TOP STORY How lifestyle supplements make health aspirational, and why vitamin stores aren't trendy Nutritional Outlook, Racked.com Unlike the supplements you’d traditionally purchase in health and wellness retailers, such as The Vitamin Shoppe, Walgreensor even Amazon, lifestyle supplements are hawked by fashion-forward lifestyle brands or bloggers selling supplements around the goal of attaining a certain aspirational lifestyle. Although supplement sales are growing, the fact is that vitamins are trendy, but vitamin stores aren’t. Could it be that new, Instagram-friendly, millennial-focused supplement brands with aspirational marketing are capturing a big piece of the wellness pie? Read coverage; How lifestyle dietary supplement brands like Goop make health and wellness aspirational instead of sick care→ Vitamins are trendy. Vitamin stores aren't→ UNPA NEWS
PCQI training in Lehi, Utah, June 5-7 LIMITED SEATING AVAILABLE! It's the last scheduled UNPA PCQI training of 2018! June 5-7 training in Lehi, Utah, meets FDA's PCQI training requirements. Learn who must comply, course agenda and additional information at the UNPA website. UNPA Asia Report: The evolving U.S. omega-3 market–and what it means for China This recent article from the UNPA Asia Report offers insights from former GOED Executive Direct Adam Ismail on the similarities between the two markets and the growth drivers that will make the market in China unique. NEXT WEEK: The 2018 UNPA Members' Retreat! Advanced registration for the 2018 UNPA Members' Retreat closes Friday, May 4. Retreat is May 8-10, in Park City, Utah. Click on the link above to access the agenda and lodging information and to register. Recently posted at unpa.com:
REGULATORY AHPA notes steep drop in rate of NDI filings, reasons for decline remain murky A recent sharp drop in the number of NDI notifications filed with FDA has industry stakeholders scratching their heads and serves to shine a spotlight on the continuing uncertainty surrounding the present system for bringing new ingredients to market. Experts support kratom’s accessibility as regulated botanical Experts this week said FDA should treat kratom as a dietary supplement and that an outbreak of salmonella tied to kratom underscored the need for compliance with cGMPs, as well as FDA enforcement—not the scheduling of kratom as a drug under the Controlled Substances Act. Dietary supplements versus food—A FSMA regulatory challenge FDA has established some clear regulatory differences between dietary supplements and general foods, but confusion lingers in what’s required of each under FSMA. FINANCIALS USANA reports record first quarter 2018 net sales and increases 2018 outlook Calling it a solid start for the year, USANA Health Sciences reported net sales for 1Q18 at $292 million compared with $255.3 million in the prior-year period, or a 14.4 percent increase year-over-year. The company says targeted product promotions offered during the quarter and its launch of a new skincare line, Celavive, contributed to the increases for the quarter. Nu Skin Enterpises reports strong first quarter results and increases annual guidance NuSkin delivered strong 1Q18 results, highlighted by 24 percent growth in revenue, which included a 7-percent foreign currency benefit. Revenue growth was driven by an 11 percent increase in customers and a 16 percent improvement in the number of sales leaders. GNC to close 200 stores, looks forward to $300 million infusion from Harbin Vitamin retailer GNC has announced plans to close as many as 200 stores this year as it prepares for a major investment from Chinese company Harbin Pharmaceutical. M&A ACTIVITY Eurofins acquires Covance Food Solutions from LabCorp for $670 million LabCorp announced that it has entered into a definitive agreement to sell its Covance Food Solutions business to Eurofins Scientific for $670 million. Eurofins says Covance’s service offerings and geographic footprint is an ideal fit. MEDIA WATCH Adrenal supplements may contain unsafe ingredients Many “adrenal support” supplements sold online as energy boosters may contain thyroid hormones and steroids that aren’t listed on the labels and can cause dangerous side effects, a study from the University of Colorado suggests. CANNABIS/HEMP/CBD Court rejects challenge to the DEA rule leaving CBD federally illegal The rule, which DEA published in 2016, established a new Controlled Substances Act drug code for “marijuana extract,” putting even hemp-derived extracts in the same restrictive Schedule I category as psychoactive THC. In doing so, the new rule set the stage for a wave of raids on CBD retailers. Why is the hemp industry upset a CBD medication bill passed? In a move to protect Colorado’s emerging hemp industry as a debate over legality plays out on the national stage, the state Senate unanimously passed House Bill 1295, which applies existing food manufacturing guidelines to products made from hemp. It also prohibits a company with an FDA-approved drug—say, GW Pharmaceuticals, which is on its way to having the first cannabinoid drug to get FDA approval, from restricting production and sale of naturally occurring CBD extracts. American Botanical Council: Schedule 1 status of cannabis outdated and inappropriate ABC recently submitted comments to FDA noting “that more clinical and other research into the medicinal properties of cannabis is warranted, and that the Schedule 1 status of cannabis is one of the most significant impediments to carry out such research.” GLOBAL REGULATORY EU member states support near total neonicotinoids ban A new ban on neonicotinoids—pesticides that are widely thought to harm bees and other pollinators—will completely prohibit their use outdoors in EU states by the end of the year. Current regulations ban use of Bayer CropScience’s imidacloprid, Takeda Chemical Industries and Bayer Cropscience’s clothianidin, and Syngenta’s thiamethoxam on certain crops. APAC MARKET Podcast: Obstacles, opportunities to marketing health products in China Jeff Crowther of USCHPA discusses regulations, cross-border e-commerce and social media in China. ORGANIC Perdue appoints Greenwood, Schwartz to NOSB Two new members were recently appointed for five-year-terms on the NOSB. Eric Schwartz, CEO of the United Vegetable Growers Cooperative, was appointed to represent organic handlers. James Greenwood, an avocado grower active in UCLA’s Institute of the Environment and Sustainability and the Hass Avocado Board, is the new environmental protection and resource conservation appointee. UNPA MEMBER NEWS Naomi Whittel resigns Twinlab CEO post After two years in the executive suite, Twinlab CEO Naomi Whittel announced she is leaving to focus on projects aimed at engaging consumers with nutrition-related health messages. doTERRA celebrates 10 years by giving back doTERRA International celebrated its 10-year anniversary true to the founders' original mission to change the world one drop, one person, one community at a time. The celebration commenced as doTERRA's founders thanked the nearly 2,500 employees in Utah and additional 500 global employees with a bonus that gave full-time employees $1,000 (and part-time employees $500) for each year they have been with doTERRA. NOW Foods named as one of the best places to work in Chicago Crain’s Chicago Business named family-owned natural products company, NOW Foods, as one of the 2018 Best Places to Work in that city. The company was recognized for workplace policies, practices and demographics as well as employee assessments and attitudes. How one CEO took a supplement company from entrepreneurial to inspirational When Robert Craven arrived as CEO at BioSan Laboratories—now known as MegaFood—the company had a solid reputation but wasn’t telling its story. Craven immediately got to work to change this. As a result of that work, MegaFood is now recognized not just as a reputable supplement brand but also as a brand with a purpose. He offers four leadership lessons based on his experiences. NUTRIENT TESTING Dr. Low Dog: Nutrient testing is a key missing part of Western medical training The oft-quoted message that everyone gets every thing they need by eating a healthy diet is clearly not true, said Tieraona Low Dog, M.D., but testing for micronutrient deficiencies/status in primary care remains very limited. PERSONALIZED NUTRITION Nutragenomics driving the next growth state as innovation recognized in survey Personalized nutrition remains firmly in the thoughts of one in four industry professionals (26 percent) as the raft of nutrigenomic activity from firms such as DNA Fit, BASF and SpoonGuru will attest. Personalized nutrition, patents and trademarks The number of patent applications that reference “personalized nutrition” and/or “nutrigenomics/nutrigenetics” continue to increase, which shows the growing innovation in the category, but brands must get more specific in their brand names to satisfy trademark requirements. MOU PARTNER NEWS GOED appoints Ellen Schutt as executive director GOED’s board of directors has appointed Ellen Schutt as executive director of the organization. She was previously vice president, communications and education, and had been acting as interim executive director since the departure of Adam Ismail at the end of February. Association forms to push vitamin K2 quality benefits A new single-ingredient trade association has formed to push the quality and benefits of vitamin K2. The association was launched with Norwegian company and category leader Kappa Biosciences taking the role of founding executive board member, according to Len Monheit, executive director. The new association recently signed an MOU Partnership agreement with UNPA. Global prebiotics association welcomes members The Global Prebiotic Association (GPA), the association formed to steward growth of the category, announced that Prenexus Health, Hayashibara (Nagase), Nutrasource Diagnostics and KGK Science have joined the organization. GPA has also added dietitian and CEO of Uplift Food Kara Landau as media representative and nutrition advisor.The new association recently signed an MOU Partnership agreement with UNPA. Inquiries about supplement drug interactions on rise, ABC says Actual adverse events attributed to supplement drug interactions are rare. Nevertheless inquiries about the risk are on the rise, according to the American Botanical Council. MARKET RESEARCH Millennial parents are more brand loyal than others parents While some studies have concluded that millennials are less brand-loyal than older generations, a new survey from the National Retail Federation offers good news for marketers. Once they’re won over, millennials are actually much more likely to stick with a brand than parents from other generations, even if it's more expensive. RESEARCH Lancet nutrition series: Supplementation during pregnancy insufficient to boost offspring health Micronutrient supplementation started in pregnancy can protect important nutrient deficiencies, but it is not sufficient to improve child health, according to research in The Lancet. Rat study suggests creatine may have more muscle protective benefit than whey protein Australian researchers chemically induced damage in rat muscles. They found that rats supplemented with creatine had a greater proportion of non-damaged fibers and larger cross-sectional areas of regenerating and non-damaged fibers. Beta alanine linked to increased power output in placebo-controlled study Study participants supplemented with non-essential amino acid experienced increased power output compared to a placebo group, according to a study by researchers in Spain. Probiotic yeast supports vaginal health, two new studies Yeast-ingredients supplier Lesaffre Human Care announced the results of two new studies indicating that its proprietary Saccharomyces cerevisiae CNCM I-3856 probiotic strain, known commercially as ibSium, may help prevent vaginal infections and help women manage their intimate health. Chinese scientists sequence antimalarial plant genes, finding way to extract more medicine Chinese researchers reported in the journal Molecular Planta high-quality draft genome sequence of Artemisia annua, a Chinese shrub producing a potent antimalarial compound Artemisinin and a way to extract more antimalarial medicine from the plant. The findings can be used to metabolically engineer plant lines that produce higher levels of artemisinin to meet global demand. Comments are closed.
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