Kearney's Counterintuitive Strategy: Slash Product Lines to Skyrocket Revenue

Kearney's Counterintuitive Strategy: Slash Product Lines to Skyrocket Revenue In business, growth is often associated with expansion—more products, more markets, more opportunities. But Craig Kearney, the visionary leader who steered Vitaco to new heights, took a radically different path. Upon taking the helm in 2018, he inherited a sprawling portfolio that stretched the company’s resources and diluted its focus. Instead of doubling down on variety, Kearney made a bold and controversial move: he slashed the number of product lines by half.

At the time, Vitaco was managing nearly ten separate brands across the health and wellness space. While this might have seemed like a diversified strategy, Kearney quickly realized it was a recipe for mediocrity.

"We were trying to be all things to all people," he reflects. "But in reality, we weren’t excellent at anything. You can’t build a strong brand—or a profitable company—if you’re constantly splitting your attention."

Focusing to Flourish

The decision to trim the brand portfolio wasn’t easy. Some legacy products had been part of the company for decades and still brought in modest revenue. Convincing internal stakeholders to let them go required both conviction and courage.

“There was pushback,” Kearney admits. “People asked, ‘Why walk away from income, even if it’s small?’ But we had to shift from thinking short-term to thinking strategically. We needed to free up resources to invest deeply in what really mattered.”

The result of that disciplined approach was transformational. By narrowing their focus to just four core brands—two in vitamins and two in sports nutrition—Vitaco not only stabilized its operations but doubled in size within five years.

The Musashi Makeover

None of the brand revivals was more dramatic than that of Musashi, a once-popular sports nutrition line that had fallen out of favor with major retailers and was generating just $19.8 million when Kearney arrived.

“The brand had become synonymous with extreme fitness enthusiasts—guys in gyms trying to bulk up,” he recalls. “We needed to broaden its appeal.”

Kearney and his team repositioned Musashi as a performance nutrition brand for everyday athletes—those playing weekend sports or staying active in their communities. By shifting the narrative from muscle-bound gym culture to inclusive performance enhancement, they reignited consumer interest and retailer confidence.

By the end of fiscal year 2025, Musashi was projected to surpass A$200 million (US$132 million) in revenue—a staggering increase that underscored the power of clarity over complexity.

Manufacturing with Purpose

Kearney’s strategy extended beyond branding into manufacturing. Recognizing the importance of control and quality, Vitaco divested from unrelated operations such as tea processing and green-lipped mussel extraction. The company instead poured resources into becoming a regional leader in producing tablets, capsules, powders, and bars.

“Contract manufacturing may seem cost-effective on the surface, but you’re essentially handing over 20 percent of your margin to someone else,” Kearney notes. “By investing in our own facilities, we not only protect profitability but also maintain complete oversight of quality and innovation.”

Over four years, Vitaco invested US$46 million into vertically integrated manufacturing capabilities—an investment that has yielded both efficiency and competitive advantage.

Talent and Tenacity

For Kearney, focus isn’t just about products and production—it’s also about people. He believes that clarity in strategy allows teams to perform at their best.

“When you ask your team to manage too many brands or too many initiatives, they spread themselves thin,” he says. “But when you give them fewer priorities and full support to execute, magic happens.”

This philosophy has created a culture of ownership and excellence within Vitaco. Teams are now aligned behind clear brand missions and measurable outcomes, leading to higher engagement and stronger results.

The Bottom Line

Craig Kearney’s leadership at Vitaco proves that sometimes the fastest way to grow is to shrink first. By cutting distractions, concentrating resources, and focusing relentlessly on a few key areas, he turned a struggling company into a powerhouse in the health and wellness sector.

In a world obsessed with doing more, Kearney’s story is a powerful reminder that doing less—better—is often the secret to doing more in the long run.