Brand Study › Beauty-from-within › Vital Proteins

Vital Proteins

Collagen powders, creamers, gummies, bars and drinks for adults who want support for skin, hair, nails and joints. Sold mostly in stores and on Amazon, plus its own site.

Beauty-from-withinstudyFit: BI-SU ✓Live Meta ads: ~22Seen 2026-09-30vitalproteins.com ↗

Vital Proteins on a phone, first screen — **First screen** on a phone, as a new visitor sees it (Sep 30, 2026; cookie banner declined)

Vital Proteins homepage, scrolled — **Scroll** — the top of the homepage, pop-ups hidden

Live Meta ads today

~22own page 22 · US, Sep 30

Retail doors

35,000 (North America + Europe)¹2020-06

SKUs

150¹2020-06

Countries

Available in 140+ countries²2022-02

Hero product: Collagen Peptides (Original Unflavored). Note: the homepage 'Best Seller' link now opens Collagen Peptides Advanced (with Hyaluronic Acid + Vitamin C).^7,8,9,10,11

FormatPowder in a tub or stick packs. 20g (4 tablespoons) a day, mixed into coffee, smoothies or water. Grass-fed, pasture-raised bovine collagen.

One-timeOriginal: 5oz $15, 9.33oz $27, 19.3oz $45, 20-ct stick box $39. Advanced: 9.33oz $29.99, 20oz $49.99.

Subscription15% off every order + free shipping. Delivery every 1 to 8 weeks (you choose). Example: Advanced 9.33oz $25.49. Cancel in the account 'Subscriptions' tab.

Other offersFree shipping on one-time orders over $50 (continental US). 15% off the first order for an email sign-up. 15% off the next order for an SMS sign-up. A sale section on the Deals page (for example gummies $16.99 down to $12.75). Limited editions (for example Ice Pop Collagen Peptides $39.99).

GuaranteeNo money-back guarantee was found. The returns page says: tell us about any problem within 30 days of receipt. Some returns may have a restocking fee.

Founded2013 in Chicago by Kurt Seidensticker. He was a runner with knee pain who started taking collagen.^1,12

OwnerNestle Health Science. Majority stake agreed June 10, 2020. Full acquisition completed Feb 21, 2022. Price not disclosed.^1,2

LeadersTracey Halama became CEO in Feb 2022, when the founder stepped aside. Brian Groves was 'President of Vital Proteins' in Aug 2025.^2,19

Chief Creative OfficerJennifer Aniston, announced Nov 18, 2020. Role: product innovation strategy and overall brand direction. She co-created the 2022 protein and collagen bars.^3,4

Main claim'America's #1 collagen brand'. Source given in 2022: SPINS, Total US MULO + Natural Enhanced, 52 weeks ending 10/03/2021.^6,7

CertificationCertified B Corporation¹²

Product rangeCollagen Peptides (Original, Advanced, flavors), Marine Collagen, collagen creamers, gummies, capsules, a Hair Complex, a creatine line, the Professional line ($59), bars (2022), a ready-to-drink Collagen & Protein Shake (Aug 2025) and Collagen Sparkling Water (2026)^{7,10,13,19,20}

AgenciesOpenmind (Pinterest media, 2023). In the UK: Initials CX (creative) and Open Mind (media) for 'Essential Collagen' (2025).^15,21

Their system how they get and keep customers

Ads^{3,4,5,15,19,21,22}

Big celebrity brand campaigns on TV, streaming and out-of-home. A small, demo-heavy Meta program. Always-on Pinterest with quiz ads.

Dec 2020: the first campaign with Jennifer Aniston, on broadcast, social and digital streaming, directed by Josh and Xander.
'Every Moment is Vital' (May 2022): a global campaign directed by Damien Chazelle, with photos by Cass Bird and music by Justin Hurwitz. It ran on broadcast, streaming, out-of-home, digital and social. Its format was a 'scrapbook' of film and personal photos.
Meta (Motion library snapshot, about mid-2026): only 24 active ads, about 7 new creatives per week. Formats: Demo 44%, Testimonial 21%, Yapper 12%. Hooks: collagen declines from age 30, and 'just add it to whatever you're already doing'. Most ads have no clear call to action.
Pinterest, always on (Q1-Q3 2023): max-width video, Idea ads and Quiz ads across the full funnel. Results: +5% baseline brand awareness, +60% action intent from influencer Idea and Quiz ads, +5.3 points action intent from Quiz ads alone, +10.4 points aided awareness.
UK and Ireland 'Essential Collagen' (Aug-Oct 2025) with Vogue Williams: sponsorship of ITV's Lorraine, a 30-second VOD ad, out-of-home, social and in-store activations. Target: supplement users aged 25-44, lapsed and new collagen buyers.
Sports: Official Collagen Partner of the 2025 U.S. Open, with live podcast tapings, a branded suite and product sampling.

Landing pages & funnel^7,8,10,17

A classic retail-brand website: shop by benefit, education pages, an email/SMS pop-up. We found no quiz on the site itself.

Menu: shop by benefit (Hair, Skin, Nails, Energy, Bones & Joints, Youthful Appearance, and more), plus Collagen 101, 'What is Collagen?', an amino acids page and the 'Lively' blog.
Product page: one-time vs Subscribe & Save choice, 'Join 25,000+ Monthly Vital Proteins Subscribers!', short review quotes and a 'Why Collagen?' section.
Main message is habit stacking: 'take it everyday that ends in y' and mix it into coffee, tea, smoothies or broth.
Pop-up (per OptiMonk): several steps. It asks for your wellness interest, then your email (15% off), then your phone number for SMS.
The site pushes store and Amazon buying too: a store locator, 'Where to Buy' and an Amazon page.

Offer & subscription^{4,7,8,10,11,13}

A simple, flat offer: 15% off every subscription order + free shipping, with very flexible delivery timing.

Subscribe & Save: 15% off every order, free shipping, delivery every 1-8 weeks, cancel anytime in the account.
Entry offers: 15% off the first order for email, 15% off for SMS, free shipping over $50 on one-time orders.
Price ladder: Original $27, Advanced $29.99, Marine $39, Professional line $59 (made with branded, clinically studied ingredients: VERISOL, FORTIBONE, FORTIGEL).
No money-back guarantee was found (returns: tell them about a problem within 30 days).
The 2022 co-created bars were priced at $2.99 each, in 1-, 4- and 12-count packs, for stores.

Creators & ambassadors^{3,5,6,7,12,17,19,21}

A celebrity with an executive title, a celebrity ambassador, and a layer of influencers.

Jennifer Aniston, Chief Creative Officer since Nov 2020: she helps with products and brand direction, and co-created the bar line. She says she used the product 'so many years' before the deal.
Addison Rae, Global Brand Ambassador (Jan 2022): focus on Wellness Gummies and on teaching younger fans about collagen.
The 2022 campaign also used creators Iskra Lawrence, Chase Tucker and Silvy Araujo, who shared their own wellness routines.
Per OptiMonk (weaker source): the brand started with micro-influencers of 2,000-5,000 followers.
2025: Vogue Williams (UK) and podcast hosts at the U.S. Open (Allison Kuch, Josh Peck, Ben Soffer, Taylor Strecker).
Aniston does not appear on today's homepage, product page or Our Story page, so her role in 2026 is not verified.

Channels^{1,2,17,18,19,20}

Stores and Amazon come first. DTC is a smaller piece.

June 2020: 35,000 retail doors in North America and Europe (Whole Foods, Costco, Target, Walgreens, Kroger) and 150 SKUs.
Amazon: No. 3 supplement brand, with more than $200M in sales in the 12 months to Aug 2023 (SPINS/ClearCut data). SPINS said the brand treated Amazon 'as an opportunity to grow the brand'.
Feb 2022: available in more than 140 countries, and expanded into 13 markets including the UK, Germany, Japan and China.
New formats that win new shelf space and daily moments: creamers, bars (2022), a ready-to-drink shake (Aug 2025), sparkling water (in stores from late March 2026).
DTC size: OptiMonk cites an ECDB estimate of $13M DTC revenue in 2024 (third-party estimate, not verified).

Retention^7,8,16,17

Email/SMS list growth and subscription. We found little evidence of a deeper retention program such as loyalty points.

Retention.com + Klaviyo: 236,800 new email addresses in 3 months, $206,000 in order revenue from 8,800 orders, $20,300 cost, 9.25x ROI. Also 24% open rate and 8.1% click rate.
25,000+ monthly subscribers (shown on the product page).
Email content (per OptiMonk): wellness tips, recipes, education and seasonal bundles.
Daily-habit messaging ('habit stacking') is built into the homepage and product pages.
No loyalty or rewards program was found on the site.

All the numbers as reported by each source, with its date — ad counts from Motion are an older snapshot than the live count above

What	Number	Date
Retail doors	35,000 (North America + Europe)¹	2020-06
SKUs	150¹	2020-06
Countries	Available in 140+ countries²	2022-02
Amazon sales	More than $200M, No. 3 supplement brand on Amazon (SPINS/ClearCut)¹⁸	12 months to 2023-08
Monthly subscribers	25,000+⁸	2026-09-30 (site)
Pinterest brand lift	+5% baseline awareness, +60% action intent, +5.3 pts action intent from Quiz ads, +10.4 pts aided awareness¹⁵	Q1-Q3 2023
Email growth (Retention.com)	236,800 new emails in 90 days, $206,000 revenue, 8,800 orders, 9.25x ROI¹⁶	undated vendor case study
Meta ads	24 active ads, about 7 new creatives per week²²	about 2026-05 (Motion snapshot)
Collagen claim basis	#1 collagen brand per SPINS, 52 weeks ending 10/03/2021⁶	2022-01
Price	$27 Original 9.33oz. $29.99 Advanced. 15% off on subscription.^8,9	2026-09-30

What makes them different

The celebrity has an executive title (Chief Creative Officer) and co-creates products. She is presented as a long-time user, not only as a face for ads.

It wins at the shelf and on Amazon more than DTC. The ads are made for reach (TV, streaming, out-of-home, sports sponsorship), with only a small direct-response program on Meta.

It grows by adding daily moments: powder, then creamer, bars, a ready-to-drink shake and sparkling water, all around 'habit stacking'.

Always-on Pinterest with Quiz ads to teach people at the top of the funnel, measured with brand-lift studies.

What we could add copy the structure, never their assets or claims

For MIRANEST

Add a habit-stacking message: 'give it with the breakfast your dog already eats'. This is the dog version of 'add it to your coffee'.
Add a Pinterest test with Idea ads and Quiz ads on coat care and senior-dog care, for women dog owners aged 35-64. Measure it with a brand-lift study, not last-click.
Add a flexible subscription schedule (for example every 2-8 weeks) so owners of small and large dogs can match the delivery to their dose.
Add an SMS sign-up offer that is separate from the email offer.
Add a higher-priced 'Professional' pack for vet clinics and groomers.
Add a named partner with a real job (for example a Pomeranian breeder or a vet as a creative or product advisor) who co-creates a flavor or a pack, and only if the role is real.

For BI-SU

Add a daily-ritual message tied to an existing habit (morning coffee or tea) for the jelly stick.
Add a co-creation partnership: a respected beauty figure who helps create a limited flavor or edition, and not only appears in ads.
Add Pinterest Idea ads and Quiz ads aimed at searches like 'skincare habits' and 'morning routine ideas'.
Add a premium 'Professional' line with branded, clinically studied beauty ingredients at a higher price, to support the luxury position.
Add limited seasonal editions to give buyers a reason to buy again.
Add an SMS sign-up discount next to the email offer.

Watch out

Vital Proteins itself sued rival Ancient Nutrition (N.D. Illinois, case 1:22-cv-02265) over claims like 'head-to-toe results in as little as one day' and 'noticeable results in as little as 3 days'. The court denied the motion to dismiss on Jan 11, 2023. Fast-results claims can bring lawsuits from competitors.
The '#1 collagen brand' claim is tied to SPINS data from 2021. Claim footnotes must stay current.
The site footer says: 'just taking collagen peptides does not mean you'll be able to do the stuff in this ad.' They use a disclaimer for aspirational images.
Reports of consumer class actions, heavy metals and a recall appear only on low-quality websites. Not verified. Do not repeat them without primary sources.
Nestle agreed in Sept 2026 to sell its mainstream supplement brands (Nature's Bounty and others) to Yellow Wood for $1B. Vital Proteins is not named in the deal, and its future plan is unclear.
Retention.com-style tools that find emails of site visitors raise privacy and consent questions. Check the law before copying.

Where to look

Website ↗Meta Ad Library — Vital Proteins (@VitalProteins) page (live ads) ↗Motion creative library (Meta ad breakdown) ↗Hero product page ↗Deals and subscription page ↗Pinterest case study ↗Press releases list ↗Amazon store ↗

Open questions not verified yet — for the deep research

Is Jennifer Aniston still Chief Creative Officer in 2026? She is not on the current site pages we checked, and the last press release about her on the brand's list is from May 2022.
Current revenue and the split between retail, Amazon and DTC. The only DTC figure ($13M in 2024) is a third-party estimate.
What Nestle plans for Vital Proteins after the Sept 2026 sale of its mainstream supplement brands.
Meta spend and results. The brand runs few Meta ads, so where does most of its paid budget go now?
Where the Pinterest Quiz ads send people. We found no quiz on vitalproteins.com.
Any consumer lawsuits, heavy-metal findings or recalls. We need court dockets or FDA sources.
Current Amazon rank and sales (the data is from 2023).
The date of the Retention.com case study.
Who leads the brand today (Brian Groves was 'President' in Aug 2025; is there a CEO?).

Sources · 24

Nestle Health Science press release: Nestle Health Science to Acquire Majority Stake in Vital Proteins · 2020-06-10
Nestle Health Science press release: Nestle Health Science Completes Acquisition of Vital Proteins · 2022-02-21
PR Newswire: Jennifer Aniston And Vital Proteins Partner To Bring Wellness To The World · 2020-11-18
PR Newswire: Vital Proteins and Jennifer Aniston Announce Every Moment is Vital Global Brand Campaign and New Protein and Collagen Bars · 2022-05-09
PR Newswire: Vital Proteins Engages Top Influencers in Global Brand Campaign · 2022-05-11
PR Newswire: Addison Rae Joins Vital Proteins as Global Brand Ambassador · 2022-01-21
Vital Proteins homepage (offers, footnotes, FAQ) · seen 2026-09-30
Vital Proteins product page: Collagen Peptides (opens Collagen Peptides Advanced) + product data · seen 2026-09-30
Vital Proteins product data: Collagen Peptides - Unflavored · seen 2026-09-30
Vital Proteins Deals page · seen 2026-09-30
Vital Proteins Returns & Refunds page · seen 2026-09-30
Vital Proteins Our Story page · seen 2026-09-30
Vital Proteins Professional page · seen 2026-09-30
Vital Proteins Press Releases page · seen 2026-09-30
Pinterest Business success story: Vital Proteins · 2023 campaign (published about 2024)
Retention.com success story: Vital Proteins, a Nestle company, sees 9.25x ROI (read via Wayback, because the old domain is offline) · undated
OptiMonk: Vital Proteins marketing breakdown (agency blog, weaker source) · 2025-11-07
SupplySide Supplement Journal: Amazon's top supplement brands (SPINS/ClearCut data) · 2024-01-16
NutraIngredients: Vital Proteins serves up collagen at the US Open · 2025-08-29
Food Dive: Vital Proteins launches collagen sparkling water · 2026-04-06
Decision Marketing: Vogue Williams to educate nation on the joys of collagen · 2025-08-04
Motion creative library: Vital Proteins paid social creative strategy · snapshot about 2026-05 ('refreshed 4 months ago' on 2026-09-30)
Court order: Vital Proteins LLC v. Ancient Brands, LLC, N.D. Ill. No. 22 C 02265 (motion to dismiss denied) · 2023-01-11
Just Food: Nestle to sell 'mainstream' supplements business for $1bn · 2026-09-02

← PreviousNutrafol Next →Arrae

Profile researched 2026-09-30 from the brand’s own site and product pages, company filings and press releases, founder/CMO interviews, vendor case studies and trade press — every point links to its source; agency/blog teardowns are marked as weaker; anything unconfirmed is under Open questions. Live ad count: Meta Ad Library, United States, active ads on the brand’s own page(s), counted 2026-09-30. Phone captures: iPhone-size browser, 2026-09-30. Notes: fuma-hk/research/brand-study/vitalproteins.json