Natural Products Insider

Surviving a pandemic and economic fallout requires an active, flexibility and adaptive approach marked by firm, focused decisions.

Personalized nutrition brand Care/Of tried to bring consistency to consumers thrown off their regular nutrition path during pandemic.

The hemp biz is known as a man’s world, yet two of the most successful, innovative players are women. Hear them roar! Listen in on challenges and frustrations, successes and inspirations in today’s hemp CBD business. New Hope Network’s ingredients and supplements editor Todd Runestad sits down with Jess Mulligan, co-founder of Winged Nutrition, and Annie Rouse, co-founder of Anavii Market, Chief Knowledge Officer with LifePatent, and founder of OverCome. They talk about: Fundraising when it seems like all the money belongs to men. Frustrations like Amazon’s on-again off-again relationship with CBD Inspirations like “selling something that changes lives.” Dropping the veil of perfection.

NOW Foods is powering ahead despite social distancing and sanitary requirements, as its immune business booms and ingredients like vitamin C are in high demand.

Energy, hydration, testing, gaming and sweeteners highlight the topics discussed in this podcast featuring Bryan Morin, sports category manager of NOW Sports.

Let’s talk cannabis in all its iterations—medical and recreational marijuana, supplemental CBD, and agricultural hemp. And that’s just the appetizer! Who’s up for some delicious vegetarian lunch? Informa senior editor Todd Runestad breaks bread with Michael McGuffin, president of the American Herbal Products Association, and Elan Sudberg, CEO of Alkemist Labs, to discuss the ABCs of herbalism today: American consumer trends; Botanical expertise in the realms of regulations from USDA, FDA and DEA; and that ineffable quality called Courage. Listen up as we dig into these noshable notions: What have we learned in the 10 years since the American Herbal Products Association chartered its cannabis committee? Consistency in the herbal market—seven of the top 10 best-selling herbs from a decade ago are still on the list today. Courage: On a personal, professional, and association level.

With supply chains in 80 countries that employ 300,000 people, the company can make a difference to end poverty, hunger and more, per Randy Kreienbrink, VP of marketing. Martin Bauer, with its global reach providing more than 200 botanical ingredients to the tea, food, beverage, dietary supplement and animal nutrition industries, has committed to several sustainability goals, including tackling climate change, poverty and global hunger. All these goals and more are outlined in its Sustainably Report, released in February 2020. Per the Sustainability Report, Martin Bauer promised to purchase 56% of its major botanicals through certified supply chains and to follow Sustainable Development Goals (SDG) set forth by the SDG Compass. In this podcast, Randy Kreienbrink, vice president of marketing, Martin Bauer Group, talks with Sandy Almendarez, content director, Informa Markets, about the company’s sustainability goals.

In the wake of the postponement of Expo West 2020—let’s call it Expo Rest—we still met in Southern California with movers and shakers in the field. Informa senior editor Todd Runestad sat down with Erik Goldman, editor-in-chief of Holistic Primary Care, a media company that connects integrative practitioners to the supplements market and holistic healing practices. Sit down with us and listen to this provocative conversation where the two discuss: - What health conditions are practitioners recommending cannabis—medical and recreational marijuana as well as hemp CBD. - “Health is more than the absence of disease” and how the medical community is shifting to deal with post-modern health conditions. -In the wake of the postponement of Expo West 2020, it begs the question, How much do we believe in our medicine?

Nutiva’s new Organic MCT Protein offers innovation in a saturated protein powder market, and the company commits itself to worthy environmental causes, leading to the honor of finalist for the 2020 NEXTY Awards in the Best New Supplement Category. The Organic MCT Protein powders hit on several trends, including plant-based ingredients, non-GMO, keto, paleo, vegan, dairy free, grain free, gluten free and sugar free. The medium-chain triglyceride (MCT) powder is derived from organic coconuts, and organic plant protein powder comes from pea, sunflower, pumpkin seed and hemp seeds. Available in vanilla and chocolate, it offers 6 g of MCTs, 20 g of plant protein and 4 g of branched chain amino acids per serving. It also contains the prebiotic acacia fiber. In this podcast, Steve Naccarato, CEO, Nutiva, talks with Sandy Almendarez, content director, Informa Markets, about the product’s ingredient selection and formulation, as well as the company’s philanthropic efforts.

Concern is high, and answers are few as the dietary supplement industry faces the pandemic COVID-19, the respiratory diseases caused by a novel coronavirus that originated in Wuhan, China. By press time, COVID-19 has reached 108 countries, infected nearly 125,000 people, and more than 4,500 people have died. Industries across the world are considering how this virus will play out, and how it will affect their people and products. For supplement brands, special considerations focus on supply chain concerns, FDA enforcement and illegal marketing claims. In this podcast, Jim C. Griffiths, senior vice president of international and scientific affairs, Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN), discusses the issues facing supplement brands with Sandy Almendarez, content director, Informa Markets.

Supplement brands that follow procedures to ensure adulterated materials aren’t circulated to other companies will help clean up the industry, create better products and safeguard consumer loyalty. However, shifting operations to reject and destroy ingredients without paying vendors can be scary and risky, especially without these details outlined in supplier agreements. In this podcast, Jim Emme, CEO, NOW Foods Health Group, discusses how brands can help reduce adulteration with help from the Botanical Adulteration Prevention Program (BAPP).

Discovering the person behind personalized nutrition – podcast Many personalized nutrition brands capitalize on the blood tests that can indicate a consumer’s dietary shortfalls, but to truly understand a person's needs, other factors need to be considered as well, according to Diana Morgan, head of scientific and regulatory affairs, Care/of. She encourages brands to also consider a person’s diet, lifestyle, physical activity, sleep, stress level, medications and environment. In this podcast with Sandy Almendarez, content director, Informa Markets, Morgan dives into personalized nutrition for supplement brands.

Today's Ashwagandha Advantage podcast, featuring master herbalist and formulator Blaire Edwards, discusses how targeting women's health concerns, such as chronic stress – which may suppress the immune system, disrupt digestion, sleep, and hormonal balance, and cause sexual health dysfunction – can benefit from regular intake of ashwagandha. Revered for its ability to address the underlying consequences of stress and support vitality, ashwagandha is poised to provide a solution for a variety of women's health needs.

Consumer and environmental demands mean supplement and functional brands must address how their practices affect the environment. But the “how” of implementing these regenerative agriculture, processing and packaging procedures can intimate companies. Fear not, says Erin Callahan, director, Climate Collaborative; brands don’t have to save the entire world today, but they do need to take the first step.

Influencers who champion supplement and functional food products to their followers give those brands great opportunity for exposure to a welcoming audience, but companies must be selective when choosing influencers—yes, more than one—who will speak about their offerings, notes Amy Summers, owner and president, Pitch Publicity. In this podcast with Sandy Almendarez, content director, Informa Health & Nutrition, Summers covers best practices when using influencers.

What’s the story with CBD safety? The United Nations reported it’s completely safe for human consumption. The US FDA says otherwise. INSIDER senior editor Todd Runestad sits down with Stuart Tomc, senior VP business development, for CV Sciences—the only brand to have submitted a self-GRAS dossier to the FDA. Listen up as they discuss: - How has the market changed from before the first farm bill and after this second farm bill - Why the CV Sciences’ self-GRAS for CBD means - Considerations that any CBD company needs to go through to firmly establish themselves on the right side of the law, even as the law evolves.

Consumers want personalized nutrition products, but often lack access to the medical test that measure nutrient statuses. Supplement brands can help, says industry veteran Michael McBurney. Personalized nutrition—where brands offer products that can help a specific person based on his or her individual needs—could, and arguably should, be the future for supplement brands that strive to help consumers meet nutrition goals. However, access to devices that test nutrient statuses is holding consumers and the industry back from the breakthrough that’s needed to propel this market. Michael McBurney, Ph.D., adjunct professor, department of human health and nutritional sciences, University of Guelph, describes what supplement/functional food brands can do create an market where personalized nutrition is an option for more people. In this podcast with Sandy Almendarez, content director, Informa Markets, McBurney covers personalized nutrition for supplement brands.

The supplement market is robust with household penetration at over 80 percent, according to Bob Sanders, executive vice president, health care and home care practice leader, IRi (Information Resources Inc.). Still, supplement brands have opportunities to grow their reach among consumers who already rely on supplements for nutrition, Sanders noted in this podcast with Sandy Almendarez, content director, Informa Markets.

The new generation of supplements consumers is entering the market, and it all starts with herbs. We sit down with Michael McGuffin, president of the American Herbal Products Association, to dig into the fecund earth of the herbal market. Listen to Todd Runestad, senior editor, INSIDER, as they discuss: - How hippies, Mormons and German multinationals came together to form an industry - Common herbs in different healing traditions around the world - Cannabis, hemp and CBD. Of course you knew we’d talk about this!

Dustin Gersch, owner, Paleo Powder Seasonings LLC, created Paleo Powder AIP Coating Mix, which works like traditional breadcrumbs, but uses cassava pulp as a carrier for the seasoning blend to offer a grain- and gluten-free, certified Paleo and non-GMO coating for at-home chefs. The AIP Coating Mix is seasoned with Himalayan pink salt, garlic and onion powders and Italian seasoning and mimics traditional offerings in terms of mouthfeel, taste, color and texture. Along with Paleo Powder Seasonings, Gersch is a financial planner and the father of two kids under 3 years old. His story is one of hustle and dedication. In this podcast, Gersch and Sandy Almendarez, content director, Informa, discuss Gersch ideation and product launch process, including the challenges he’s faced.