Forty-seven percent of consumers are familiar with CBD

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Forty-seven percent of consumers are familiar with CBD Nutrition Business Journal conducted what it says is one of the largest consumer studies on CBD and found that nearly half of consumers are currently familiar with this exploding supplement. However, the results also suggest that confusion is a key challenge for the industry, with the data noting that those who do know about CBD are highly likely to be confused or unaware of the science or legality behind it. Read more→

UNPA NEWS
Registration now open for the 2019 UNPA Members' Retreat!The retreat agenda has now been posted. Bring additional team members and save $500 off their registration. Register today and reserve your hotel room for UNPA's annual Members' Retreat, April 30 - May 2, in Charleston, S.C. The above link will provide more information and access to the registration form. See you in Charleston in late April!
 March 6! RSVP for Expo West Members' Meeting and Open House, March 6RSVP for UNPA's annual Expo West Members' Meeting and Open House and Meet & Greet, Wednesday, March 6, from 8-10am, at the Anaheim Hilton & Towers Avalon Ballroom. No charge to attend and morning refreshments will be served!
 UNPA announces winner of 2019 regulatory concerns survey; seeks additional member inputVirginia Hill, M.S., RAC, director of regulatory affairs for UNPA member Pharmavite, is the winner of the $50 gift card drawing for participation in the UNPA 2019 regulatory concerns survey. Congrats, Virginia! We'd still like to get your feedback on a number of regulatory topics. Please see the attached survey, designed to capture your top 2019 regulatory concerns. What can UNPA do to best serve you and to address those concerns? This poll should take you less than 15 minutes. Your feedback is essential to help us plan our training and education schedule for 2019.M&A ACTIVITY
Glanbia acquires Watson for $89 million, broadens ingredients footprintIrish dairy and ingredients conglomerate Glanbia has continued its diversification into the ingredient space with the acquisition of the food and supplement ingredient supplier Watson for $89 million.
 Hemp food giant Manitoba Harvest to be acquired by TilrayCanadian cannabis specialist Tilray has announced it will buy Manitoba Harvest, a hemp food manufacturer, from Compass Group and other shareholders in a deal that could be worth up to C$419 million (US$317 million). The company plans a summer launch of broad-spectrum hemp extract with CBD.
 PepsiCo acquires premium protein business CytoSportPepsiCo is to acquire CytoSport, the business behind protein shake brand Muscle Milk. PepsiCo is also already a long-term distribution partner for the brand.
 GNC completes investment, forms e-commerce joint venture with Chinese companyGNC Holdings Inc. announced that it has received the final $150 million of Harbin Pharmaceutical Group’s $300 million investment that stockholders approved last May. With the third payment, the two companies are forming a Hong Kong-based, e-commerce, joint venture that will sell GNC-branded supplements in China. Harbin Pharmaceutical, which operates as Hayao, will make and market the products. REGULATORY
Stakeholders cautiously optimistic on Gottlieb’s proposal for protection in NDI filingsThe comments made by FDA Commissioner Scott Gottlieb, M.D., on the NDIs issues have made industry stakeholders sit up and take notice. The remarks were met with an air of cautious optimism.GLOBAL REGULATORY
Reclassification of vitamin C as supplement, not drug, may end shortages in IndiaVitamin C shortages in India may soon end, thanks to a proposal from the country's Department of Pharmaceuticals regarding the vitamin's official status.
 German Nutrition Society advises vegans to supplement diet with vitamin B12The German Nutrition Society has updated vitamin B12 reference values that recommend vegan diet followers take a supplement daily to compensate for the regimen’s nutritional deficiencies.
 ANVISA updates guidance on Brazil’s dietary supplement regulationsBrazil’s National Health Surveillance Agency (ANVISA) has released updated guidance on its 2018 dietary supplements regulations to help industry better understand and implement the framework.
 U.K. sets out plastics packaging tax plans seeking to boost use of recycled contentThe U.K. government has launched a consultation to help shape its proposed plastic-packaging tax, highlighting its aim to drive higher use of recycled content in packaging.FINANCIALS
NuSkin expects continued modest growth in China, despite trade war falloutNuSkin has recorded 7 percent revenue growth, adjusted for currency fluctuations, in its year-end earnings statement. The company reported $2.68 billion in annual revenue, an 18 percent improvement for the entire year.
 China conundrum: Shares slide as Blackmores’ in-market sales slow, but daigouchannel still deliversBlackmores' in-market sales in China dipped in the first half of the financial year, causing its shares to slide and emphasizing the difficulty in shifting from a daigou-based model to domestic Chinese trade.LEGAL
Distributors who sold drug-tainted sexual products confess to crimesSeveral companies and individuals agreed to plead guilty to criminal charges related to the importation and sale of $11 million worth of erectile dysfunction drugs marketed as herbal remedies for men.
 Judge lifts stay on KIND 'all natural' litigationA Manhattan-based federal judge has restarted multidistrict litigation accusing KIND LLC of mislabeling its snack products as “all natural” and “non-GMO" when they contain synthetic and genetically modified ingredients. The stay was lifted after the judge realized that FDA had no immediate plans to issue revised guidelines regarding when “natural” could be used on food labels.RETAIL
GNC: Mexico expansion adds 20 supplement stores in 2019GNC will add an additional 20 stores to its Mexico network this year, despite some financial setbacks related to peso devaluation and import taxes, says CEO of GNC Mexico Marco Canavati.
PARTNERSHIPS
Midwestern BioAg and Puris have partnered to provide crop contracts to farmers transitioning to organicMidwestern BioAg has partnered with Puris, an organic food processing company specializing in pea protein, starches, and fibers. Under the new partnership, Puris will offer contracts to supply Midwestern BioAg growers seeds for non-GMO soybeans and non-GMO yellow field peas, to help bridge the gap from farm to market.
 Lallemand partners with ComboCap to roll out dual-chamber capsule technologyProbiotic player Lallemand Health Solutions has announced a long-term exclusive partnership and license agreement with ComboCap Inc. for the co-development of side-by-side dual-chamber wet-and-dry probiotic ComboCap products.BOTANICALS
New monograph on Centella asiatica looks to expand use and applicationsThe new monograph “Centella asiatica: Entering a new era,” is dedicated to Centella asiatica, also known as gotu kola. The monograph has been published with the aim of expanding awareness of this medicinal plant, which is widely used both in Indian Ayurvedic medicine and as traditional medicine.PRODUCT QUALITY
Company warns consumers about counterfeit product highlighting ongoing issueDietary supplement manufacturer Nutramax labs has warned its consumers of a counterfeit product it found for sale on Amazon. The seller using the moniker, BluTiger, was allegedly selling a counterfeit version of Nutramax’s Avmacol dietary supplement.EU MARKET
Four international associations join Food Supplements EuropeFour leading European trade bodies have joined Food Supplements Europe, reflecting the growing recognition of the value of its work on the EU stage. They include AFEPADI of Spain, SANI of Switzerland, SFSA of Slovenia, SISTE of Italy, as well as Swisse Wellness, an Australia-based dietary supplement company, which has become an FSE company member.POLICY
Poor assessment and definitions hide truevalue of medical nutrition, review revealsInsufficient assessment and poor definitions are blurring our view of the value of medical nutrition for our health and economies, according to a new review of literature in Europe and the U.S.PROBIOTICS
Probiotic companies 'should be more angry' about health claims hurdles, argues expertProbiotic food and drink companies 'should be more angry' about health claim restraints which act as barriers to consumer health, according to a marketing expert Peter Wennstrom of the Healthy Marketing Team, who spoke at Probiota Copenhagen.UNPA MEMBER COMPANY NEWS
NOW'S Jim Emme named ABC Champion for 2018The American Botanical Council (ABC) announced Jim Emme, NOW Health Group CEO, as the recipient of its ABC Champion Award for 2018. ABC reports that Emme has been remarkably generous over the years in his support of ABC and other nonprofit organizations in the natural products community.
 Alkemist Labs cuts identity-testing turnaround time to four daysAlkemist Labs is pleased to announce a 20 percent shorter turnaround time for the most common identity tests it provides: routine HPTLC and microscopy testing. As of March 1, 2019, turnaround time for these tests will be four days.SUPPLY CHAIN
Better-for-you ingredients aren’t necessarily better for everybody in the supply chainToo many farmers are being left out of the success of the natural products industry, and Natural Grocers’ Alan Lewis says a more conscious supply chain could help.ORGANICS/MEDIA WATCH
A new study claims eating organic reducespesticide intake. It’s totally misleadingA study showing that people, who switched to an all-organic diet, reduced their intake of pesticides by 60 percent in one week, may be misleading. The better question may be analyzing not just the risk of a specific class of chemicals, but total risk.MOU PARTNER NEWS
GOED publishes 2016-2017 global EPA and DHA ingredient market reportThe Global Organization for EPA and DHA Omega-3s (GOED) has published the 2016-2017 update to its Global EPA and DHA Ingredient Market Report. According to the report, the global omega-3 sector grew 1.8 percent between 2016 and 2017, to become a $1.29 billion industry, experiencing its third straight year of growth.MARKETING
Influencer marketing’s downward ethical spiralOne of the results of our increasing rejection of advertising is that advertisers are becoming sneakier in presenting advertising that doesn’t look like advertising. One example is native advertising. Another is influencer marketing, which has a distinct lack of transparency.
 Is it time for supplement companies to move away from ‘cleanse’ and ‘detox’?The words “detox” and “cleanse,” when used with supplements, juices or diets, have strong market appeal. But some experts from the dietary supplement industry believe it’s time to move away from those words.MARKET RESEARCH
SPINS: Mitochondrial function, better sleep, keto and CBD are top trends for 2019From marketing support for the “mighty mitochondria” to butters for better sleep, forecasters at SPINS highlight the trends that they say will dominate dietary supplements in 2019.
 Takeaways: Power for powder innovationPowdered supplements are projected to experience a 10.8 percent compound annual growth rate from 2016 to 2024, according to a 2018 report from Grand View Research. Succeeding in a thriving market with anticipated double-digit growth requires fine-tuned product development and formulation to ensure powdered supplements not only meet consumer expectations for quality but also stand out on the shelf (or on a web page).
 Health-conscious Gen Z adults want convenient foods that match busy lifestylesToday's 18- to 24-year-olds are more likely than their millennial predecessors to say they often snack between meals (74 percent vs. 66 percent), according to “Looking Ahead to Gen Z: Demographic Patterns and Spending Trends,” a report from Packaged Facts. When they do slow down to prepare a meal, Gen Z young adults are much more likely to prefer simple, easy-to-prepare meals (58 percent vs. 40 percent).EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITIES

UNPA member companies have posted the following employment opportunities. To include a job posting, email editor@unpa.com.

There are currently no job postings.RESEARCH
Combined vitamin D3 and omega-3 supplementation may have bone, kidney benefitsSupplementation with a combination of vitamin D3 and omega-3 may have multiple health benefits on pre-menopausal women with vitamin D deficiency, according to Jordanian researchers.
 Study highlights unique roles lutein and zeaxanthin play during pregnancyLutein and zeaxanthin are found in higher levels in the placenta and umbilical cord blood than any other carotenoids, says new research published in Nutrients.
 Shilajit may help maintain muscle strength for longer during exerciseDaily supplements of purified Shilajit, an Ayurvedic ingredient, may help maintain muscle strength for longer, and support muscle and connective tissue adaptations, according to a new study from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln.
 Research on Stratum eggshell membrane explores benefits for cartilage protectionStratum Nutrition unveiled a progressive joint health clinical trial underway evaluating the triple-action joint health ingredient, NEM eggshell membrane. This trial is being conducted in an exercising, healthy population and is an expanded follow-up trial to Stratum’s 2018 healthy post-menopausal women trial published in Clinical Interventions in Aging.FDA WARNING LETTERS & GUIDANCES
Current FDA enforcement actions and guidancesKeep up to date on FDA’s current enforcement actions, including general warning letters, recall information and GMP compliance issues, with this link to FDA's website. 

Search and sign up for a variety of FDA Guidances.