LeBron James and Arnold Schwarzenegger's Ladder Brand Makes Major Retail Breakthrough with 690 Vitamin Shoppe Locations

The sports nutrition landscape just got a major shake-up. Ladder, the performance supplement line co-founded by LeBron James and Arnold Schwarzenegger, has officially expanded beyond its online-only model into brick-and-mortar retail through an exclusive partnership with The Vitamin Shoppe. Starting now, Ladder products sit on shelves across 690 The Vitamin Shoppe locations nationwide and through its Super Supplements banner, plus online at vitaminshoppe.com.

For years, Ladder operated as a direct-to-consumer brand, but this retail push marks a turning point in making elite-level sports nutrition accessible to mainstream consumers. “We created Ladder to address the gap for clean, safe, and effective supplements—products we could actually trust,” LeBron James explained. “Seeing this grow into a community of athletes at every level is special. This partnership with The Vitamin Shoppe expands access and keeps us innovating.”

What Makes Ladder Stand Out

Every Ladder product carries NSF Certified for Sport® certification, an independent third-party verification that athletes and coaches rely on when choosing supplements. This distinction matters because it ensures rigorous testing for performance, quality, and contaminant-free formulation.

The current Ladder lineup includes Pre-Workout formulas (available in Strawberry Lemonade and Tropical Fruit) engineered to delay fatigue and sharpen focus during intense training sessions. The Whey Protein line uses 100% whey protein isolate—considered the fastest-absorbing amino acid source—combined with tart cherry for post-workout recovery support. For plant-based athletes, Ladder Plant Protein delivers a vegan amino acid blend with identical recovery benefits. Rounding out the collection is Ladder Hydration in Mixed Berry flavor, featuring the proprietary Refuel Ratio™ to optimize electrolyte absorption and sustained energy during extended physical activity.

The Origin Story

The Ladder concept emerged from a pivotal moment in 2014 during the NBA Finals when LeBron experienced debilitating muscle cramps at a critical juncture. Determined to prevent such vulnerabilities, he collaborated with his longtime trainer Mike Mancias to overhaul his supplement regimen from the ground up. When they couldn’t find products that met their standards for purity and efficacy, they built their own.

Arnold Schwarzenegger became an integral part of this vision, advocating for certified, accessible premium supplements that would serve both elite athletes and everyday fitness enthusiasts. The development process took four years, with science and nutrition experts refining formulations to balance taste, performance metrics, and safety standards. Now, with Vitamin Shoppe’s 700+ national brand partnerships and extensive retail footprint, Ladder reaches consumers far beyond its original athlete-focused audience.

This retail expansion signals how celebrity-backed supplement brands are reshaping consumer access to performance nutrition—moving from exclusive to mainstream availability.