Founded during the Golden Age of Bodybuilding, from when the first Sandow was awarded and “Pumping Iron” featuring a young bodybuilder from Austria premiered in theaters, Universal has been vital part of the fabric of the sport and industry. Today, we proud of our place in the weightlifting community and our many products are available all around the world.
Our roots go back to 1977 and a small manufacturing factory in Linden, New Jersey. Started by a hard-working and passionate family in that year, Universal is still a privately held company today – still owned and operated by that same family. Our values have remained the same, values based on “old school” ideals where one’s word and a handshake meant something.
Today, our state-of-the-art manufacturing facilities and corporate headquarters are located in New Brunswick, NJ. Though we are bigger, we still try to think small – think about growing our business one customer at a time. For over forty years, we’ve been pushing sports nutrition forward because, as athletes ourselves, this is what’s important to us. We hope you share our passion.
At Universal, we firmly believe three things. First, that the pursuit of strength is not just exercise; it represents a way of life. Strength, and the desire for making progress, lies at the heart of every human endeavor. So the strength built in the gym represents the strength of mind and of character. Second, that a community is always stronger than an individual. Reaching a fitness goal may seem like a solitary thing, but it doesn’t have to be. Sharing support, knowledge and wisdom are important parts of achieving lasting success. Third, that unless you live this way of you life, you can’t really speak with experience or authenticity. At Universal, we are competitive athletes ourselves. We train hard, we watch what we eat and we use the products we sell.
