NOW® is a legacy company with a vast range of natural products and services. Can you explain the business ethics and pillars that have sustained your leadership in the industry?
NOW is a family-owned business with nearly $900 million in sales and 2,000 associates. We manufacture and distribute supplements, personal care items, sports nutrition products, and natural foods. Our foundation stems from our founder, Elwood Richard, who started the company to make health products more accessible. His vision focused on science-backed, affordable products that empower people to live healthier lives—a mission we remain committed to today.
Our core philosophy is simple: do the right things for the right reasons. This means producing quality products backed by science, being transparent with our consumers, and maintaining their trust. We believe in a balanced approach to health: eat right, exercise, and supplement when needed. This commitment has earned us global recognition, with products sold in 96 countries.
The company places significant emphasis on science and quality, conducting 31,000 tests each month. How does it test at such scale?
We have invested nearly $50 million in state-of-the-art analytical equipment and built a quality team of 170 professionals, many with advanced science degrees. These tests ensure the quality, safety, and efficacy of our products. Our methods are so robust that they have been adopted as gold standards by industry organizations like the American Oil Chemists Society.
In addition to setting high internal standards, we share our testing methods with competitors to elevate the entire industry. We believe that improving product quality across the board benefits consumers and builds trust in natural products as a whole.
NOW recently completed its 19th round of market testing for products sold on online marketplaces. Can you discuss the findings and impact of this watchdog initiative?
In 2017, we discovered products being sold at impossibly low prices, prompting us to test these items. Some contained as little as 30% of the labeled CoQ10 content, while others were entirely fraudulent, using fillers like rice flour. These findings highlighted not just economic fraud but also potential harm to consumers who rely on accurate dosages for health conditions.
Since then, we have conducted 19 rounds of testing, with the 20th underway. Our goal is to protect consumers and uphold the integrity of the industry. This initiative has enhanced our reputation as a trusted brand and even led us to assist competitors in improving their standards.
How have policymakers, regulators and online marketplaces responded to these findings?
We have shared these results publicly and with regulatory bodies like the FDA and FTC, though progress has been slow. The FDA’s stance has been that unless there is a safety issue, they are not prioritizing action, even though the law clearly states products must meet their label claims through their shelf life.
We have also been in discussions with online retailers, pointing out the risks they face by allowing substandard products to be sold on their platforms. The response we often get is, “we will get back to you”, which is frustrating. But we will not sit idly by while these bad actors hurt consumers and damage trust in the industry. It is going to take a combined effort—government, industry, and consumers—to clean this up, and we are committed to continuing the fight.
What conditions in the U.S. enable and restrict NOW’s product innovation?
We rely heavily on science-based branded ingredients for research and innovation rather than conducting it all in-house. Regulatory restrictions in the U.S., particularly around making claims, have limited our ability to innovate. Unlike in Canada, where proven research allows companies to make specific claims, U.S. regulations only permit support claims with disclaimers.
Canada’s Natural Health Products Directorate provides a model we admire. Pre-registration and product master lists could help, but they need to offer benefits in return. We will always follow the rules, but the current environment in the U.S. does stifle innovation compared to markets where more robust claims are allowed.
What trends do you see dominating the natural health industry in 2025?
Regulatory changes will likely shape many trends, especially for international markets, which make up nearly half of our sales. We are seeing a resurgence of interest in tried-and-true products like vitamin D, creatine, and magnesium. Creatine, for example, has some solid science coming out and is known for being the most researched supplement, and magnesium is in demand across all forms because of its benefits for bone health and aging balance. These are not flashy trends, but they are grounded in real results.
We are also watching delivery systems evolve. Gummies are huge right now, but we have been cautious because of early issues with dosage inconsistency. We launched our first Omega-3 gummy chew supplement this year after quite a few years of research to ensure they were done right and we could offer a great-tasting, high dose single gummy (750mg of fish oil is a full daily dose). Personalized nutrition is another buzzword, but most offerings today are just high-level marketing with a few generalized options. When it becomes more precise and grounded in science, we will jump in, but for now, we are staying true to delivering quality and trust.
