Category Co-captain: Vitamins and Supplements: US Nutrition

As a leader in the vitamin and supplement categories, US Nutrition works to provide deep consumer insights and continual product innovation. The company brings in sales of more than $768 million annually, and is a category captain or maintains key relationships with leading retailers such as Kroger, Meijer, H-E-B, Publix, Wakefern Food Corp., A&P, Price Chopper, Winn-Dixie, Giant Eagle and Ahold USA.

US Nutrition markets more than 2,000 products under several brand names, and also produces private label products for numerous retail partners.

Over the past year, the company has focused on several key areas of the business, including the joint care category, which has been under pressure from consumers’ leaving the segment and becoming less engaged. After identifying these trends, the Osteo Bi-Flex brand introduced a convenient “One-Per-Day” tablet option as an entry point. This innovation was highly successful, with 68 percent of sales incremental to the segment.

Meanwhile, several new products were added to the Nature’s Bounty brand, including a higher-dose melatonin product for improved sleep, higher-strength and multi-strained probiotics for improved digestion, and a one-per-day, enteric-coated burpless option in the booming heart health segment.

Innovation continued within the sports nutrition category as well, with the Pure Protein brand launching resealable packaging for its protein drink.

US Nutrition has seen double-digit growth at a major grocery chain over the past year by focusing on specific initiatives to build the category in its aisle and throughout the whole store. At a regional chain, the vitamin category has grown three times the rate of the competitive marketplace, with overall market share up nearly a full share point.