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Salt Lake City, Utah (March 7, 2024) — UNPA, a leading trade organization for respected dietary supplement and natural health companies, has signed an MOU agreement with the Southern African Botanical Products Association (SABPA).
The purpose of the agreement is to advance the knowledge of Southern African botanicals throughout the US dietary supplement industry, with a specific emphasis on trade issues, research, safety, and quality.
Currently, SABPA is comprised of 17 members of Africa’s botanical products industry. The goal of the organization is to create a more connected, compliant and rich supplement industry for a region that has been held back by regulatory challenges that have hindered market access during the past two decades.
UNPA hopes to leverage SABPA’s knowledge of this region and serve as a bridge to the US dietary supplement marketplace.
“SABPA hope to raise awareness and develop markets for products in local and international markets,” said Thomas Brendler, SABPA’s head of regulatory affairs. “But for now, SABPA is focused on protecting its native and increasingly popular ingredient, Sceletium tortuosum, which has received intense interest from academia and industry for its role in depression and anxiety.”
While there are many ethical and high quality offerings on the market, there are also some that lack the appropriate regulatory expertise regarding Sceletium. This particular situation was the impetus for creating a code of conduct for SABPA members to ensure quality products, along with a quality seal to increase consumer confidence (expected end of 2024).
To that end, SABPA plans to work with local growers, traders and brand owners to standardize analytical testing in order to provide them with assurance that they are working with good quality raw material and processed products.
In the future, SABPA plans to expand beyond Sceletium to include other Southern African botanicals, such as Aloe ferox, Lippia javanica, Pelargonium sidoides, and Myrothamnus flabellifolia.
“We are confident in working with SABPA that we can bring these quality botanicals to the US market responsibly,” said Loren Israelsen. “This is a largely untapped market that we want to make sure is shaped with safety, sustainability and quality as the pillars of its success.”
“This is a mutually beneficial partnership that will expand SABPA’s resources, while at the same time giving UNPA’s members and the industry at large the knowledge it needs to explore the use of Southern African botanicals in a rewarding and ethical manner,” Dr. Brendler commented.
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Media Inquiries:
Thomas Brendler
Founder/CEO, Plantaphile
Email: txb@plantaphile.eu
Phone: 240-727-4204
Loren Israelsen
President/Founder, UNPA
Email: loren@unpa.com
Phone: 801-474-2572
Becky Wright
UNPA Media Relations
Email: becky@wrightonmarketing.com
Phone: 201-675-0197
About the United Natural Products Alliance
The United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA) is a premier trade association dedicated to advancing global natural health products. With a commitment to quality, science, and innovation, UNPA collaborates with industry leaders, government agencies, and stakeholders to promote responsible business practices and advocate for standards that ensure consumer safety, access to reliable health information and trained health practitioners. Through education, research, and advocacy, UNPA along with its members and partners foster industry excellence and leadership that drive growth and integrity in the natural health products community. UNPA serves as a unifying voice, to honor the dietary supplement industry’s history, advance the science and protect the health freedom of our consumers. For more information, visit www.unpa.com |
