Conscious CPG Voices: Innovation, experience help Nature's Sunshine understand consumers’ health needs

How are “Conscious CPG” companies positioning themselves in today’s fast-changing consumer market—and how are they turning to the Newtopia Now as a vital new resource to advance their brand among key buyers and decision makers?

For this series, we asked the founders and leaders of 10 emerging brands who are exhibiting their innovations—many of them for the very first time at Newtopia Now—what factors drive their decisions today. Coming from diverse backgrounds, these entrepreneurs share at least one thing in common: The belief that gathering with peers, contemporaries, buyers, influencers, mentors, business leaders and others in an intimate setting is critical to learning about the marketplace, building relationships and growing your business and brand.

Kevin Herbert, president, Nature’s Sunshine North America

Established in 1972, Nature’s Sunshine takes pride in its claim as the first company ever to encapsulate herbs. Today, the dietary supplements leader offers more than 500 products and employs a global direct sales force of over 670,000 independent managers, distributors and customers in at least 40 countries. The company operates its own R&D and quality control group and manufactures its products in a 200,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art, 100% solar-powered facility in Spanish Fork, Utah. The company also supports health and wellness for children around the world through its partnership with the Sunshine Heroes Foundation.

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Learn more from Nature’s Sunshine President Kevin Herbert:

Nature’s Sunshine was the first company to encapsulate herbs. We did this in 1972. We have a rich history of product innovation and supporting improved health. We believe in unleashing the healing power of natural products to lead healthier lives. The company sources over 850 raw ingredients and 300 unique botanicals from throughout the world, such as beets from Tibet grown at 10,000 feet in elevation. The intense climate makes for some of the most nutrient-dense beets in the world. As another example, we work with multi-generational farmers in Brazil to source yerba mate. We work with producers in remote locations and in wildcrafted and curated farming environments. Our passion for herbs and nature has been part of our DNA forever.

Despite our history, however, we have very little brand recognition. We are looking to our retail partners to help us drive trial and awareness for our top items and improve brand recognition. We also recognize the need to work with our retail partners to provide the tools they need to effectively merchandise our products. Currently, Nature’s Sunshine products are available in roughly 1,200 herb shops and independent natural foods stores nationwide. That is our focus—the independent retailer—and we want to expand that retail footprint.

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We see Newtopia Now as a unique opportunity to help accomplish this goal. In the past year, we have brought to market product innovation through our Power line, comprised of Power Beets and Power Greens, Power Meal products, and our powdered chlorophyll. Our No. 1-selling item is our chlorophyll line.

At Newtopia Now, we’ll be sampling the Nature’s Sunshine Power line and four new flavors of chlorophyll, including lime, apple, melon and spearmint. We saw a huge opportunity in the category, and also how we could innovate to improve the taste and convenience and expand upon our sustainability efforts by offering the new flavors of chlorophyll powder in stick packs. We’re already seeing tremendous success—we are on Amazon and have garnered 14,000 five-star reviews—and we will take advantage of the Newtopia Now event to expand awareness of these new products to the independent brick and mortar retail community.

In addition, we’re excited that Nature’s Sunshine’s VP of Science and Innovation, Michael Saunders, is a featured speaker at Newtopia Now. Michael will speak on Sourcing, Sustainability & Chlorophyll at 3:30-3:45 p.m. MT Tuesday, Aug. 27, on the Regenerate Stage.

Visit Nature's Sunshine at Booth 421 in the Thrive neighborhood.

Newtopia Now, New Hope Network's new trade show, is set for Aug. 25-28 at the Colorado Convention Center in Denver, Colorado. For more information and to register, click here.