news & trends: 06/2004

Wild Oats Names Natural Factors Vendor of the Year

EVERETT, Wash.—Natural Factors was named Vendor of the Year in the Natural Living Category by Boulder, Colo.-based Wild Oats Markets. “Natural Factors’ commitment to quality products, innovation and supporting causes that are aligned with our industry’s values makes it stand out as the type of company we like to support and honor at Wild Oats,” said Steve Kaczynski, senior vice president of sales and merchandising at Wild Oats (www.wildoats.com). Natural Factors (www.naturalfactors.com) received $2,500 to donate to a charitable organization of its choice; it selected The Healthy Foundation’s Vitamin Relief USA program.

Expo West Posts Record Attendance

ANAHEIM, Calif.—Total attendance for Natural Products Expo West topped 36,000, according to show organizer New Hope Natural Media, a division of Penton Media. The numbers included more than 13,000 retailers/buyers, an increase of 18 percent from 2003. Among the trends on the show floor were an increase in low carb offerings, ephedra-free dietary supplements, anti-aging personal care items and continued growth in the organic market.

Expo West also included events for the raw material portion of the industry, as the Nutracon conference and SupplyExpo exhibit hall focused on these areas. According to New Hope, there were more than 560 attendees for Nutracon. Events included keynotes by the chief executive officer of Atkins Nutritionals and by a Nobel Laureate.

Great Earth Licenses Brand

HICKSVILLE, N.Y.—Great Earth Companies announced a nationwide initiative to license the Great Earth brand of dietary supplements to select independent and regional natural products chains. Exclusive territory licenses are available for interested retailers, who will receive access to the marketing, merchandising and sales support previously available only to Great Earth franchisees. Elite Nutrition, with eight stores throughout Salt Lake City, and Better Nutrition, with 12 stores in Las Vegas, have already signed licensing agreements.

Dynamic Nutritional Products Makes Impression at Expo

IRVINE, Calif.—Dynamic Nutritional Products (www.dynamicnutripro.com) showcased its two-story, 30-by-30 booth at Natural Products Expo West in Anaheim, Calif., in March. The company announced plans to increase its product line and enter the natural skin care market. Among the new topical products are vitamin C cream, progesterone cream and glucosamine/chondroitin/MSM lotion.

Nature’s Formulary Revamps Web Site

ALBANY, N.Y.—Nature’s Formulary announced a major update of its Web site (www.naturesformulary.com). “The Web site has a completely new format, starting with the content and including layout and color scheme,” said P.K. Davé, company president. In the redesign, Nature’s Formulary expanded the sections about Ayurveda and Ayurvedic body types, and added charts to explain the concepts.

Product information includes cross-references to synergistic items as well as lifestyle suggestions to complement the holistic approach to health.

NNFA Announces Keynoters, Low Carb Plans

NEWPORT BEACH, Calif.—The National Nutritional Foods Association (NNFA) announced its keynote speakers for its annual convention and trade show—NNFA 2004—set for July 16 to 18 in Las Vegas. Reps. Chris Cannon (R-Utah) and Frank Pallone Jr. (D-N.J.) will deliver the main keynote address on Saturday, July 17, at 10 a.m. They are expected to offer insights on recent moves in Washington, D.C., which may be of interest to the natural products industry. Michael Murray, M.D., a leading authority on natural medicine, will give the opening keynote on Friday, July 16, while Fred Pescatore, M.D., former associate medical director at the Atkins Center, will present the closing address on Sunday, July 18.

NNFA also announced plans to showcase low carbohydrate foods on the exhibit show floor. The expanded low carb pavilion will feature a variety of products, from baked goods and bars to dressings and snack foods. The association is also presenting several seminars addressing the low carb phenomenon, including Pescatore’s talk on July 18.

NNFA 2004 will take place at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas. More information is available by calling (800) 966-6632 or visiting www.nnfa.org.

announced its OatVantage™ oat bran ingredient is available in three different supplements at General Nutrition Centers (GNC). ... Pioneer Nutritional Formulas created a 27-page booklet, “Taking Health to Heart,” to educate consumers about natural approaches to cardiovascular wellness. ... Chaser announced its hangover prevention formula is now a top 50 product in GNC and a top 100 product in Walgreen’s. Chaser also expanded its distribution into Canada through the Shoppers Drug Mart chain. ... OrderDog launched its new iPOS™ point of sale system with a self-updating database connected to real-time data from more than 250 suppliers. ... Debra Stark, owner of Debra’s Natural Gourmet, received the first MacNut™ Oil Retailer of the Year award. ... Sambazon introduced ready-to-drink Acai energy smoothies, featuring acai fruit—a powerful source of antioxidants. ... Matthias Rath, M.D., announced Matthias Rath BV will now be a nonprofit natural health corporation, with all revenues supporting non-profit social causes such as the Dr. Rath Health Foundation. ...

YONKERS, N.Y., & NEW YORK—The cover stories of the May Consumer Reports (CR) and the April 19 Forbes reported on the darker side of supplements (i.e., ephedra, kava) and the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). In “CR Investigates Dangerous Supplements: Six Could Cause Cancer, Kidney Failure, Liver Disease or Death,” the magazine identified 12 ingredients that, “according to government warnings, adverse event reports and top experts, are too dangerous to be on the market.” Forbes’ “Poison Pills: The Men and Money Pushing Dangerous Diet Supplements” used its pages to report on the lawsuits and regulatory proceedings against such companies as NVE Pharmaceuticals, Cytodyne and Metabolife.

They are: aristolochic acid, comfrey, androstenedione, chaparral, germander, kava, bitter orange, glandular extracts, lobelia, pennyroyal oil, skullcap and yohimbe. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has already posted warnings about many of these products (e.g., aristolochic acid, comfrey, kava, glandular extracts) and has recently classified one (andro) as a controlled substance. CR advised readers to follow seven steps when next buying a supplement:

1. Stay away from the “Dirty Dozen.”

2. Do not take daily doses of vitamins and minerals that exceed the safe upper limits.

3. Limit your intake of other supplements.

4. Tell your doctor about your supplements.

5. Stay away from supplements for weight control.

6. Do your own research.

7. Watch for adverse events.

QOL Offering New Line

PURCHASE, N.Y.—Quality of Life Labs (QOL), the exclusive U.S. distributor of Active Hexose Correlated Compound (AHCC®), expanded its product offerings to include a new supplement line featuring several proprietary ingredients. It launched Advanced CoQ10 (coenzyme Q10) in February, positioning the product as an antioxidant to support cardiovascular and immune function. In March, QOL (www.Q-O-L.com) added Neptune Krill Oil, an antioxidant that benefits premenstrual syndrome (PMS) and menopausal symptoms.

Almased Launches National Promotion

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.—Almased (www.almased.com) is launching a national promotion in conjunction with the Spirit of Women hospital network. The “Lifestyle Makeover Woman of the Year” promotion will include special educational programs to be held at hospitals participating in the Spirit of Women program. Consumers who incorporate Almased into their healthy lifestyle regimen and share their stories are eligible to win prizes including a spa retreat, beauty makeover and year’s supply of the product.

Twinlab Revitalizing Company Focus

HAUPPAUGE, N.Y.—Twinlab Corp., under the leadership of new owner IdeaSphere Inc., announced a series of initiatives to signal its commitment to natural products retailers. “Our ability to add content and services to Twinlab’s great products, and to build programs based on a total view of wellness, means that we can drive new customers to natural/health foods retailers and help intensify [the retailers’] relationships with existing customers,” said Mark A. Fox, IdeaSphere’s president and chief operating officer.

Twinlab’s moves include creating retailer marketing plans and processes, re-introducing retailer product education trips to Twinlab’s manufacturing facility in American Plains, Utah, and implementing a retail sales leadership program created by IdeaSphere’s vice chairman, motivational speaker Tony Robbins.

The company further announced it took $14 million of inventory out of the mass market, and is limiting offerings in that channel to only six products. Also, Twinlab updated its Web site with a secure retailer-only section to permit sharing of retail practices and other information to improve sales.

In a major move, Twinlab (www.twinlab.com) launched Integrative Health Solutions (IHS), a three-phase program designed to improve retailers’ competitive differentiation, increase consumer connection and grow market share. Phase I is rolling out now, and provides retailers with the new IHS Platinum Plus for Business MasterCard, created by MBNA and IdeaSphere. Benefits of the affinity credit card include no annual fee, high credit lines and a low rate for balance transfers. Also, cardholders will be eligible for exclusive Twinlab financial incentives. The next two phases will involve the launch of a retailer certification program and an IHSbranded consumer credit card to drive purchases at natural products stores.

Himalaya Receives ISO Certification, Launches Liquids

HOUSTON—Himalaya USA announced The Himalaya Drug Co. was awarded ISO 9001:2000 certification for excellence and quality. Himalaya was certified in all departments, including research and development, marketing, design, internal processes, manufacturing and customer care. Himalaya already holds a GMP (good manufacturing practice) certification by the Indian Ministry of Health.

Himalaya also re-introduced six proprietary herbal formulations in liquid form. The value-added line extension includes LiverCare®, ImmunoCare®, CoughCare®, CoughCare Sugar-Free, MindCare® and GastriCare®. “We realize our retailers and consumers want a choice in herbal health care options,” said Joe Chimbel, president and chief operating officer of Himalaya USA (www.himalayausa.com). “The liquids offer a safe and effective option for those who cannot or choose not to ingest tablets or capsules.”

Sports Nutrition Product Sales Increasing

NEW YORK—In the overall retail market for sports nutrition products, valued at $3.1 billion in 2003, beverages account for 63 percent of sales, according to a new report from Packaged Facts (www.packagedfacts.com). However, the drinks are being marketed more for general nutrition, rather than sports benefits; the firm found physically active adults were only 10- percent more likely to use sports beverages than the general adult population.

Longjiang River Products Available on East Coast

IRVINGTON-ON-HUDSON, N.Y.—Longjiang River Health Products announced its branded line of LHK® dietary supplements now has extensive East Coast distribution. Distributors including Select Nutrition, Tree of Life Northeast and United Natural Foods have all added the product line to their catalogs.

“We’re very confident that our sales and marketing efforts will help us achieve the brand leadership we have established in the Asian marketplace,” said Robert P. McGraw, chairman and chief executive officer of Longjiang River (www.longjiangriver.com). “We are bringing quality Chinese herbal health supplements to the U.S. marketplace, and our goal is to establish a new category in the natural products stores for these effective traditional medicines.”

SierraSil™ Announces Brokers, Celebrity Endorser

VANCOUVER, British Columbia—Ken Venturri, a U.S. Open champion and former CBS television analyst, signed on to endorse SierraSil™, a mineral complex from Sierra Mountain Minerals. Venturri retired from professional golf due to severe carpal tunnel syndrome; he says using the SierraSil product is allowing him to play golf again without discomfort.

Sierra Mountain Minerals (www.sierrasil.com) also secured nationwide broker representation. Its brokerage firms include: Tozzi & Associates, Northeast; Golden Gate Brokerage, North and Central California, Northwest Nevada; Naturally! TLC, Southern California, Southwest; Mountain Sales, Rocky Mountain Region, Northwest; Nature’s Trading Co., Southeast; Presence Marketing NW, Northern Midwest; and Presence Marketing SW, Southern Midwest.

What Your Customers Are Reading About...

“Most supplements that promise to melt fat are ineffective, and some are downright dangerous. ... There is little or no evidence to support the weight-loss claims for popular fatburning supplements such as carnitine, pyruvate and HCA. The bottom line: The only way to safely burn fat is through regular exercise or activity.”

—From “Your Top Fat-Burning Questions— Answered!” in the February 2004 issue of Fitness (www.fitnessmagazine.com)

“In conjunction with regular treatment methods, CoQ10 (coenzyme Q10) may help those diagnosed with diseases like gingivitis, congestive heart disease, Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s by reversing or preventing further cell damage.”

—From “Ask Our M.D.” in the March 2004 issue of Fitness (www.fitnessmagazine.com)

“If you experience migraine or cluster headaches, lay off the herbal remedies ...

ginkgo biloba, ginseng, echinacea, St. John’s wort, and large amounts of garlic can interfere with migraine treatments. The herbs change the way your body metabolizes headache medications, potentially making them toxic.”

—From “First Light Health” in the March 2004 issue of Cooking Light (www.cookinglight.com)

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