Acquisitions, new launches, new partnerships, awards, new initiatives and more.

Sarasota, FL-based Living Naturally launched an Affiliate Program through which manufacturers can showcase their brands on retail stores’ Web sites and consumer email campaigns.

The Natural Marketing Institute of Harleysville, PA celebrates its 20th anniversary this year.

XanGo, LLC of Lehi, UT was given a STAR award from the SCERA Center for the Arts. XanGo has sponsored this community arts center for several years, pledging $1 million for renovations to its theater.

A donation of 9,722 16-oz bottles and 1,048 32-oz bottles of liquid vitamin D3 from Wellesse will help Nourish America of Ojai, CA give the supplement to needy people living in rural Mississippi communities.

Country Nutrition, a Decatur, IL-based retail store, owned by Neil and Pauline Adcock, celebrated its 20th year in business. To mark the occasion, Country Nutrition held an open house at its store with refreshments, contests, drawings, free merchandise and specials. According to the store, it is the only full-service vitamin and health food store in the area and is “flourishing with growing sales each month” despite the economy, it says.

Ogden, UT-based Mineral Resources International (MRI), Inc.’s products (Anderson’s Concentrated Mineral Drops, OmniMin, FortiSalt, elete, tablytes) are now available from the distributor, Nature’s Best.

In separate news MRI announced it is sending Cease and Desist letters to businesses that are using its trademarked
guarantee, “Feel the Difference of Your Money Back,” without its permission. According to the company, “MRI and the Anderson family intend to pursue appropriate legal action to enforce their trademark to the extent legal action becomes necessary.” MRI sells its products directly to retailers, though in the past, it went through distributors. Some had been using this trademarked statement with “substitute products” that have no affiliation with MRI.

ThinkGlobal Inc. (publisher of Commercial News USA) named Watsonville, CA-based Nordic Naturals as a 2010 Exporter of the Year. Winners were chosen based on the number of 2008 export transactions, how much sales increased in 2008 versus 2007, exports as percentage of total sales and other criteria.

Herbal Educational Services is holding two upcoming events: the Southwest Conference on Botanical Medicine in Tempe, Arizona (April 10–11) and Medicines from the Earth Herb Symposium in Black Mountain, NC (June 5–7). The Southwest Conference covers topics such as Herbal Pairing in the Vitalist Tradition; Cardiovascular Blood Markers; Uses and Cautions for Prescription-Only Botanicals; Ten Most Important Essential Oils with David Crow and more. The Black Mountain event will feature keynote speaker Tieraona Low Dog, M.D., and sessions on women’s health, immune health and more. Information is available at www.botanicalmedicine.org.

Bioforce USA of Ghent, NY is offering retailers displays and signage to bring attention to its “Take the A. Vogel Allergy Relief Challenge.” The display includes tear-off sheet featuring a checklist of 10 allergy symptoms for customers to watch for. This will help Bioforce understand from which particular symptoms they are looking for relief. Customers who mail-in the form and a receipt and will receive either a $5.00 rebate check or a free Allergy Relief product.

Calcium researcher B.E.C. Nordin, M.D., and colleagues published a report in The Lancet showing calcium intake helps prevent bone loss in postmenopausal women. Of all the 32 studies examined in the meta-analysis, the one involving AdvaCAL calcium (made by LaneLabs of Waldwick, NJ) had “the highest increase among all 79 skeletal measures” (a 1.5% bone density increase per year), according to the company.

Los Angeles, CA-based Jarrow Formulas will sponsor the Crohn’s & Colitis Foundation of America, Greater Los Angeles/Orange County Chapter’s “Take Steps for Crohn’s & Colitis Walk” on June 13, 2010. The two-mile walk will help raise funding for its research and patient service programs.

Natrol of Chatsworth, CA is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year and kicked off the celebration by re-launching its Web site, www.natrol.com.

Trace Minerals Research of Ogden, UT revamped its Web site, www.traceminerals.com, to mirror the look and feel of its new packaging and logo. New features include a site search, social media links, podcasts, downloadable product literature and a secure retailer area.

Published in WholeFoods Magazine, April 2010