GNC seals regional deal with DFI Retail following court win against Ron Sim’s LAC
DFI will be exclusive wholesaler, distributor and franchisee for the health and wellness brand in HK, Macau and Singapore
[SINGAPORE] DFI Retail Group will be the exclusive wholesaler, distributor and franchisee for health and wellness brand GNC in Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore, both parties announced on Friday (Aug 14) in a joint statement.
This is part of a new partnership between the two companies to deepen access to GNC’s health and wellness products and solutions.
The retail company will provide sales, marketing, distribution and logistics services to ensure convenient consumer access to GNC’s portfolio of health and wellness products via DFI’s Guardian Singapore.
“Singapore marks the next phase of collaboration between DFI and GNC in Asia,” noted the statement.
Earlier in May, the Singapore Court of Appeal upheld and enforced GNC’s rights to assume former GNC store leases in full, and awarded more than US$18.9 million in damages to the US-based health supplements retailer.
Cheri Mullen, chief global franchise and wholesale officer at GNC, said: “We look forward to reconstituting our store footprint in Singapore and remain focused on rebuilding and strengthening our presence in the market while continuing to deliver the quality, innovation, and science-backed wellness solutions consumers expect from GNC.”
In December 2025, DFI Retail’s beauty and health brand Mannings announced the closure of all its stores across mainland China, due to changes in “consumer behaviour”.
Mannings, which operates as Guardian in Singapore, has more than 120 stores in mainland China, with an additional 320 outlets across Hong Kong and Macau.
A company spokesperson from DFI Retail told The Business Times at the time that Mannings’ shuttering in mainland China did not have an impact on Guardian’s operations in Singapore.
