HSR: Health Supplement Retailer
is celebrating its 10th anniversary by talking with some of the leaders in the branded dietary supplement category. These industry veterans are among those who have had—and continue to have—significant influence on the marketing of dietary supplements through the health food channel and on the industry at large. Each month, we will talk with an exec, and bring you their views on how the industry has changed and where it is headed.
This month, HSR heard from Hal Drexler, founder of Country Life Vitamins. Hal started the business in 1970 with his wife, Francine, with a single product, and has grown the company to encompass five families of health and beauty companies: Country Life Vitamins, Desert Essence, BioChem Sports, Iron Tek and Long Life Teas. Today, the Drexler’s children Ryan and Jodi are integrally involved in the business, underscoring the company’s emphasis on family as a key to success.
HSR: How did you initially get involved in the dietary supplement business?
Hal Drexler:
What attracted me to the dietary supplement business was primarily my desire to help people be healthier. I started out in this industry as a chiropractor and found that consumers needed to learn about nutrition and needed to supplement their diets with supplements. I felt a strong desire to build a quality nutrition line, not just a “me too” line, but unique formulations with unique ingredients. Another reason for me to be in this industry is my wife Francine. As a mother, she found there were no quality vitamins for children. Back then, she was instrumental in changing the school lunch program to offer alternatives. At that time my children were bringing their own lunch—whole wheat bread, organic peanut butter, organic fruit and vegetables. Organic was unheard of then, but we were living the “holistic lifestyle,” as we still do now. We live the life our business represents. It is not just a business for us but a lifestyle.
HSR: What were your initial goals when you started your business, and have they changed through the years?
Drexler:
From the start, my goals were very focused, and they have remained very consistent over the years. First, to provide consumers with products to live healthier lives. Second, to always be at the forefront of the industry in regard to researching and launching cutting edge products. Next, to go above and beyond mandated regulations in regards to producing the highest quality products from an ingredient, packaging and production process standpoint. And finally, recognizing the importance of the retailer, forging true partnerships and providing an optimal level of service. I believe our customer service is one of the best around; you can actually call on the phone and get someone to talk to. I never want to lose that. You never know, you might even catch one of the family taking orders. We do it all.
HSR: What have been the biggest challenges Country Life has faced?
Drexler:
The biggest challenge our company has overcome is twofold—the growth of the industry in the mass class of trade, and the lack of nutritional supplement education that consumers have received. These issues are closely linked, as the more consumers become educated about nutritional supplements, the more they recognize the important differences between those sold in the mass class of trade versus the health food class of trade. As education increases through the news media, physicians and advertising, consumers in general have become savvier about the different types of supplements, their benefits and their efficacy. Education is one of the keys to our success—educating our retailers and consumers on the importance of nutrition and supplementation and the importance of quality.
HSR: Country Life places great emphasis on quality. What steps has the company taken to ensure the quality and efficacy of its products?
Drexler:
Quality control has always been a major priority at Country Life. We built our own manufacturing facility so I could control the quality. We were one of the first companies to be GMP (good manufacturing practice) certified, we consistently receive an A+ rating, and we are only one of two companies to have been recertified.
Adhering to GMPs is critical to assure consumers are receiving the highest quality products, both in terms of ingredients and manufacturing practices. We have a cutting edge, state-of-the-art manufacturing facility, numerous quality control checks, and highly skilled people who make everything run smoothly. Additionally, we utilize only the highest quality ingredients and packaging materials. All of this has benefited our business by positioning ourselves in the minds of both consumers and retailers as having brands with the highest quality, cutting edge technology and, as important, having a high level of trust and integrity. In addition, we welcome retailers to come for a tour of our facility and see what we do in person; just give us a call!
HSR: In what other ways are you reaching out to retailers to help grow your business?
Drexler:
There are several ways we have grown our business at retail. We have significantly expanded our sales force to provide efficient and consistent support for our retail partners. We have also hired highly skilled trainers that travel the country to provide valuable training for both retailers and consumers. Further, we supply our retailers with products that leverage the latest science and technology, that are driven through advertising support and help build strong repeat business from loyal consumers. Our Web site also has been extremely helpful in providing quick updated information on our products.
HSR: How has Country Life helped support the industry at large in general, and its industry associations in particular?
Drexler:
I played an integral part in helping pass the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA). I spent many days in Washington and calling our competition to get involved. We made it first point of business to inform retailers and consumers what was going on and that writing a letter to their representatives in government was of the utmost importance. I feel the National Nutritional Foods Association (NNFA) is the most important association to be a member of and to help keep the viability of the industry. I have been on the board for as long as I can remember. My son Ryan was on the board, and now my daughter Jodi is on the board. The key thing is to get involved and communicate the message. You cannot make a change if you are not involved. As with many associations in various industries, it is critical to have a formalized entity that enables companies to band together to address industry challenges and opportunities and the NNFA does just that. I feel it is very important to be a member of the NNFA.
HSR: What do you see on the horizon for the industry, and for Country Life?
Drexler:
One of the biggest changes in the industry over the past 10 years has definitely been the education of consumers and physicians on the both the benefits and the efficacy of dietary supplements. This has come a long way, and significant progress has been made on both fronts. More physicians are becoming educated on these products and are recommending them to patients. Consumers are becoming increasingly aware of the benefits and efficacy through increased coverage in the news media.
I am very optimistic about the future. Several consumer trends will continue to evolve and accelerate growth, including an increased amount of new health food stores openings and ongoing education. In addition, competition will continue to increase and, to survive, it will be imperative for companies to take a much more strategic posture ...and the Drexler family will be there to take it.
Country Life is aggressively looking forward to the future. We plan to continue to leverage the latest technology to launch more breakthrough products, to expand into new markets overseas and to continue to make our retailer/consumer education programs a priority. I truly treasure every day I come to work because we are so fortunate to be involved in the health industry and I am so fortunate to have my family involved as well. Our business has always progressed and evolved in an optimal fashion, and my family and I have always taken great pride and pleasure in managing the business and contributing to the evolution of the industry.