Company Description
NOW Foods’ values and mission are very much aligned with those of its main customers, the independent health food retailer. Although the company, founded in 1968 by Elwood Richard, has grown to become one of the industry’s largest manufacturers, NOW is still owned and run by the Richard family. They ensure the company fulfills its original mission: to provide value in products and services that empower people to lead healthier lives.

Elwood Richard’s core belief that high-quality health products should not be a luxury available only to the wealthy still shapes the company’s policies today. People often ask how NOW can produce quality products at such reasonable prices, and the answer is surprisingly simple: commitment. GMP certified since 2000, every phase of the manufacturing process, from the purchase and delivery of raw materials, to the packaging and shipping of products, follows strict procedures overseen by an educated, experienced team of Quality Control & Quality Assurance experts. NOW’s modern, 250,000-sq ft facility, one of the industry’s most admired, houses six fully-functional laboratories running the most current and advanced testing equipment. Thorough testing and meticulous quality assurance ensures that NOW products are screened for contaminants, labeled accurately and of the highest possible quality.

NOW’s dedication to the customers who have made their success possible is illustrated by the company’s stellar customer service and enduring commitment to the health food channel.

Key Market Areas
NOW Foods’ main customer is, and always has been, the independent health food retailer. According to SPINS data, NOW is the #1 selling brand in the health food channel. The company’s product categories include dietary supplements, herbs, personal care, natural foods and beverages, and an array of natural sweeteners including a proprietary whole leaf stevia extract in powders and liquids.

Major Products/Service Offerings
With over 1,500 products in its catalog ranging from dietary supplements to personal care products to sports nutrition products to foods such as nuts and grains, NOW remains an anchor of the health food channel. Product categories include:
• Vitamin & Minerals, Amino Acids and Antioxidants
• Cardiovascular, Metabolic, Immune, Digestive Support Supplements
• Super Green Foods, Fiber and Herbs
• Joint, Mobility and Structural Support
• Men’s and Women’s Specialty Supplements
• Sports Nutrition, Weight Management and Protein
• Personal Care, Essential Oils and Anti-Aging
• Mental Fitness and Neural Support
• Omega-3, Nutritional Oils and EFAs
• Natural Foods, Sweeteners, Tea

NOW Food is proud that its main customer is the independent health food retailer, and is absolutely dedicated to the success and growth of natural product stores. The company has tailored many aspects of its business model to serve the needs of those retailers, providing them with a diverse selection of sales tools, including retail and consumer catalogs, banners and displays, window signs, shelf talkers and informative literature for retailers and consumers. NOW offers free telephone and web-based seminars, facility tours, an annual open house and many free e-newsletters. One of NOW’s greatest educational tools is a monthly webinar: Nutritional for Optimal Wellness. The third Monday of each month, NOW University and internationally acclaimed author and educator Marcia Zimmerman host a 45-minute live presentation designed to teach about health through nutrition and supplementation. Visit Now-University.com to sign up. NOW is also one of the very few natural supplement companies to offer free technical support from Certified Nutritionists.

What’s New?
NOW Foods is renewing the focus on FOODS! Although known primarily as a dietary supplement manufacturer, NOW also sells high-quality personal care products and a variety of popular foods. When the company was founded, the first products were foods, and NOW is honoring those origins with the launch of the NOW Real Food line, featuring new packaging and expanded product offerings.

We have just launched NOW Real Teas. The company employed the talents of expert tea formulators to help evaluate the previous tea line and improve the quality and taste of NOW’s teas, along with the creation of entirely new formulations. The NOW® Real Tea line are highly effective functional formulas, but also delicious.

Published in WholeFoods Magazine, November 2011