As one of North America’s largest nutritional product manufacturers, Natural Factors figured out the right way to do things decades ago. For Roland Gahler, executive chairman and owner, it all comes down to integrity and quality. “Each one of us at Natural Factors feels responsible for the supplements and herbal remedies we sell,” he says. “We don’t make placebos—we produce products that work to create better health.”

With more than 55 years in business, the independent, family-owned company has created a vertically integrated operation that delivers true “farm-to-supplement” quality. This commitment ensures a rare level of control over every stage of production, from cultivating herbs, vegetables and grasses on more than 1,000 acres of its own organic farmland to on-site extraction, testing, encapsulation, packaging and distribution of its supplements. Natural Factors’ vertically integrated approach clearly demonstrates transparency and integrity, high values for today’s consumers who want to trust the quality, efficacy and value of supplements.

Harnessing nature's healing power at Factors Farms

For Natural Factors, product integrity starts at the source—the Factors Farms in the beautiful Okanagan Valley of British Columbia. Carefully selected non-GMO, non-hybrid seeds are grown organically in fertile, nutrient-dense topsoil, and harvesting is timed for when plant bioactives are peaking. For example, echinacea is handpicked when flower heads are mature and the levels of key actives are optimal and in the ideal ratios.

Growing authentically

With more than 900,000 square feet of space across North America, Natural Factors’ size allows for true vertical integration with its own extraction, encapsulation and production facilities. The company has its own labs and research facilities and is one of the few branded manufacturers of nutraceuticals in North America with its own softgel facility.

As part of the company’s commitment to retaining the plants’ phytonutrients, Natural Factors invested in developing a proprietary raw-processing technology called EnviroSimplex. This state-of-the-art process concentrates the plants’ potency and protects their delicate phytonutrients and enzymes. This vibrant plant material is used for many of its supplements, including the Whole Earth & Sea line of whole-food formulas.

Throughout the process, each raw ingredient is rigorously tested at on-site labs that conform to requirements for current Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP) and Canada’s Natural and Non-Prescription Health Products Directorate (NNHPD)—and are certified by the stringent Therapeutic Goods Administration of Australia (TGA).

Before distributing its supplements to natural retailers, Natural Factors goes the extra step to have them certified by ISURA, a third-party product verification and certification organization. ISURA uses state-of-the-art technology, including mass spectrometry, to guarantee products are non-GMO compliant; tested for identity and up to 500 pesticides, solvents, heavy metals and other contaminants; and are accurately labeled.

Excellence in science, education and sustainability

The team behind Natural Factors understands that research and science are critical to a quality finished product and have a breadth of knowledge within the company, including on-staff scientific experts. Drawn from around the world and chosen for their unique training and background, the science and research team professionals are recognized experts in their fields.

Natural Factors’ mission is also focused on sustainable practices for planet and people. Its newest manufacturing facility near Seattle is Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Gold certified. And beyond the company’s organic farming practices, Natural Factors seeks out suppliers committed to sustainability and excellence in quality.

The company believes in contributing to the lives of the customers, employees and communities it serves, donating products to those in need around the world through nonprofits such as Vitamin Angels and sponsoring the Plant a Seed & See What Grows Foundation. Natural Factors is also committed to supporting independent natural health stores and helping them to thrive in an increasingly competitive world.

Source: Natural Factors