What may have seemed like a questionable move is actually becoming more commonplace in the supplement industry.
Many eyebrows were raised in early 2026 when IFBB Pro League Men’s Open bodybuilder Nick Walker announced his latest move as a sponsored athlete. Over the last few years, Walker has represented multiple brands that were well established. However, he didn’t stay around with any of them for too long. Fans, athletes, and yes insiders were wondering where he was headed next.
The announcement he made was not the one they expected. Walker shared an Instagram post declaring he was joining Morphogen Nutrition, but it wasn’t as an athlete.
“I am officially part owner of Morphogen, and I’m very, very excited for this opportunity.”
People who heard the news were surprised for two reasons. First, it was the first time that many of them even heard of the brand. Second and more importantly, Walker was not sponsored by them. He is a part of the ownership group. As an active IFBB Pro that is trying to win the Olympia, many in the industry questioned why “The Mutant” would make that kind of move, which is much more intense than simply promoting products and codes on social media. Yes, athletes have also worked in business as coaches and pushing clothing lines, but a supplement company is a different beast. Instead of cashing in name value into a sponsorship, Walker is actually investing his into a brand that some people felt was not an elite brand on the market.
Why Athletes Are Moving Beyond Traditional Sponsorships
What many fans may not be aware of is that Walker is not the first bodybuilder to make a move like this. He is the latest of several top-tier pros to take the dive into C-suite roles with a supplement brand as an active athlete. The concept actually goes back for a decade, with results being mixed. Here is a quick look back at others who made similar choices to commit to the supplement space and how it worked out.
Other Bodybuilders Who Owned Supplement Companies
Phil Heath and Gifted Nutrition
Phil Heath was in the middle of his seven-year run as Mr. Olympia when his own deal with Muscletech expired. Instead of finding another brand that would sponsor him, he chose to create his own with hopes of creating a nest egg for when he retired.
“Gifted Nutrition” was the result, and Heath dove in headfirst with multiple products and a full media tour, including Bloomberg TV. A network that normally does not cover bodybuilding in this fashion. Prior to Heath, legends waited until retirement to launch their own supplement lines, but Heath was in the prime of his dominance. With Olympia wins in 2014 and 2015 coming after the launch, Heath appeared to be well on his way to winning both on and off stage.
However, a combination of growing pains and internal issues within the company led to growing frustration and Heath having to invest more into the brand without even receiving his first profit. By July 2016, Heath was out and was still listed as a creditor at the time of his departure. He joined Ultimate Nutrition as a sponsored athlete shortly after.
Kai Greene and Dynamik Muscle
The second bodybuilder to go all in on himself was Kai Greene, who joined Aaron Singerman and created Dynamik Muscle. The three-time Arnold Classic champion’s bold move wasn’t just for a supplement line; it was an extension of Kai’s “Thoughts Become Things” philosophy.
The brand saw great success early on and was on track to be an elite brand alongside others that Singerman had helped establish over the years. By 2016, Singerman stepped aside to go all in on Redcon1, and Greene was in full control. Ownership of a supplement brand could be called by some a life commitment, and Greene was involved in several projects that he was also dedicated to. This led to him retiring the brand and joining Singerman at Redcon1 as a sposored athlete in 2020.
Brandon Curry and O15
2019 Mr. Olympia Brandon Curry was next to try his hand at supplement brand ownership. He, along with Marc Lobliner of Tiger Fitness launched O15, a nod to Curry being the 15th Mr. O winner in history.
With products such as their Big O protein gaining popularity, everything seemd to be going well for the duo. However, by 2022, Curry had won the Arnold Classic but was also dedicating himself to Carbon Culture, his gym in Tennessee and was still traveling overseas to prepare for the Olympia every year. Despite the company reportedly being successful, the plug was pulled that same year, and Curry rejoined Scitec Nutrition, his previous sponsor.
Big Ramy and Red Rex
By the 2020’s, Big Ramy was arguably the most popular Men’s Open competitor in the world and had two Mr. Olympia titles to his credit. In 2022, Elssbiay began laying the foundation for the launch of Red Rex, his own supplement line that while formed in Egypt, could serve customers globally.
Unfortunately for Elssbiay, he lost the Olympia that year to Hadi Choopan and only competed once after that at the 2023 Arnold Classic. Now that Big Ramy has confirmed his retirement in April 2026, Elssbiay can focus more on growing Red Rex, which still operates today. Red Rex remains a staple in international gyms.
Chris Bumstead’s Success With Raw Nutrition and Revive MD
To date, Chris Bumstead could be called the most successful bodybuilder to make the move into ownership. In late 2021, Bumstead ended his long-term sponsorship with Jacked Factory to “bet on himself.” Instead of just being a face for a brand, he negotiated an ownership stake in Raw Nutrition and Revive MD. By partnering with co-owners by Dr. Domenic Iacovone and Matt Jansen, Bumstead cracked the code on how to succeed on the shelves and stage at the same time.
With his own signature line and more ownership commitments into other brands out of the supplement industry, Bumstead successfully navigated the business waters and transitioned into retirement from the stage very effectively.
Will More IFBB Pros Start Owning Supplement Brands?
Supplement brands have been coming and going in the industry for decades, and athletes appear to be rotating sponsorships faster than ever. What this also means is that name value could be diminished, and fans/customers may no longer be as influenced by which athlete says what about which supplements are the best.
Walker’s joining ownership at Morphogen could be the solution in his case because there is no greater commitment than going all in as part-owner. He followed Bumstead’s strategy by aligning himself with an ownership group instead of doing it himself, which could relieve pressure on him when he prepares to return to the stage.
Time will tell if Walker’s move pays off for him in the long run. Many other bodybuilders are likely watching to see how it unfolds because the supplement industry can be very unstable, and sponsorships can be pulled very quickly. It will be interesting to see if other elite athletes in the sport will choose to follow that path themselves, or if the musical chairs of sponsorships will be where they stay.
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