NOW acquires specialty vitamin manufacturer SuperNutrition

By Hank Schultz

- Last updated on GMT

Getty Images
Getty Images
Dietary supplement manufacturer NOW has expanded its reach in the specialty multivitamin category by purchasing SuperNutrition, the company announced today.

Like NOW, SuperNutrition is a family owned business. It was started by an entrepreneur named Patrick Mooney, who partnered with his son, Michael Mooney, and at the time of the acquisition was being led by Patrick’s daughter Kathy Mooney. Details of the acquisition were not disclosed.

NOW president Jim Emme said the company expects to continue to adhere to SuperNutrition’s formulation practices, which include the use of some branded ingredients and a condition-specific focus, and to expand the line over time.

SuperNutrition sells to the same markets as NOW in the US, yet we see many synergies for the global sales of the SuperNutrition Brand.  Our view is that SuperNutrition is under-served within the US, so we plan to significantly expand SuperNutrition’s sales within current markets, while pursuing markets beyond our current distribution channels,” Emme told NutraIngredients-USA.

“I am confident our family owned company is in great hands as part of the NOW family,”​ said  Kathy Mooney, who will not continue in her role with the company.

Avoiding cannibalization

Emme said that in addition to the harmonious company cultures, he believes the SuperNutrition product line is a good fit NOW’s family of products.  NOW has many hundreds of SKUs, so avoiding inadvertent cannibalization was key part of thinking through the acquisition, he said.

The SuperNutrition line of products feature unique multi-vitamin items which will be great additions to the current NOW product offerings.  We believe that the large volume resources at NOW will bring better value to SuperNutrition, as we offer larger discounts.  For example, we will have already reduced the Children’s Multiple pricing by 20% on Sept 3.  NOW can bring a lot of positive synergies to the SuperNutrition product line, including expanded distribution, quality testing, with an emphasis on the “Simply One” product categories.  We are excited about the many current and future opportunities the SuperNutrition brand of products bring to the NOW portfolio,” ​he said.

Emme said Aaron Secrist, NOW’s VP of quality and regulatory affairs, took a deep dive into SuperNutrition’s supply chain, including working with that company’s existing set of contract manufacturers.

We currently plan to continue the existing supply chain model for the SuperNutrition brands, and have already had site visits with the existing contract manufacturers. And of course Aaron is confirming that NOW’s high standards are consistently met,” ​Emme said.

No corner cutting on ingredients

NOW is a brand noted claiming to run on lower margins than is common in the industry in what the company has billed as an effort to provide better value for the consumer.  But Emme said that doesn’t mean that NOW cuts corners on ingredient choice, and some of the more expensive ingredients found in the SuperNutrition formulas will continue to be used.

We absolutely will continue with all higher-end ingredients, while continuing to assure that the formulations meet our exacting standards.  Many people would be surprised by how consistently NOW chooses to pay more for better quality ingredients that meet label claims.  For example, our selection of minerals is one area where NOW specs require minerals to be fully reacted and sourced from quality vendors.​  We currently use a significant number of expensive ingredients and trademarked products in the NOW brand products,” he said.

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