A completely revised, updated, expanded Sixth Edition of The Natural Products Field Manual, the natural and specialty products industry's leading guide for bringing products to market has just been released. Industry veterans Bob Burke and Rick McKelvey, cofounders of The Natural Products Consulting Institute (NPCI), coauthored the 44 chapter, four-volume manual enhanced with the added insight of over 60 well known industry CEOs, buyers, brokers and experts. Not just for startups, the manual has been used by large mainstream companies, long time, experienced natural and specialty products companies, smaller organizations and many investors, consulates, consultants, publishers and educational institutions.

"If The Natural Products Field Manual doesn’t save your firm tens of thousands of dollars, or garner you many more thousands in revenues, then save yourself the trouble and close your business. The problem lies with you, not the authors. This compendium is an invaluable gem," said Gary Hirshberg, Stonyfield Farm Yogurt president, CEO and chairman.

“The single greatest cost that any entrepreneur incurs is the ‘learning curve.’’ Hirshberg adds. It can make you, break you or sentence you to a slow, tortuous death. The Natural Products Field Manual will absolutely cut this cost in half, if not eliminate it altogether. I only wish I’d had a copy 19, or even two, years ago.”

The manual is organized into four volumes. Volume 1 – The Basics, covers topics such as budgeting and planning, pricing and margins, working effectively with brokers, financing, maximizing trade shows, managing copackers and everything else you need to get started. Volume 2 – Trade marketing covers working with distributors, trade spending, deductions, and much more. Volume 3 – Consumer marketing covers branding, couponing basics, public relations, trade advertising, database marketing, social media and much more. Volume 4 is dedicated to the latest trends and updates in the industry including current profiles on leading distributors and retailers and their programs. It is ideal for anyone entering or seeking to profitably grow their business in the natural and specialty channel, foreign companies entering the US market, companies who want to educate internal marketing, accounting and support staff on how the industry works and those writing business plans or growth strategies.

Databases on CD offered, coupons for services, and half-day consulting with authors
The manual includes a CD-ROM with directories of natural products stores that make up 80 percent of the volume in the channel, brokers and distributors,  mainstream grocery stores, key natural retailer and distributor program overviews, category review schedules and new item forms budget models, customer logos and a PR media list. The CD enables users to sort and create their own lists for ready use.

Available for $2,999, The Natural Products Field Manual, Sixth Edition offers more than $30,000 worth of coupons on  services from leading companies in the industry such as New Hope Natural Media, UNFI,  SPINS,  Nutrition Business Journal,  Mambo Sprouts, TurnTree Solutions, The Volkman Group, Ad Infinitum, Ignite Sales, McGovern Communications, Wholesome Sweeteners, Global Organics and others. A half-day complimentary consultation with the authors is included as well.