This past Saturday The Vitamin Shoppe officially launched Jocko Fuel at 690 stores nationwide in partnership with decorated former Navy SEAL Commander and bestselling author Jocko Willink, along with Pete Roberts and Brian Littlefield of Maine-based Origin. 

This is the brand’s first foray into brick-and-mortar retail, and it originated from a meeting with the retailer’s buyers back in September 2018 at ECRM’s Vitamin, Weight Management & Sports Nutrition Program in Phoenix.

“From our participation in the ECRM Program, we have had great feedback from a lot of the buyers that we sat down with, and the one that we really wanted to land was The Vitamin Shoppe, which we did,” said Brian Littlefield, CEO of Origin Labs. “So we established that relationship, and we are launching into all stores with all SKUs including our pre-workout product, our joint formula, our protein, our krill oil and our Discipline Go nootropic product. And they will be also taking our Discipline Go RTD cans, which will be going in the coolers as well.”

At that program, in addition to the buyer meetings, Jocko gave an outstanding presentation on leadership – an area of expertise he developed in combat and now shares with businesses through his company, Echelon Front. He also discusses leadership and other related topics on the hugely-popular Jocko Podcast, and his books on the subject include Extreme Ownership: How U.S. Navy SEALS Lead and Win, The Dichotomy of Leadership, Discipline Equals Freedom Field Manual, Leadership Strategy and Tactics Field Manual, and several children’s books on leadership.

For me, this win for the Jocko Fuel team is personally gratifying – not just because I work for the company that facilitated the initial connection with The Vitamin Shoppe, but because to a person everyone involved with the Jocko and Origin teams enthusiastically supports the mission of bringing manufacturing back to America and making quality products with no compromises.

And they mean it. I know this first-hand because I’ve spent time with many members of Origin’s extended family since meeting them back in 2018. I’ve toured their factory in Maine, met those working on the line, visited the warehouse they built from the ground-up to accommodate the increased demand for products. I’ve met Leif Babin, co-author of Extreme Ownership and one of Jocko’s former Platoon Commanders.

I’ve been to the Origin Immersion jiu jitsu camp, where I met Tye Nichols, who does most of the filming of Origin’s great content, which includes a documentary of JP Dinnell, one of Jocko’s former lead snipers, whom I've also had the pleasure of meeting. All tremendous people with a tremendous mission.

It’s been a long journey for the Origin team to bring this launch to life, and I’ve witnessed all of the hard work that Jocko, Pete, Brian and their teams have put into it, and I’m proud that ECRM was able to play a small role in helping it happen.

Jocko Fuel 
Created by Jocko Willink and the Origin team, the Jocko Fuel line includes a range of sports nutrition supplements developed to fuel the mind and body for the toughest mental and physical challenges. Crafted in the U.S. from the high-quality ingredients, the product range features protein powders, pre-mission energy support, krill oil, nootropics, joint support, ready-to-go energy, and cognitive support drinks. Also included is the recently-launched flavor of Discipline Go energy drink, named Dak Savage, in honor of Dakota Meyer, a former U.S. Marine who received the Medal of Honor in 2011 for his heroism in Afghanistan.

Here's the full lineup now available at The Vitamin Shoppe:

• Jocko Discipline, a low stimulant, pre-mission powder formulated to support stamina, energy, and cognitive function. Designed to be taken at any time to support cognitive function, Jocko Discipline contains D-ribose, amino acids such as Acetyl L-Carnitine, and adaptogens like Ashwagandha and Rhodiola for mood support. Sweetened with Monk Fruit, it contains no artificial flavors, sugars, or colors.
• Jocko Discipline Go, a nootropic formulated to support energy, cerebral blood flow, and cognitive function, in easy-to-take capsule form.
• Jocko Discipline Go Drink, a convenient, ready-to-drink formula with no sugar, no preservatives, and 95mg of caffeine, designed to minimize the crash effect of typical high caffeine drinks. It supports cognitive function and energy, sweetened with 100 percent Monk Fruit.
• Jocko Mölk, a time-released blend of whey concentrate, whey isolate, Micellar Casein, and egg. Sweetened with Monk Fruit, this high-quality, low-carb protein is free of added sugar, artificial sweeteners, flavors, and recombinant bovine growth hormone (rBGH). It is also packed with digestive enzymes and probiotics to support digestive health.
• Jocko Super Krill Oil, made from wild caught Antarctic Krill, containing important Omega-3 fatty acids DHA and EPA, phospholipids, and the antioxidant astaxanthin, with a pleasant vanilla flavor.
• Jocko Joint Warfare, a unique blend of natural ingredients and compounds such as MSM (methylsulfonylmethane), Boswellia, and Curcumin to support against oxidative damage and support joint comfort.

If customers' social media posts are any indication, this will surely be a success for The Vitamin Shoppe, as well. Images of shopping carts full of Jocko productcs and posts of stores selling out of Mölk demonstrate just how happy his community is that they can now grab his products from the shelves at a nearby Vitamin Shoppe. I know I am -- I snagged the last batch of Jocko Discipline Go Dak Savage at my local store!

Congrats to Jocko and the Origin Team!

Click here for information about the 2020 ECRM Vitamin, Weight Management & Sports Nutrition Program.

Below are some photos from the Jocko Fuel Launch in San Diego as well as from the ECRM Vitamin, Weight Management & Sports Nutrition Program where Jocko spoke.