now · natural alternatives international san marcos ... action requested support the standard of...
TRANSCRIPT
NOWMARCH 2015
TABLE OF CONTENTSLETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT ......... 2
POSITION PAPERS ............................ 3
NPA NEWS ..................................... 10
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT ..................... 12
REGIONAL NEWS ........................... 15
NATURAL PRODUCTS ASSOCIATION BOARD OF DIRECTORS
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEERoxanne Green, PresidentPCC Natural Markets, Kirkland, Wash.
Mark LeDoux, TreasurerNatural Alternatives International San Marcos, Calif.
Carolyn Behrman, Chair, Retail CouncilNatural Choices For Healthful Living, Columbus, Ind.
Frank Jaksch, Chair, Supply CouncilChromadex, Irvine, Calif.
Jon Fiume, President-ElectMustard Seed Market & Café, Solon, Ohio
DIRECTORSRobert AgnewBob’s Red Mill Natural Foods, Inc., Milwaukie, Ore.
Donnie CafferyGood Foods Grocery, Inc., Richmond, Va.
Robert CravenFoodState, Derry, N.H.
Claudia David-Roscoe, Vice President, NPA-MW RegionHealth Foods by Claudia, Toledo, Ohio
Stephen Distefano, President, NPA-East RegionStrictly Gluten Free, East Northport, N.Y.
Frances Drennen, President, NPA-SE Region Manna Grocery and Deli, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Jane DrinkwalterVitamer Laboratories, Irvine, Calif.
Ben HendersonBare Essentials Natural Market, Boone, N.C.
Harvey KamilNBTY, Inc., Robbonkoma, N.Y.
Michelle LoboPresence/Dynamic Presence, Boulder, Colo.
Emil MahlerSouthtown Health Foods, Chicago, Ill.
Kerry Morsek, President, NPA-NW RegionMoscow Food Coop, Moscow, Idaho
Angie O’pry-Blades, President, NPA-SW RegionFiesta Nutrition Center, Inc., Monroe, La.
Howard PollackRainbow Acres, Los Angeles
Al PowersNOW Foods, Bloomingdale, Ill.
Dave SullivanGNC, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Joe WeissThe Vitamin Shoppe, Secaucus, N.J.
It is more important than ever to stay in-formed on the issues directly affecting your ability to do business.
Let’s Make Natural Products Day 2015 a SuccessWe’ve had a great start to the year at NPA, especially on the advocacy front with our elevated grassroots efforts that many of you have helped to grow. Now it’s time to take this to another level at the most influential industry event of the year—Natural Products Day.
I have been lucky enough to participate in many of these successful annual events with NPA, so much so that Sens. Patty Murray’s, D-Wash., and Maria Can-twell’s, D-Wash., staff are well acquainted with our industry. Rep. Suzan DelBene’s, D-Wash., staff also knows me right on sight, though that could be the
extra touch of the Theo chocolate bars I leave behind!
Connections like these with our state legislators are imperative so we become more than just a number or business in their district. Together we can demonstrate the passion we share, and speak with those in power about the role that natural products play in helping Americans lead healthy lives and promoting positive health.
In this special issue of NPA’s NOW News-letter, we focus on many of the legisla-tive issues we are addressing at Natural Products Day, as it is more important than ever to stay informed on the issues directly affecting your ability to do busi-ness. Especially with a new Congress in town, we need to make new friends on Capitol Hill who will understand our positions.
If you’d like to talk about Natural Prod-ucts Day and how it makes a significant impact on your business and the indus-try as a whole, I implore you to reach out via email at [email protected]. With the strength of our industry’s voice in combination with the buzzing energy of D.C., there’s nothing we can’t accomplish together.
I look forward to joining forces with you at Natural Products Day!
Sincerely,
– Roxanne Green, NPA President
On the CoverNatural Products Day is the most important advocacy day of the year for the natural products industry. In this special edition of NPA NOW, the association has provided position papers on the most pressing issues facing the industry in 2015. Learn more about the hot topics on Capitol Hill here.
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Position PaperDefining Organic as Non-GMO
Action Requested Support the standard of organic as non-GMO in any pending national legislation related to the labeling of foods containing genetically modified organisms.
Background While the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has taken the position that genetically modified foods are substantially equivalent to unmodified natural foods, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has already defined organic farmers and processors as those that “do not use genetically modified ingredients”.
The USDA organic label is a clear and necessary label that many consumers rely on when seeking natural, organic and GMO-free products. To avoid consumer confusion, this must continue to be the national standard to which all organic products are held.
Issue The organic standard set by the USDA is, at minimum, a definition the Natural Products Associa-tion (NPA) wants to see included in any proposed legislation pertaining to GMO labeling on the national level. NPA calls for legislators to safeguard this standard against any backdoor challenge in a FDA bill.
In addition, dietary supplement and food labeling is regulated by the FDA, and NPA opposes any modification to the FDA’s labeling requirements that would be inconsistent with the current mean-ing of “organic” as it relates to zero tolerance for GMOs, or that would otherwise frustrate the ability of supplement manufacturers to use the “organic” designation as a way to communicate the GMO-free status of their products to consumers. NPA also supports maintaining jurisdictional lines for dietary supplement and food labeling under the House Energy and Commerce Committee and the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions.
NPA’s position on GMO labeling can be found at www.npainfo.org/GEWhitepaper.
Natural Products Day
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Organic GMOMeans
Position PaperFamily and Retirement Health Investment Act
Action Requested Support the reintroduction of the Family and Retirement Health Investment Act of 2013. This leg-islation was originally introduced by Sen. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Rep. Erik Paulsen, R-Minn., on May 23, 2013, as S. 1031 and H.R. 2194, respectively.
Background This legislation would allow reimbursement for dietary supplements from Health Savings Accounts (HSAs) and Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs), up to a cap of $1,000 per year. HSAs and FSAs were limited under the Affordable Care Act, and this legislation would reinstate their use in covering a broad range of preventive care cost savings.
Health FSAs allow participants certain tax benefits for medical expenditures as defined in section 213(d) of the Internal Revenue Code. Tax regulations interpret such expenses as incurred primarily for the “prevention or alleviation of a physical or mental defect or illness.” Expenses also should be covered for dietary supplements and qualifying meal replacement products because incentivizing disease prevention by establishing tax deductibility for dietary supplements will promote public health and reduce our nation’s out-of-pocket medical expenses.
Issue Current law allows prescription drugs to be covered by FSA dollars but does not allow the same treatment for dietary supplements. In the long run, wider use of these supplements can lead to substantial savings. For example, daily intake of 1200 mg of calcium with vitamin D has led to an estimated $13.9 billion in savings in hospital, nursing facility and physician expenditures over a five-year period, resulting from a reduction in the occurrence of hip fractures among those over 65 years old.
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Background on NY Attorney General’s Actions Against Dietary Supplements
Background New York State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman has been in the press for his questioning of dietary supplements after he ordered four major retailers to stop selling store-brand herbal supple-ments. Schneiderman also formed a coalition with the Connecticut, Indiana and Puerto Rico attor-neys general in an attempt to extend his efforts into other states.
The Natural Products Association (NPA) has major concerns regarding the study methodology used by Schneiderman’s office. The use of DNA barcoding methodology on extracts of raw ingredients is neither a good, better or best standard of practice in the dietary supplement industry. Since DNA barcoding is not fit for purpose for botanical extracts and finished products, it would appear to be inconsistent with finished product testing requirements in the dietary supplement current Good Manufacturing Practices. Schneiderman has yet to release the details of his study data, and contin-ues to move forward with his actions despite not being transparent.
Current Regulatory Structure
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is already responsible for the regulation of dietary supple-ments, and is fully equipped to do so. The agency goes to great lengths to ensure consumer and public health is protected. If the FDA finds issues with manufacturers, it swiftly and resolutely takes action against those firms.
NPA’s Position • NPA continues to activate its grassroots network surrounding Attorney General Schneiderman’s lack of transparency in releasing his study data.
• NPA has serious concerns regarding the flawed study methodology used by the attorney general.
• NPA does not want to see Attorney General Schneiderman’s actions expand to other states or spread to the federal level.
• NPA supports federal oversight from the FDA for the dietary supplement industry, and opposes any claims on regulatory authority by the New York attorney general.
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Natural Products Day
Background on Federal Trade Commission Overreach
Background While the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has increased action against companies making claims on product labels, the FTC continues to overstep its regulatory authority. NPA is concerned that the FTC is taking regulatory action against a company making drug claims, requiring the company to have two randomized controlled trials (RCT), and then attempting to make this a standard for all claims made by supplement companies contrary to the section of the Federal Food, Drug, and Cos-metic Act (FFDCA), which regulates dietary supplement claims. Such a requirement is not in food law but is part of the law that regulates pharmaceutical products, and is possibly a violation of the Administrative Procedure Act.
The law states that foods/dietary supplements and prescription drugs are held to scientifically different standards. Drugs are approved on a risk/benefit standard, and, unlike foods, safety and efficacy for drugs has to be proven before going to market. However, the FTC continues to push for this burdensome and extremely expensive standard to be applied to dietary supplements.
If allowed, requiring two RCT studies will lead to a variety of impacts for dietary supplement con-sumers and manufacturers. For example, consumer choice will be curtailed, as manufacturers will devote less time and resources to product innovation. Currently, it costs more than $1 billion and takes 10 to 15 years to bring a new drug to the marketplace. These costs and time frames would destroy all supplement innovation. What’s more, under these requirements, companies bringing novel dietary ingredients found in nature to the marketplace would have to pay the same costs for claims but would receive no intellectual property protection to recoup their investment costs.
The fact is, with a long history of safe use by millions of consumers, there is no need for two RCTs to tell us the health benefits of dietary supplements. For example, it is well-known that calcium builds strong bones, and the requirements already in place are more than ample to back up this claim.
Current Regulatory Structure
Under the FFDCA, the FTC regulates the advertising of dietary supplements and foods as to whether they are truthful and not misleading, and whether they are substantiated by competent and reliable scientific evidence. The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regulates proper struc-ture/function and disallowed disease claims.
NPA’s Position • NPA welcomes regulatory action from the FTC when appropriate, within the agency’s bound-aries that do not violate Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) or the FFDCA.
• NPA opposes an FTC requirement of two RCTs, as there is no legal or safety basis to mandate this requirement as a rule of general applicability.
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Background on FDA Accountability
Background The dietary supplement industry is frequently cited in the press as unregulated, but that could not be further from the truth. The Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), signed into law in 1994, is the overriding legislation outlining the regulatory standard for dietary supplements. Under DSHEA, dietary supplements are fully regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).
Current Regulatory Structure
Dietary supplements are regulated as a unique category of food by the FDA under the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act as amended by the DSHEA.
NPA’s Position • NPA supports holding the FDA accountable to properly regulate supplements, and would like the agency to develop a firm enforcement strategy against bad actors.
• NPA supports elevating the FDA’s Division of Dietary Supplement Programs to the Office of Dietary Supplements so there is more reporting accountability on regulatory functions at the agency.
• NPA supports the timely publication of all documents pertaining to the natural products industry, such as the New Dietary Ingredient (NDI) guidance document for dietary supple-ment manufacturers to provide a clear venue for the safety assessment of dietary ingredients. This document was to be released before the end of 2014 but it has yet to be published.
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Background on Possible Cosmetics Legislation
Background Draft legislation was developed during the last Congress to provide clear mandates on Good Manufacturing Practices (GMPs), funding for associated facility inspections and to tie funding to enforcement of cosmetics.
A cosmetics GMP rule will control manufacturing records, master batch records, additional record-keeping requirements, product labeling, distribution, product complaints (adverse event report-ing), product testing, and product controls.
If cosmetic user fees are instituted, NPA would prefer to see them used to fund GMP enforcement. New legislation could provide clear mandates when user fees for cosmetics are applied to GMPs and associated facility inspections. It would directly tie user fees to enforcement of cosmetic GMPs. If user fees are directed to enforcement activities like cosmetic GMPs or adverse event reporting, these actions by FDA would ensure consumer confidence more than using user fees retroactively to evaluate old ingredients, which have already been on the market with an established safety record.
Currently, there is only a GMP guidance, not a final rule, for cosmetics regulation. Any FDA guid-ance document is not legally binding and does not have the force of law. Only formal rulemaking through public notice and comment will provide effective enforcement of GMPs in the cosmetics industry.
In the absence of a formal definition for the term “natural” in the cosmetics industry, U.S. courts are left to rule on the legitimacy of natural claims. False-advertising class actions have increased in the personal care space, following a similar trend that began in the food sector. If Congress forces the FDA to define the term “natural”, it will alleviate the current backlog of congestion in the courts and future potential lawsuits from the Plaintiff’s bar over use of the term and how it is perceived by consumers.
NPA’s Position • NPA supports a cosmetics bill that will include mandatory GMPs to be issued for the cosmetics industry in the form of final rulemaking and comment.
• NPA believes better clarity over the term “natural” will be positive for industry and consum-ers, and urges Congress to force the FDA to define the term in personal care products. NPA defined natural for personal care products in 2008. Since then, more than 1,300 products and ingredients have been certified under the NPA natural standard.
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Background on The Congressional Dietary Supplement Caucus
Action Requested Please consider joining the Congressional Dietary Supplement Caucus.
Background The Dietary Supplement Caucus (DSC) was founded in 2006 and provides a forum for the exchange of ideas and information on dietary supplements. The DSC serves as a bipartisan and bicameral group of legislators who facilitate discussions among lawmakers about the benefits of dietary supplements, provide tips and insights for better health and wellness, and promote research into the health care savings these products provide. The caucus seeks to enhance Con-gressional attention to the role of dietary supplements in health promotion and address the regula-tion of the dietary supplement industry.
Additional Information about Joining the DSC
If you would like to receive more information or wish to join the Caucus, please contact DSC co-chair staff:
Sen. Orrin Hatch of Utah (Staff contact Matthew Richardson, [email protected])
Sen. Martin Heinrich of New Mexico (Staff contact Louis Agnello, [email protected])
Rep. Jason Chaffetz of Utah (Staff contact Amber Talley, [email protected])
Rep. Jared Polis of Colorado (Staff contact Blaine Miller-McFeeley, [email protected])
Or DSC industry liaison: Emily Dowsett (Natural Products Association) at (202) 223-0101x108
Natural Products Day
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NPA News
1st Choice Nutrition CenterAppleton, Wis.
A Healthy Alternative, LLCJamaica, N.Y.
Acupuncture AtlantaAtlanta, Ga.www.acuatlanta.net
Aisle7Portland, Ore.www.aisle7.com
ApothicaireSeattle, Wash.
Auburn NutritionAuburn, Calif.
Auburn University - Harrison School of PharmacyAuburn University, Ala.www.auburn.edu/academic/pharma-cy/directory/angela-calderon.html
Back To the LandBrooklyn, N.Y.
Bergstrom NutritionVancouver, Wash.www.bergstromnutrition.com
Best Life PharmaNaturalsTempe, Ariz.www.4bestlife.com
BioPQQNew York, N.Y.www.biopqq.com
Blue Sky VitaminGolden Valley, Minn.blueskyvitamin.com
BodyByShashe Inc/VigorVie Inc.Bronx, N.Y.www.vigorvie.com
Clear Products, Inc.San Diego, Calif.www.clearproductsinc.com
Confidence USA Inc.Port Washington, N.Y.www.confidenceusa.com
Crunchy GrocerLoveland, Colo.
Custom EssenceSomerset, N.J.
Dayton Nutra FoodsTrotwood, Ohiowww.daytonnutrafoods.com
dicentraToronto, Canadawww.dicentra.com
Dixie USA, Inc.Tomball, Texaswww.dixiediner.com
Elliott Organics Inc.Wheatley Heights, N.Y.www.elliottorganics.com
EPatentManagerVirginia Beach, Va.www.epatentmanager.com
Euroasia’sMumbai, India
Full Circle Market - Health FoodsWinchester, Ky.
Garner’s Natural FoodsSpartanburg, S.C.
Grassroots Natural MarketJacksonville, Fla.www.thegrassrootsmarket.com
Hanna’s Herb ShopBoulder, Colo.www.hannasherbshop.com
Healthy Living Organic & Natu-ral MarketLakewood Ranch, Fla.www.hlomarket.com
Helen B Gerhard, LLCColorado Springs, Colo.
Herbs N HealthLa Romaine, Trinidad
Imagenetix, Inc.San Diego, Calif.www.imagenetix.net
Improveat LLCPeachtree Corners, Ga.www.improveat.com
Jacobs Compliance ServicesVista, Calif.www.jacobscompliance.com
Welcome New Members as of February 27, 2015
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The views and opinions presented by contributors to Natural Products Association Now are their own and not necessarily those of the Natural Products Association. Further, the Natural Products Association makes no warranty or representation as to the accuracy or sufficiency of the information contribut-ed by outside sources, and assumes no responsibility or liability regarding the use of such information.
Editor: Melinda Price
Publisher: Lauren Cohen
Graphic Designer: Kimberly Carter
Contributing Staff: Dr. Daniel Fabricant, Adam Finney, Dr. Corey Hilmas, Emily Dowsett
Send inquiries to the
Natural Products Association at:
1773 T Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009
(800) 966-6632, (202) 223-0101
Fax: (202) 223-0250
E-mail: [email protected]
NOW
Kay Levine ConsultingLos Angeles, Calif.
Komehsa Botanical Blends Inc.Baltimore, Md.www.komehsaessentials.com
Lake Valley SeedBoulder, Colo.www.lakevalleyseed.com
Makers Nutrition LLCHauppauge, N.Y.www.makersnutrition.com
Malibu Health HouseMalibu, Calif.
McBroom Specialty Soy LLCQulin, Mo.
Miracle in the GreenWinter Springs, Fla.www.miracleinthegreen.com
Mr. NaturalArecibo, Puerto Rico
MyChelle DermaceuticalsLouisville, Colo.www.mychelle.com
Nanosphere Health SciencesGreenwood Village, Colo.www.evolvenutrients.com
Natural GrocersLakewood, Colo.www.naturalgrocers.com
Natural Products & ServicesOgden Dunes, Ind.
Nature’s Food Patch, Inc.Clearwater, Fla.
Nature’s PharmLafayette, Ind.www.natures-pharm.com
NuLiv ScienceWalnut, Calif.www.nulivscience.com
Nutralaws IncLoxahatchee, Fla.www.nutralaws.com
Optimal Health and WellnessAustin, Texaswww.optimalhw.com
Peak Healthcare Products, Inc.Las Vegas, Nev.www.peakhealthcareproducts.com
Perlop Cosmetics, Inc.Van Nuys, Calif.www.perlop.com
Prati Donaduzzi & Cia LtdaToledo, Brazilwww.pratidonaduzzi.com.br
PSC SoftwarePomona, Calif.www.pscsoftware.com
Purity Products/Waterpure, Inc.Plainview, N.Y.www.purityproducts.com
Rescue Health LLCBentonville, Ark.
Scorpion Sales & Ent. LLCEl Paso, Texas
Seedy Bar LLCPortland, Ore.www.seedybar.com
Simple Abundance, Inc.Red Wing, Minn.
Space Enterprises, LLCThe Woodlands, Texaswww.worldofchia.com
Strictly Gluten FreeEast Northport, N.Y.
Sungen Bioscience Company LimitedShantou, Guangdong, Chinawww.sungenbio.com
The Law Office of Katharine Giannamore, P.A.Miami, Fla.www.giannamore-law.com
The Truth, Empirically SpeakingLos Angeles, Calif.
Tugler LabsScottsdale, Ariz.www.tuglerlabs.com
Vitamin GalleryPittsburgh, Pa.
NPA News
New Independent Stamp of Approval by NPA and UL for Dietary Supplement Safety and Standards AnnouncedNPA and UL, a leading global inde-pendent safety science company, announced that they will partner to certify dietary supplement makers are following federal guidelines and regulations called Good Manufac-turing Practices (GMP) that are an essential part of the government’s oversight of industry.
NPA will train UL auditors in the NPA GMP standard, as they will administer the certification pro-gram, audit function and the final decision of whether the product meets the standard to achieve compliance. Furthermore, NPA and UL have developed a co-branded, dietary supplement-specific badge logo program for use in product labeling, such as marketing mate-rials, websites and social media for dietary supplements.
Visit NPAinfo.org/ULPartnership for more info and for the scoop on upcoming webinars!
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Member Spotlight
Q A short summary about Bluebonnet Nutrition:
A Bluebonnet Nutrition was founded by the Barrows family in 1991, and we remain one of the few privately-
held dietary supplement companies to this day that sell our products exclusively to health food stores. Our mission from the beginning was to provide our customers with pure supple-ments as close to nature as possible while preserving the envi-ronment in the process, which is why we invested millions in a 100,000 sq. ft., kosher-certified, state of-the-art, environmen-tally friendly manufacturing, packaging and distribution facility with unrivaled in-house analytical laboratories to ensure quality control from start to finish. We use only the best ingredients Mother Earth has to offer—sustainably harvested or wildcrafted whenever possible—while packaging them in recyclable amber glass bottles to best protect and preserve those high-quality ingredients and the environment. All of our supplements are carefully made without unnecessary colors, flavors, fillers, bind-ers or excipients in a variety of delivery forms that suit individ-ual lifestyles: caplets, mini-caplets, softgels, chewables, liquids, powders, vegetarian capsules (Vcaps®) and liquid-filled vege-tarian capsules (Licaps®).
This investment has also enabled us to implement enterprise- wide “green” initiatives, follow through with environmentally sound manufacturing practices, support sustainability and reduce our carbon footprint and dependency on fossil fuels. It has also provided us the production capacity to offer our
customers a full line of natural supplements (e.g., amino acids, protein, multiples, prenatal care, children’s products, vitamins, minerals, antioxidants marine- and plant-based omega fatty acids, digestive enzymes, probiotics, targeted structure/ function formulas, and standardized herbal extracts), as well as a wide selection of enormously popular whole food and whole food-based supplements that are organic, non-GMO, gluten- & soy-free and/or kosher through our Super Earth®, Rainforest Animalz®, Super Fruits and EarthSweet® Chewables lines. Basically our motto is that if you are looking for a clean and pure natural alternative to allopathic medicine, we’ve got your body covered.
Q How long have you been members of NPA and why did your company first become involved?
A Since the company’s inception, Bluebonnet Nutrition has been a proud member of the NPA. Bluebonnet’s
President, Gary Barrows, and VP of Sales & Marketing, Bob Barrows Jr., have served on both national and regional NPA boards and continue to be active legislatively. Since Bluebon-net was founded almost 25 years ago, our pledge has always been to remain serious advocates for the rights of consumers to have access to products that will maintain and improve their health and for the rights of our specialty retailers to freely sell these products, which is why we strive to provide them with the cleanest, most wholesome dietary supplements on the market today. Most recently, we were honored to represent the best of this industry by hosting Congressman Pete Olson on a
NATURE · SCIENCE · QUALITY · TRUTH · KNOWLEDGE
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tour of our facilities so that he could directly witness how cGMP-compliant dietary supplement manufacturing, analytical testing, packaging and distribution operations can ensure quality control from start-to-finish. With the roll-out of our kosher certification and green initiatives over a decade ago and the tremendous expansion of our facility and analytical/ microbial labs in recent years, our business has grown beyond our wildest aspirations. And we have been able to do all of this while being stewards of the environment. So we were excited for the Congressman to get a bird’s eye view of what respected dietary supplement manufacturers are doing so that he could better understand the products we sell and just how sophisti-cated this once small cottage industry has become. During our onsite discussions, it was valuable for Rep. Olson to understand the significant role supplements play in healthcare and their value and economic impact in reducing healthcare costs— specifically medical/prescription costs—as healthcare moves away from disease care to preventive care. In addition, we were also able to have an honest and frank discussion about the role of government in our industry. Congressman Olson concurred that the real conversation should not be about instituting more regulation but about providing the proper funding for the reg-ulators to optimally enforce DSHEA/cGMPs. Hosting congres-sional facility tours to recruit new allies like Rep Olson,
consistently attending Natural Products Day, serving on the regional and national boards of the NPA and being stalwart supporters of the trade organiza-tions that advo-cate for our industry has been
part of our corporate DNA since our inception, and we will continue that tradition well into the future.
Q What do you believe to be the biggest challenge facing the natural products industry?
A Today’s health food retail environment is ultra-compet-itive. Brick and mortar operations are being cannibal-
ized by the mass market, drug stores, pharmacies, physicians, grocery and big box stores, such as Walmart and Target. And then there is the internet, probably the biggest challenge a retailer has faced in years. There are so many places that a con-sumer can now purchase supplements. In making decisions, Bluebonnet always remembers that we are an industry of spe-cialty products sold by specialty retailers. After all, carrying exclusive brands, like Bluebonnet, is the foundation upon which most stores were built. In fact, that’s precisely what makes our specialty channel so “special”—the fact that consumers can
buy unique products and get invaluable information and edu-cation that are not available in other channels—on the internet or in mass market. The challenge for both the manufacturing and retail side is obvious to Bluebonnet. Since there is a built-in dependency on each other, we need to work more closely together to support each other’s businesses.
Q What is the one thing about the industry that you believe more people should be aware of?
A As an industry, we must do a better job expressing to consumers and media the health and economic impact
of dietary supplements, as well as our impeccable safety track record. With more than 75% of adults buying supplements at least once per year, the economic contribution of the industry extends well beyond direct employment, the purchase of goods and services and tax payments. Contributing $60 Bil to the national economy, dietary supplements represent 1% of total U.S. health expenditures and supply 2.29 American jobs for every one job created. We need to shout the benefits of dietary supplements on the economy and our health from the tree tops—reduced incidence of disease and nutritional defi-ciencies, increased employee productivity, lower missed sick days, reduced medical and prescription costs—to drown out the false and negative messages funded by our critics. The fact that there are significantly more serious adverse events and deaths associated with food and prescriptions drugs than dietary supplements should be more clearly communicated to the public and media, as well as the fact that dietary supple-ments are one of the most highly regulated product categories in the country, which has contributed to our extremely safe track record.
Additionally, we need to better publicize positive clinical studies on dietary supplements. There have been over 4,000 clinical studies on dietary supplements in the past few years. Over 1,400 of them are clinical studies on specific dietary ingredients including vitamin D, calcium, fish oil, folate, vitamin C and multiples. Many of these studies focus on nutritional deficien-cies, as well as effectiveness in preventing or treating disease, providing a wealth of credible scientific information regarding the impact of supplementation on human health. Our industry must be more proactive in showcasing all of these health and economic impact studies to consumers and media in order to boost consumer confidence in the products we sell. Higher consumer confidence equates to higher sales for all.
Q What do you believe makes Bluebonnet Nutrition stand out from its competitors?
A Loyalty, advocacy and transparency. We have met the challenge from our retail partners who need loyal, family-
owned brands like Bluebonnet to continue to fight for them at every level, provide exclusive products to them that are unique to their store and deliver an unrivaled level of transparency and
We need to shout the benefits of dietary supplements on the economy and our health from the tree tops
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quality guaranteeing that what is on each and every Bluebonnet label is in the product. Being family-run balanced by a strong executive management team and staying true to the guiding principles that built this industry has cultivated our success. Over the past 24 years, we have funded lobbying efforts at state and federal levels whenever there is legislation that can potentially threaten our industry. Bluebonnet is honored to carry on that mutually beneficial symbiotic relationship with our health food retail partners for years to come. Besides hav-ing each other’s back on all of the legislative fronts, family-run manufacturers like Bluebonnet pay particular attention to how we make our products knowing that what makes specialty retailers “special” in this industry are quality products that are as close to nature as possible, as well as full disclosure of the ingredients in those products. In fact, complete transparency transcends all of Bluebonnet’s products. We were one of the first brands to follow NPA’s TruLabel program. And before it was even required or even a part of the public discourse, we followed strict cGMP for dietary supplements, as well as incor-porated into our products non-GMO/PCR-negative and sus-tainably harvested or wildcrafted ingredients when available, and only natural excipients when they were absolutely neces-sary to improve the manufacturing process. Bluebonnet has one of the few kosher-certified dietary supplement manufac-turing facilities in the U.S., which provides an additional level of quality and identity testing on all our products. This further scrutiny is costly; however, it is what separates the Bluebonnet brand from others in the industry and gives our retail partners a brand that they can really get behind and trust.
Q As you know sometimes people say that the natural products industry is not regulated. What would you say
to those people?
A It’s simply not true. The dietary supplement industry is one of the most regulated industries in the country
since DSHEA was passed in 1994. Since then, all of the parts of this law governing the manufacturing, marketing and sale of dietary supplements that give it enforcement teeth have been enacted, such as Supplement Facts Box labeling, mandatory
serious adverse event reporting, allergen labeling, cGMPs, pre-market notification of new dietary ingredients (NDIs), guidance documents on marketing and advertising claims and the use of third party literature, etc. We would also inform them that the FDA and FTC have said repeatedly that they have all the regula-tory authority they need to enforce DSHEA against bad actors. So when the media and legislators cry for more regulation, we would point out that our industry doesn’t need more regula-tion, which would only serve to make our products more expensive and less accessible. It needs proper enforcement of current regulation. We would urge our legislators to provide more resources to the FDA and FTC to be able to effectively enforce the regulations currently on the books, as well as ensure that those parts of the government responsible for enforcing DSHEA are being held accountable for doing so.
Q If you had to invest $1,000,000 in a startup today, where would you invest and why and what trends does
Bluebonnet think it will see in the next two years?
A Whether it’s investing in a successful startup or trends that will deliver dividends in the near future, Bluebonnet
is banking on the continued popularity of whole food-sourced nutrition, specifically that which is targeted to the individual based on gender, age, lifestyle and conditions. Whole food sources that are organic, non-GMO, free of allergens like gluten and soy and kosher are thriving. That is why Bluebonnet is aggressively adding these types of products to our line of over 600 skus. We already offer a wide selection of whole food and whole food-based supplements that are organic, non-GMO, gluten- & soy-free and/or kosher through our Choice Multiples (Ladies’ Choice®, Men’s Choice®, Age-Less Choice® for Women 50+ and Age-Less Choice® for Men 50+), Super Earth®, Rainforest Animalz®, Super Fruits, like cantaloupe melon (vegetarian SOD), cherry fruit, garcinia cambogia and pomegranate, and EarthSweet® Chewables lines, and we will continue to do so now and into the future. Additionally, we will continue to add to our wildly popular line of condition-specific formulas with whole food sourced components like MPX 1000® Prostate Support, CholesteRice® and PowerThought®.
Member Spotlight Bluebonnet NutritionContinued from page 13
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Regional News
From Emotional Care to Enzymes and Gut Health, Sustainabil-ity to Healing Herbs and Whole Foods, the 2015 NPA Midwest/MAHO Convention and MAHO Expo are sure to be a splash— a “Summer Splash!” This year will be another jam packed weekend of educational sessions, new products and fabulous SHOW ONLY specials, not to mention prizes galore. The NPA Midwest/MAHO Region will host its 39th Annual Convention & MAHO Expo, July 24-26 at the Hilton Columbus at Easton in Columbus, Ohio. Registration and event information will be available soon on NPA Midwest’s new website. Early registrants
will have the opportunity to register for the Friday full-day Product Information Workshop, which includes breakfast, lunch and dinner, as well as two-nights lodging, all courtesy of EuroPharma. All-in–all, retailers will receive at least eight free meals throughout the show and convention weekend, spon-sored by EuroPharma, UAS Labs, Bluebonnet, Natural Factors, Enzymedica, Tree of Life and the NPA Midwest/MAHO Board of Directors. Remember: Columbus, Ohio, July 24-26, 2015—you won’t want to miss it! For more information, contact Marcy or Diane at 1-800-795-6246.
Make sure to save the date for EXPO NorthWest 2015, Oct. 2-4, at the Washington State Conference Center in down-town Seattle. The Northwest Region is offering 10 percent
off the total booth price for exhibitors. Sponsors for the 2015 show include Bluebon-net Nutrition and Natural Factors. For more information on EXPO NorthWest 2015,
visit npanw.org, or follow NPA NW on Facebook.
Become a member of the NPA NW today! Visit npanw.org for more information on
membership benefits and an application. Feel free to call the Northwest office with any questions. Please contact Jes-sica Miller at (360) 385-1186.
Things are moving at the Southeast NPA (SENPA) after the success at SOHO EXPO last December! In office news, SENPA relocated to 5946 Main St, New Port Richey, Fla., earlier this month. We also have our upcoming Spring
Education Program, April 25-26 in Orlando, featuring Ellen Kamhi, Ph.D., RN, AHG (RH), AHNDC; Carol Roberts, M.D.; and Medical Errors program by D and S Associates. This intensive education program offers 15 hours of
nutrition including credits for licensed Florida nutrition counselors. Contact the SENPA office at (727) 846-0320 or visit southeastnpa.org for more details.
NPA Southwest is hosting Healthfest 2015 at the Irving Texas Convention Center, April 11-12. The two day event consists of an Education Day on Satur-day and Tabletop Show on Sunday. The Education Day will feature six speaker sessions, complimentary breakfast and lunch, Annual Board Meeting and
President’s Reception. The President’s Award of Excellence will be awarded to recognize an individual who has been instrumental in support of the south-west region. Due to the overwhelming success of last year’s tabletop show, a larger ballroom has been secured to offer more vendor representation. An
added benefit this year is an all-day sem-inar sponsored by EuroPharma featuring Terry Lemerond on Friday, April 10. You can contact a EuroPharma account rep-resentative for information. Registration is open until March 25. The host hotel is Holiday Inn Express in Irving. For forms and more details, visit npasouthwest.org.
“Summer Splash” in July MIDWEST REGION
Expo NorthWest is Coming NORTHWEST REGION
Education in the Southeast SOUTHEAST REGION
Healthfest is Fast Approaching SOUTHWEST REGION
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