NOW hosted 125 retail customers at the company’s annual retailer conference, held at the Westin Hotel in Itasca, IL. Attendees were treated to a sneak preview of upcoming food products, toured the company’s state-of-the-art manufacturing facility and testing labs, and learned about industry challenges and opportunities.
 
NOW’s annual retreat focuses on education, networking, and product training, giving retailer customers in-depth knowledge of NOW’s quality program, along with tools to help them increase sales. 
 
The retreat began with an overview of the company’s history and commitment to the natural channel presented by NOW CEO Jim Emme, followed by new product education by Senior Nutrition Education Manager Neil Levin.    
 
Aaron Secrist, NOW’s director of QA/QC and R&D,described NOW’s outstanding quality assurance and testing programs.        
 
Dave Rosenberg, food category manager, discussed food trends and all of the innovative and delicious products coming out of NOW’s test kitchen, from non-GMO to allergy friendly. Retailers got to taste and evaluate products under development, including new flavors of quinoa cups and nut butters, to be launched later this year.
 
Renowned holistic veterinarian Barbara Royal, DVM, CVA, gave an engaging presentation that resonated very well with attendees. Dr. Royal emphasized the importance of nutrition in the overall health of companion animals, and gave an overview of NOW’s new line of pet supplements, NOW Pets, which she helped to formulate.
 
Loren Israelsen, president of the United Natural Products Alliance, concluded the event with an overview of the history of the industry including the evolution of regulation. He described the growing environmental threat posed by the massive application of pesticides used with GMO crops, as well as the impact investment groups and publically held ownership of companies are having on industry practices.  Retailers in the audience asked a number of thoughtful and probing questions.
 
The day included a tour of NOW’s 263,000 square foot GMP-certified state-of-the-art manufacturing and distribution facility in Bloomingdale, IL , where customers got to see the steps NOW takes to produce quality products, from receiving and production to testing and order fulfillment. 
 
“All of us at NOW truly enjoy getting together with our retailer customers, because we all share such a deep commitment to helping people lead healthier lives,” said NOW CEO Jim Emme. “NOW has always believed in transparency, which includes opening up our doors and inviting our customers in to meet our team, see our operations, and hear firsthand about our priorities and commitments. Our goal is to educate and inspire attendees who we view not only as our business partners, but also part of the extended NOW family.”