Chain Drug Review, April 29, 2019

16 Chain Drug Review April 29 2019 Supplier News Sundown Naturals launches its first organic line RONKONKOMA N Y Sundown Naturals a Natures Bounty Co brand that provides quality vitamins and supplements that are 100 non GMO and free of gluten dairy and artificial flavors is launching a new line of 12 organic products the brands first entry into the organic market Sundown Naturals Organics according to Elliot Lasky president of the naturals product group at Natures Bounty includes some of the most frequently taken supplements all clean and USDA certified which is the highest standard Clean refers to food in its most natural unprocessed state Were also making it easier to shop with names that tie directly to their benefits says Lasky And all you need to take is one tablet per day The new addition to the companys portfolio includes Well a line of multivitamins one for adults one specifically for women and one for men Active Energy Complex to provide that extra boost of energy Terrific Tummy a digestive health probiotic Sincerely Turmeric a powerful antioxidant Respond Immune Complex for immune health support Stress Escape formulated to help ease stress Goodnight Herbal Complex for a restful nights sleep Strong Bones a plant based and calcium based complex to support bone health Ener B a B12 complex and Positively Pretty a formula for hair skin and nails Beginning this month Sundown Organics will be on shelves at most major U S chain drug and food retailers CVS Pharmacy Walgreens Rite Aid Corp Meijer Inc Stop and Shop and ShopRite Supermarkets Inc among others for a suggested retail price of 1999 each Because Sundown Naturals is a wellness brand and nutrition company Lasky says this is the perfect time to introduce organics into the Sundown Naturals family of products We made a commitment several years ago that Sundown Naturals should be crafted similarly to what consumers are looking for in the food and beverage market and thats with clean ingredients says Lasky adding that this is why the main line brand redeveloped its philosophy and recently updated its packaging to feature a contemporary new design and communication all behind a clean nutrition message Part of that timing according to Lasky is due to the fact that consumers today are looking for transparency in their products and how they are made and that he adds cuts across all demographics as more than 80 of households report having purchased organic products in the past year When it comes to vitamins and supplements Lasky says clean is well understood and definitely translates noting that in much of the research that Natures Bounty has conducted consumers say they would like their supplements to be clean More than 70 of the general population according to Lasky believes that its important that vitamins and supplements be clean and that number goes up to 80 among more label conscious consumers As more consumers come to understand and accept that organic can mean healthier Lasky believes the organic trend will only continue to grow and solidify In the U S alone household penetration of organic products was over 82 in 2016 according to Lasky and that percentage keeps rising Sales last year exceeded 49 billion with nonfood organics growing 75 he says With household penetration rising to these levels its no surprise that over 75 of all categories on supermarket shelves offer an organic option When it comes to targeting various groups with organic vitamins and supplements Lasky says there is much opportunity to hit all demographics Older Americans he points out maintain the highest supplement usage rates but younger groups are not far behind with Millennials and Gen Xers leading the pack when it comes to organics Its an exciting time with organics becoming more of a lifestyle choice that consumers of all age groups are embracing he says The Sundown Organics line Lasky notes contains unique ingredients that mainstream products do not For example all of the multivitamins have a significant proportion of real food components including an organic blend of more than 15 different leafy greens super fruits and vegetables per serving Respond Immune Complex for instance contains organic reishi shiitake and maitake mushrooms which have been used in Asian cultures for thousands of years Positively Pretty Hair Skin Nails complex contains the key vitamin biotin as well as the minerals zinc and copper plus grape seed extract moringa oleifera and green tea while Active Energy Complex includes essential B vitamins along with 40 mg of naturally sourced caffeine from green tea guayusa and guarana In Laskys view the concept of clean label transparency real ingredients and being mindful of whats in the food we eat and the products we use are all part of the same healthy consumption consumer movement and nothing is cleaner than organics particularly when its USDA certified Todays cleaner living consumers according to Lasky want the assurance of knowing how natural their products really are that they are chemical free that they dont have hidden ingredients or contain things that they believe are unhealthy for themselves and their families and at the same time that they are created in a more sustainable way And USDA organic certification provides that assurance Lasky says adding that its the highest standard in the industry Another sign of the growing trend of organics and of the acceptance of them by more and more consumers is that these products can be found outside of the higher end natural retailer and specialty stores where they have been sold traditionally Natures Bountys goal with Sundown Organics according to Lasky was to make organic vitamins and supplements accessible and affordable With Sundown Organics we offer our customers the same level of organic purity and quality at more affordable price points Lasky says By bringing the line to market this way consumers can find clean organic supplements in the traditional retail outlets where they normally shop Along with launching the Sundown Organics line the company has made some marketing changes by updating the logo on Sundown Naturals the brands main line to Sundown Clean Nutrition with the non GMO call out prominently incorporated in the new design Central to the new design of the Sundown Clean Nutrition line is clean messaging including free of statements which have also moved to the front of the companys packaging for clearer consumer communication and importance Even our packaging speaks to sustainability Lasky says noting that the company specifically chose sustainable sugar cane as the source of its on shelf cartons in order to save more trees so we can keep our planet a little greener The new Sundown Organics line Lasky emphasizes is clearly differentiated from the brands base business but it will carry a family look tied into the new Sundown Clean Nutrition packaging Organics is the hero within the communication architecture supported by the USDA Organics seal and our benefit statement he says adding that both Sundown Organics and Sundown Clean Nutrition will be the focus of new broadcast media We will communicate our new clean messaging to consumers through significant levels of instore signage and promotion at shelf in addition to national promotional and retailer specific initiatives Elliot Lasky Ascend focuses on IT infrastructure Venkatesh Srinivasan PARSIPPANY N J Helping fulfill customers needs and goals and winning their trust by being a solid supplier has driven strong growth for generic drug maker Ascend Laboratories LLC says president and chief executive officer Venkatesh Srinivasan Venkatesh who has headed the Alkem Laboratories Ltd subsidiary for just over five years has focused on enhancing its IT infrastructure finances compliance and regulatory affairs and sales He has sharpened its customer focus anticipating pipeline approvals and projecting inventory needs as well as managing inventory on legacy items to enable Ascend to stand out as a supplier and maximize opportunities As an Alkem subsidiary Ascend benefits greatly from the formers robust R D presence with a large staff of scientists its own contract research organization multiple manufacturing sites and strong financial position All these resources allow Ascend to do many things most companies its size cannot notes Venkatesh As a therapy agnostic manufacturer Ascend looks down the road for items coming off patent and chooses those it believes it can develop and gain approval for whether for a day one or day 181 launch he says The company goes into every development project with high hopes but its hard to gauge how many competitors you will ultimately have Venkatesh adds We are trying to become involved in items with higher barriers to entry in the hope that we can stand out in a smaller crowd He notes that Ascend has invested in a finished dose plant in the U S and has two finisheddose campuses in India dedicated to the U S market It also has begun construction of what will be its third U S facility in India Once that is complete and on line Ascend will double its current capacity of about 1 billion tabs caps per month to over 2 billion per month This capacity will allow it to accommodate new approvals and keep up with demand on legacy items Meanwhile the companys facility in Azusa Calif specializes in active pharmaceutical ingredients APIs for controlled substances This will further Ascends development of a number of schedule 2 medications With its combination of veteran and new sales executives Ascends strategy is to offer the industrys best customer service With our team of experienced account executives we gain credibility by taking advantage of our representatives long tenure and relationships comments Venkatesh Thats combined with the wherewithal to help our customers by being a steady solid supplier having good fill rates and being on top of industry issues We also seek out a few bright younger account executives who can learn from our more established ones thus providing continuity of talent to our company and allowing us to benefit from the youthful vitality and exuberance they bring to both us and our customers When it comes to inventory maintaining deep stocks is vital to insulating the company from transitory or short term shortages We want to have sufficient quantities on hand to ensure we service current demands with enough left over to take immediate advantage if an opportunity arises remarks Venkatesh In todays market one needs to be in a position to say yes right away or risk losing out on what could be a real good pickup A lifestyle choice that consumers are embracing