MacKay talked with NutraIngredients-USA at the recent SupplySide West trade show in Las Vegas, NV. MacKay talked about how the mindset for a trade organization official is different from that of an industry executive.
“When you’re in industry you have a much shorter term vision. What am I doing about COVID right now? What am I doing about staffing challenges? What am I doing about the supply chain challenges? When you move into the trade [organization] your lens goes out a bit,” he said.
MacKay was named as CHPA’s Senior Vice President - Dietary Supplements in late September. Prior to that he had headed the scientific and regulator functions at CBD products manufacturer CV Sciences. He transitioned to CV Sciences after decade at the Council for Responsible Nutrition.
CHPA has not been as deeply involved as have some other trade organizations in the dietary supplement industry in the past, but that will change with MacKay’s input. He said it’s part of how the entire market is shifting toward consumers taking more responsibility for and control over their own health care. It’s something that has been accelerated by the global pandemic.
“If you think about the consumer perspective, they don’t look at things like you and I look at things and put things into boxes like dietary supplements, over the counter drugs, medical devices. For us those are very distinct industries, very distinct categories. But for the consumer those are just things they go to the store to find to help them stay well,” he said.
MacKay said CHPA can have achieve a strengthened focus to help bring that message to consumers as supplements as part of an overall, integrated self care plan.