those totals are cumulative history rather than a measure of current appetite. Recent lending activity is trending down for at least one of these brands, so current lender appetite has to be checked deal by deal rather than assumed from the totals.
SBA 7(a) loans are the most common franchise funding vehicle, offering up to $5M with as little as 10% down. PeerSense connects franchise buyers with the specific lenders who have approved loans for these brands, not generic referrals, but lenders with actual franchise lending track records.
Data sourced from SBA loan records, Franchise Disclosure Documents, and public filings. Updated regularly. Not financial advice, consult with a lending professional before making investment decisions.
General Nutrition Centers/Gnc vs Great Earth Vitamin Store, Frequently Asked Questions
Which is a better franchise investment, General Nutrition Centers/Gnc or Great Earth Vitamin Store?
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Which has a lower SBA default rate, General Nutrition Centers/Gnc or Great Earth Vitamin Store?
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Page Review
Reviewed by Edward L. Freeman, Founder and Managing Director, PeerSense
- PeerSense is a capital advisory firm that places commercial financing with direct capital sources; the capital source sets final terms.
- Edward L. Freeman founded PeerSense in January 2020.
- He is a Registered Franchise Consultant with Business Alliance, Inc., a credential issued in March 2022, and worked as a franchise consultant there from March 2022 to May 2023.
- His recorded experience includes a $22 million SBA construction loan, with about $16 million funded on the deal.
- In the 12 months through September 30, 2026, PeerSense tracked 912 publicly announced financings with a disclosed size of $361.32 billion. PeerSense Capital Data Report · Methodology page
Last reviewed LinkedIn profileAbout Edward Freeman