BREVARD, N.C.–Gaia Herbs will launch new branding, new packaging and a new herb traceability program during Natural Products Expo West at the Anaheim Convention Center, March 12 to 14.
The “Meet Your Herbs” traceability program includes lot-by-lot, consumer-accessible traceability of the regional origin, harvest story and quality test results of the company’s herbal ingredients and finished products. All available aspects of the herbs in Gaia Herbs’ products will be displayed including ingredient information; botanical information; grower certified organic status; harvest date; identity validation and methodology; purity testing results for heavy metals, microbials and other adulterants; laboratory team data; and concentration of herbal extractions.
Consumers and retailers will be able to retrieve information about the company’s products by entering an ID number from the package into the “Meet Your Herbs” field at the company’s Web site or through a new mobile device application. A special preview of this application will be shown at the company’s booth and retailers may enter to win a drawing for one of 12 iPod Touch units, each preloaded with the application, that will be given away during the show.
According to Ric Scalzo, Herbalist, founder and CEO of Gaia Herbs, “We believe every herb needs to be held to the highest standards of purity and integrity in order to ensure maximum potency and results for our consumers. We also feel that it is not enough to simply state these claims, so we are offering accountability through complete transparency with our Meet Your Herbs traceability program.”
As an added highlight at Expo West, a limited number of advance copies of the new book “Meetings and Awakenings: The Coevolution of Plants and People” by Scalzo and Greg Cumberford, vice president of strategic initiatives, will be available retailers during the show.