Food (Health) Supplement Stores Revenue Benchmarks
The average food (health) supplement stores business in the United States generates $1.7M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 5,805 food (health) supplement stores businesses in the U.S., employing 37,856 workers with an average profit margin of 4.0%.
What Does a Food Business Actually Do?
Vitamin, supplement, and health-food retailers — chains (GNC, Vitamin Shoppe) and independents.
Who buys: Fitness enthusiasts, older adults, wellness-focused consumers.
Average Revenue
$1.7M
per year
Profit Margin
4.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$267K
per year
Total Businesses
5,805
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$70K
small business avg
Labor Cost
10.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
N/A
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
1.8
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Food (Health) Supplement Stores Charge?
Vitamin, supplement, and health-food stores mark up 45–100% with strong recurring subscription revenue potential.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
National brand supplements markup | 45–75% |
Store/private label markup | 80–150% |
Autoship subscription discount | 10–20% off retail |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete food business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a food (health) supplement stores business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the food (health) supplement stores industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Cost of goods sold | $65 | $1.1M | Wholesale cost of merchandise purchased for resale. Retail's biggest expense. |
Wages & benefits | $10 | $174K | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $9 | $150K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $4 | $75K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $9 | $150K | Utilities, POS fees, shrinkage, insurance, store maintenance. |
Net profit | $4 | $70K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
5.26%
openings/year
Closure Rate
5.58%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+5.68%
annual
Businesses Closed
3,445
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Food Business?
Startup Cost
$75K – $400K
Break-Even
41 months
5-Year Survival Rate
48.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a food (health) supplement stores business do?
- Vitamin, supplement, and health-food retailers — chains (GNC, Vitamin Shoppe) and independents. Fitness enthusiasts, older adults, wellness-focused consumers.
- How much do food (health) supplement stores charge?
- Vitamin, supplement, and health-food stores mark up 45–100% with strong recurring subscription revenue potential. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average food (health) supplement stores make per year?
- The average food (health) supplement stores business generates $1.7M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $70K per year at a 4.0% profit margin.
- How many food (health) supplement stores businesses are there in the US?
- There are 5,805 food (health) supplement stores businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 37,856 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a food (health) supplement stores business?
- Startup costs for a food (health) supplement stores business typically range from $75K to $400K, with a 5-year survival rate of 48.0%.
Industry Growth & Survival
The food (health) supplement stores industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 5.7% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (5.3% entry vs 5.6% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 75% of food (health) supplement stores businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 3,445 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The food (health) supplement stores industry has declined 6% since 2000 (from 40,065 to 37,589 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Food (Health) Supplement Stores revenue with other industries: