TABLE OF CONTENTS - Natural Products Association

NOW
MARCH 2015
TABLE OF CONTENTS
LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT.......... 2
POSITION PAPERS............................. 3
NPA NEWS...................................... 10
MEMBER SPOTLIGHT...................... 12
REGIONAL NEWS............................ 15
NATURAL PRODUCTS
ASSOCIATION BOARD
OF DIRECTORS
Let’s Make Natural Products Day 2015
a Success
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE
We’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.
Roxanne Green, President
PCC Natural Markets, Kirkland, Wash.
Mark LeDoux, Treasurer
Natural Alternatives International
San Marcos, Calif.
Carolyn Behrman, Chair,
Retail Council
Natural Choices For Healthful Living,
Columbus, Ind.
Frank Jaksch, Chair, Supply Council
Chromadex, Irvine, Calif.
Jon Fiume, President-Elect
Mustard Seed Market & Café,
Solon, Ohio
DIRECTORS
Robert Agnew
Bob’s Red Mill Natural Foods, Inc.,
Milwaukie, Ore.
Donnie Caffery
Good Foods Grocery, Inc., Richmond, Va.
Robert Craven
FoodState, Derry, N.H.
Claudia David-Roscoe, Vice President,
NPA-MW Region
Health Foods by Claudia, Toledo, Ohio
Stephen Distefano, President,
NPA-East Region
Strictly Gluten Free, East Northport, N.Y.
Frances Drennen, President, NPA-SE Region
Manna Grocery and Deli, Tuscaloosa, Ala.
Jane Drinkwalter
Vitamer Laboratories, Irvine, Calif.
Ben Henderson
Bare Essentials Natural Market, Boone, N.C.
Harvey Kamil
NBTY, Inc., Robbonkoma, N.Y.
Michelle Lobo
Presence/Dynamic Presence, Boulder, Colo.
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 Cantwell’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 Newsletter, we focus on many of the legislative 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 business. Especially with a new Congress in
town, we need to make new friends on
Capitol Hill who will understand
our positions.
It is more important
than ever to stay informed on the issues
directly affecting your
ability to do business.
If you’d like to talk about Natural Products Day and how it makes a significant
impact on your business and the industry 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,
Emil Mahler
Southtown Health Foods, Chicago, Ill.
Kerry Morsek, President, NPA-NW Region
Moscow Food Coop, Moscow, Idaho
Angie O’pry-Blades, President,
NPA-SW Region
Fiesta Nutrition Center, Inc., Monroe, La.
Howard Pollack
Rainbow Acres, Los Angeles
Al Powers
NOW Foods, Bloomingdale, Ill.
Dave Sullivan
GNC, Pittsburgh, Pa.
Joe Weiss
The Vitamin Shoppe, Secaucus, N.J.
2
NPA NOW NPAinfo.org
– Roxanne Green, NPA President
On the Cover
Natural 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.
Natural Products Day
Position Paper
Defining 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 Association (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 meaning 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.
Organic
Means
GMO
3
Position Paper
Family and Retirement Health
Investment Act
Action Requested
Support the reintroduction of the Family and Retirement Health Investment Act of 2013. This legislation 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
4
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.
NPA NOW NPAinfo.org
Natural Products Day
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 supplements. Schneiderman also formed a coalition with the Connecticut, Indiana and Puerto Rico attorneys 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 continues 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 supplements, 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.
NPA NOW NPAinfo.org
5
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 Cosmetic 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 consumers 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 structure/function and disallowed disease claims.
NPA’s Position
•
NPA welcomes regulatory action from the FTC when appropriate, within the agency’s boundaries 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.
6
NPA NOW NPAinfo.org
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 supplement 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.
NPA NOW NPAinfo.org
7
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 recordkeeping requirements, product labeling, distribution, product complaints (adverse event reporting), 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 guidance 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
8
•
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 consumers, 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.
NPA NOW NPAinfo.org
Natural Products Day
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 Congressional attention to the role of dietary supplements in health promotion and address the regulation 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
NPA NOW NPAinfo.org
9
NPA News
Welcome New Members as of February 27, 2015
1st Choice Nutrition Center
Appleton, Wis.
A Healthy Alternative, LLC
Jamaica, N.Y.
Acupuncture Atlanta
Atlanta, Ga.
www.acuatlanta.net
Aisle7
Portland, Ore.
www.aisle7.com
Apothicaire
Seattle, Wash.
Auburn Nutrition
Auburn, Calif.
Auburn University - Harrison
School of Pharmacy
Blue Sky Vitamin
Euroasia’s
BodyByShashe Inc/VigorVie Inc.
Full Circle Market - Health
Foods
Golden Valley, Minn.
blueskyvitamin.com
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
Mumbai, India
Winchester, Ky.
Garner’s Natural Foods
Spartanburg, S.C.
Grassroots Natural Market
Jacksonville, Fla.
www.thegrassrootsmarket.com
Hanna’s Herb Shop
Crunchy Grocer
Boulder, Colo.
www.hannasherbshop.com
Custom Essence
Healthy Living Organic & Natural Market
Loveland, Colo.
Somerset, N.J.
Lakewood Ranch, Fla.
www.hlomarket.com
Auburn University, Ala.
www.auburn.edu/academic/pharmacy/directory/angela-calderon.html
Dayton Nutra Foods
Trotwood, Ohio
www.daytonnutrafoods.com
Helen B Gerhard, LLC
Back To the Land
dicentra
Herbs N Health
Brooklyn, N.Y.
Bergstrom Nutrition
Vancouver, Wash.
www.bergstromnutrition.com
Best Life PharmaNaturals
Tempe, Ariz.
www.4bestlife.com
BioPQQ
New York, N.Y.
www.biopqq.com
NOW
Toronto, Canada
www.dicentra.com
Dixie USA, Inc.
Tomball, Texas
www.dixiediner.com
Elliott Organics Inc.
Wheatley Heights, N.Y.
www.elliottorganics.com
EPatentManager
Virginia Beach, Va.
www.epatentmanager.com
Colorado Springs, Colo.
La Romaine, Trinidad
Imagenetix, Inc.
San Diego, Calif.
www.imagenetix.net
Improveat LLC
Peachtree Corners, Ga.
www.improveat.com
Jacobs Compliance Services
Vista, Calif.
www.jacobscompliance.com
Editor: Melinda Price
Send inquiries to the
Publisher: Lauren Cohen
Natural Products Association at:
Graphic Designer: Kimberly Carter
1773 T Street, NW
Contributing Staff: Dr. Daniel Fabricant,
Adam Finney, Dr. Corey Hilmas,
Emily Dowsett
Washington, DC 20009
(800) 966-6632, (202) 223-0101
Fax: (202) 223-0250
E-mail: [email protected]
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 contributed by outside sources, and assumes no responsibility or liability regarding the use of such information.
10
NPA NOW NPAinfo.org
NPA News
Kay Levine Consulting
Los Angeles, Calif.
Komehsa Botanical Blends Inc.
Baltimore, Md.
www.komehsaessentials.com
Lake Valley Seed
Boulder, Colo.
www.lakevalleyseed.com
Makers Nutrition LLC
Hauppauge, N.Y.
www.makersnutrition.com
Malibu Health House
Malibu, Calif.
McBroom Specialty Soy LLC
Qulin, Mo.
Miracle in the Green
Winter Springs, Fla.
www.miracleinthegreen.com
Mr. Natural
Arecibo, Puerto Rico
MyChelle Dermaceuticals
Louisville, Colo.
www.mychelle.com
Nanosphere Health Sciences
Greenwood Village, Colo.
www.evolvenutrients.com
Natural Grocers
Lakewood, Colo.
www.naturalgrocers.com
Natural Products & Services
Ogden Dunes, Ind.
Nature’s Food Patch, Inc.
Clearwater, Fla.
Nature’s Pharm
Lafayette, Ind.
www.natures-pharm.com
NuLiv Science
Walnut, Calif.
www.nulivscience.com
Nutralaws Inc
Loxahatchee, Fla.
www.nutralaws.com
Optimal Health and Wellness
Tugler Labs
Peak Healthcare Products, Inc.
Vitamin Gallery
Austin, Texas
www.optimalhw.com
Las Vegas, Nev.
www.peakhealthcareproducts.com
Scottsdale, Ariz.
www.tuglerlabs.com
Pittsburgh, Pa.
Perlop Cosmetics, Inc.
Van Nuys, Calif.
www.perlop.com
Prati Donaduzzi & Cia Ltda
Toledo, Brazil
www.pratidonaduzzi.com.br
PSC Software
Pomona, Calif.
www.pscsoftware.com
Purity Products/Waterpure, Inc.
Plainview, N.Y.
www.purityproducts.com
Rescue Health LLC
Bentonville, Ark.
Scorpion Sales & Ent. LLC
El Paso, Texas
Seedy Bar LLC
Portland, Ore.
www.seedybar.com
Simple Abundance, Inc.
Red Wing, Minn.
Space Enterprises, LLC
The Woodlands, Texas
www.worldofchia.com
Strictly Gluten Free
East Northport, N.Y.
Sungen Bioscience Company
Limited
Shantou, Guangdong, China
www.sungenbio.com
The Law Office of Katharine
Giannamore, P.A.
Miami, Fla.
www.giannamore-law.com
The Truth, Empirically Speaking
Los Angeles, Calif.
New Independent
Stamp of Approval
by NPA and UL for
Dietary Supplement
Safety and Standards
Announced
NPA and UL, a leading global independent safety science company,
announced that they will partner to
certify dietary supplement makers
are following federal guidelines and
regulations called Good Manufacturing 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 program, 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 materials, websites and social media for
dietary supplements.
Visit NPAinfo.org/ULPartnership
for more info and for the scoop on
upcoming webinars!
NPA NOW NPAinfo.org
11
Member Spotlight
NATURE · SCIENCE · QUALITY · TRUTH · KNOWLEDGE
Q
A
A short summary about Bluebonnet Nutrition:
Bluebonnet Nutrition was founded by the Barrows
family in 1991, and we remain one of the few privatelyheld 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 supplements as close to nature as possible while preserving the environment in the process, which is why we invested millions in a
100,000 sq. ft., kosher-certified, state of-the-art, environmentally 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, binders or excipients in a variety of delivery forms that suit individual lifestyles: caplets, mini-caplets, softgels, chewables, liquids,
powders, vegetarian capsules (Vcaps®) and liquid-filled vegetarian capsules (Licaps®).
This investment has also enabled us to implement enterprisewide “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
12
NPA NOW NPAinfo.org
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
A
How long have you been members of NPA and why
did your company first become involved?
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 Bluebonnet 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
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 sophisticated 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 regulators to optimally enforce DSHEA/cGMPs. Hosting congressional facility tours to recruit new allies like Rep Olson,
consistently
attending Natural
Products Day,
serving on the
We need to shout
regional and
the benefits of dietary
national boards
of the NPA and
supplements on the
being stalwart
economy and our health
supporters of the
from the tree tops
trade organizations that advocate for our
industry has been
part of our corporate DNA since our inception, and we will
continue that tradition well into the future.
Q
A
What do you believe to be the biggest challenge facing
the natural products industry?
Today’s health food retail environment is ultra-competitive. Brick and mortar operations are being cannibalized 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 consumer can now purchase supplements. In making decisions,
Bluebonnet always remembers that we are an industry of specialty 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 education 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
A
What is the one thing about the industry that you
believe more people should be aware of?
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 deficiencies, 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 supplements 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 deficiencies, 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
A
What do you believe makes Bluebonnet Nutrition stand
out from its competitors?
Loyalty, advocacy and transparency. We have met the
challenge from our retail partners who need loyal, familyowned 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
Continued on page 14
NPA NOW NPAinfo.org
13
Member Spotlight Bluebonnet Nutrition
Continued from page 13
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 having 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 incorporated into our products non-GMO/PCR-negative and sustainably harvested or wildcrafted ingredients when available,
and only natural excipients when they were absolutely necessary to improve the manufacturing process. Bluebonnet has
one of the few kosher-certified dietary supplement manufacturing 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
A
As you know sometimes people say that the natural
products industry is not regulated. What would you say
to those people?
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, premarket 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 regulatory 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 regulation, 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
A
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?
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®.
Contact NPA
If you would like more information about the Natural Products Association and the
services we provide, please contact us at the information below.
1773 T Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009
Voice:(202) 223-0101, (800) 966-6632
Fax: (202) 223-0250
[email protected]
www.NPAinfo.org
14
NPA NOW NPAinfo.org
Regional News
“Summer Splash” in July
From Emotional Care to Enzymes and Gut Health, Sustainability 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
M I DW ES T R EGI O N
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, sponsored 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.
Expo NorthWest is Coming
Make sure to save the date for
EXPO NorthWest 2015, Oct.
2-4, at the Washington State
Conference Center in downtown Seattle. The Northwest
Region is offering 10 percent
off the total booth price for
exhibitors. Sponsors for the
2015 show include Bluebonnet Nutrition and Natural
Factors. For more information
on EXPO NorthWest 2015,
N ORTH W ES T R EGI O N
visit npanw.org, or follow
NPA NW on Facebook.
Become a member of the
NPA NW today! Visit npanw.
org for more information on
Education in the Southeast
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
SOU TH E A S T R EGI O N
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
Healthfest is Fast Approaching
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 Saturday and Tabletop Show on Sunday. The
Education Day will feature six speaker
sessions, complimentary breakfast
and lunch, Annual Board Meeting and
membership benefits and an
application. Feel free to call
the Northwest office with any
questions. Please contact Jessica Miller at (360) 385-1186.
nutrition including credits for licensed
Florida nutrition counselors. Contact the
SENPA office at (727) 846-0320 or visit
southeastnpa.org for more details.
SOU TH W ES T R EGI O N
President’s Reception. The President’s
Award of Excellence will be awarded to
recognize an individual who has been
instrumental in support of the southwest 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 seminar sponsored by EuroPharma featuring
Terry Lemerond on Friday, April 10. You
can contact a EuroPharma account representative 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.
NPA NOW NPAinfo.org
15
1773 T Street, NW
Washington, DC 20009
Follow NPA on Social Media
Interact with us in real time and get the latest on natural news, regulatory happenings,
scientific research and NPA updates by following your favorite association on Facebook,
Twitter, LinkedIn and now Instagram!
Natural Products Association
@NPANational
You can also follow our CEO,
Dr. Daniel Fabricant, on Twitter
for his latest: @DrFabricant
16
NPA NOW NPAinfo.org
Natural Products Association
@NPANational