REX AWARDS 2021: NATURAL PRODUCTS
can get these products when they need them. Often, that is their local pharmacy.” Through its labs and research and development facilities located at Pearl River’s New York Center for Innovation, Marie Originals invests resources in developing products they acquire, learning how they work and how they can be improved. The acquisitions involve proven, effective products — often wildly popular in a smaller demographic — that have yet to take the national stage. The company then manufactures these condition-specific remedies with a focus on purity and quality control. Customer feedback is a key part of the company’s process and something Goodman said the company leverages to create strong product positioning.
The Natural Dentist
Years ago, a dentist in Woodstock, N.Y., founded The Natural Dentist after seeking out safe, natural solutions for such oral care issues as gum disease. The products have since taken off and the Madison, N.J.-based company now offers mouthwashes, toothpastes and plaque removers under The Natural Dentist and Stim-U-Dent labels. Kelly Kaplan, president, said the company’s move in calling out “bleeding gums” as an easily identifiable symptom of early stage gum disease was critical to bringing new mouthwash users into the category. Another was the company’s use of such therapeutic ingredients as aloe vera in its products. In 2021, The Natural Dentist will feature its new Healthy Gums toothpaste, the first natural toothpaste designed to treat bleeding gums. “It too contains 20% purified aloe vera in a botanical/ herbal base and is sulfate-free, as well as free of artificial flavors, colors or preservatives,” Kaplan said. The company also is introducing Earthpicks Plaque Removers. The single-use wooden picks are designed to accomplish all that floss does, but in an easy to carry around, earth-friendly form.
Nordic Naturals
Nordic Naturals is most known for its omega-3 fish oils, researchbacked probiotics, and highly absorbable vitamins and minerals. All of the company’s products use ingredients that are carefully chosen for their reliable health benefits and are thoroughly tested throughout the manufacturing process. “At Nordic Naturals, quality drives everything we do,” said Brian Terry, national sales manager at the Watsonville, Calif.-based
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company. “For more than 25 years, we have spared no expense to create the highest quality, most effective supplements possible. Thanks to this enduring commitment, we are known for our leadership in innovation and for continually raising the bar.” Nordic Naturals first made a name for itself pioneering fresher and more effective omega-3 fish oil. Since then, the company developed new technologies for omega-3 freshness testing and fish oil concentration techniques, resulting in exclusive products only sold by Nordic Naturals. The company has continually innovated, launching such new forms as gummies and shakable powders. Terry said he expects 2021 to be a big year for both its flagship omega-3 products, including Ultimate Omega and its probiotics, vitamins and minerals. “We believe immune health and overall health will remain squarely the focus of customers in 2021, and that means we must deliver products across the full range of categories,” he said.
Oceanblue
Oceanblue specializes in manufacturing and marketing high potency, high concentration omega-3 fatty acid products. To guarantee the quality, strength and freshness of its products, the vertically integrated company controls the entire manufacturing process from source to packaging. According to John Licari, vice president of marketing at the Delray Beach, Fla.-based company, the Oceanblue brand is built on three pillars: providing consumers with omega-3 products that deliver significant daily dosages required to realize long-term health benefits; following a precise manufacturing method consisting of
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