Articles by Kate Quackenbush
Non-Gmo: A Burgeoning Market
A growing and vocal demand for safer, transparent products sends consumers seeking natural retailers’ guidance and offerings. GMOs (genetically modified organisms) are plants or animals created through the gene splicing techniques of biotechnology (also called genetic engineering, or GE). This experimental technology merges DNA from different species, creating unstable combinations of plant, animal, bacterial and […]
Seasonal Allergies: A Nothing-To-Sneeze-At Category
With more consumers seeking natural alternatives for their seasonal sensitivities, retailers armed with the right products are solidifying themselves as go-to destinations. Scott League describes the seasonal allergy category of Spokane, WA-based Mothers Cupboard as “consistent,” which is not to say it’s not important; in fact, quite the contrary. “Every year, even during the winter, […]
Celebrating 20 Years
Vitamin Retailer reflects on the impact, challenges and evolution of the dietary supplement and natural products industry since the magazine’s inception. In 1994, “Forrest Gump” won the Academy Award for Best Picture, Ace of Base’s “The Sign” topped the billboard charts, and “Friends” and “ER” made their television debuts. Also of note that year: health […]
2013 Best New Products
From an impressive list of contenders, natural retailers voted for this year’s most outstanding product introductions. What makes a product a must-have for a retailer? What qualities must it possess for storeowners to make room on their shelves in the first place? Is it filling a category void with an innovative delivery system or ingredient […]
No Sugar-Coating It
Careful conversations can have a huge impact on an epidemic of high blood sugar. Supplements support the lifestyle efforts retailers have to put at the forefront of customers’ minds. Areport from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed that the number of new diabetes cases diagnosed each year between 1980 and 1990 showed […]
More Cognizant Of Brain Health
Along with conveying diet and lifestyle changes to a growing memory and cognition base, retailers lean on suppliers for the tools to help customers make the best decisions. In a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) 1, more than 16 million people in the United States are living with cognitive impairment […]
Natural Pain Defense
With pain statistics reaching epidemic proportions, retailers offer products that deliver much-needed relief as well as invaluable counsel. Pain is a powerful motivator.When we are comfortable, we don’t think of doing anything differently. But Dr. Frank King, founder and president of North Carolina-based King Bio, describes pain as “the alarm we can’t ignore and it […]
Palatable Support Options
Presenting a convenient alternative to traditional supplements, functional food manufacturers continue to innovate offerings in key categories. According to the American Dietetic Association (ADA), functional foods are enhanced or enriched to offer health benefits as part of a healthy balanced diet. Functional foods generally demonstrate physiological benefits for consumers, and they are bioactive in that […]
Courting The 50+ Customer
Manufacturers support retailers with validated products targeting Boomers’ specific needs, and educational engagement that speaks to them. According to U.S. Census numbers, an American turns 50 every seven seconds—that’s more than 12,500 people every day. The AARP (American Association of Retired Persons) estimates that by 2015, those aged 50 and older will represent 45 percent […]
Accommodating The Devout & The Curious
A 2008 “Vegetarianism in America” study, published by Vegetarian Times, showed that 3.2 percent of U.S. adults, or7. 3 million people, follow a vegetarian- based diet. Approximately 0.5 percent, or 1 million, of those are vegans. More telling is that the study showed that 10 percent of U.S. adults, or 22.8 million people, say they […]
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