The History of the Natural Products Association

70 Years of Service: An Overview

The Natural Products Association reached an important milestone in 2006: the association celebrated its 70th anniversary. Founded in 1936, the Natural Products Association has established itself as the longest-running non-profit organization dedicated to serving and preserving the rights of natural products industry retailers and suppliers.

Throughout its seven decades of operation, the Natural Products Association has worked tirelessly to promote and protect its members, their businesses, and their important role in the health of all Americans. In fact, barely two years after the formation of the Natural Products Association in 1936 (then called the National Health Food Association). Congress passed the Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act. This important law, which the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act amended more than 50 years later, would form the basis from which various regulations were issued governing the natural products industry.

The Natural Products Association has come a long way in 70 years and is stronger than ever. Social changes, economic periods of hardship and prosperity, technological progress, and changing leadership in the federal government have contributed to the evolution of the natural products industry. But what has remained constant is the dedication of the Natural Products Association members, now 9,600 strong, to making the association what is today and what it will become in the future.

An Association is Born: the Natural Products Association's Beginnings

In 1984, the book More Than One Slingshot: How the Health Food Industry is Changing America, written by Frank Murray, was published by the Natural Products Association. Although the book chronicles the impact the natural products industry has had on the health of America, it also tells the story of the Natural Products Association's evolution. The following is based on and excerpted from Murray's book, as well as other sources, and describes the birth of an association and the industry it represents.

It wasn't long after the first vitamin was isolated in 1911 that the health food industry began to emerge. By the 1920s and 1930s many of the pioneer companies in the industry, some of whom are still in business, were in full operation. In fact, the 1930s have sometimes been referred to as the "Golden Age" of the health food industry.

In 1936, Anthony Berhalter, a baker located in Chicago, Ill., began organizing a group that would 40 years later be called the Natural Products Association. This group, which initially had a consumer membership, was named the American Health Food Association.

In the spring of 1937, Berhalter set up a convention of some 10 to 15 booths at the old Auditorium Hotel in Chicago. Some among the 150 people attending the meeting felt that a new organization should be formed that included retailers and manufacturers, but excluded consumers. Although not everyone agreed, an organizing committee was elected to form the new organization. After working all night, the committee presented a constitution and bylaws the next day to those who wanted the new trade association. It was approved and the new organization, the National Health Foods Association, which is now the Natural Products Association, was born.

Being Part of the Natural Products Association: Interviews with Members

Gene Clark in front of his store

Gene Clark, Gene's Health Food, Inc. Owensboro, Ky. The Natural Products Association Member for 25 years

Why did you join the Natural Products Association?
When I bought the store, I realized quickly how little I knew about business and health in general, and I needed lots of help. The suppliers I worked with told me about the Natural Products Association's trade shows. So, I joined the association and started going to the national show. I've been to every show but one in the last 20 years. I go to the Midwest and Southeast shows, too. I've been a Midwest board member for two or three terms and was recently treasurer.

Do you have any special stories or memories of an the Natural Products Association moment?
There have been many. My whole the Natural Products Association experience has been a major opportunity for growth personally and health-wise. My health is really good. I mean, at 75, my body is slowing down, though I hate to admit that. But I can still run and do just about anything I could ever do. I've lived my life's purpose by being in the health foods industry.

What's one thing would you tell a non-member about the Natural Products Association?
I would tell them they're missing their greatest opportunity for success by not being a member. The Natural Products Association membership would give them empowerment, which is everything. The Natural Products Association and its members have all empowered me to be a full member of society. I would do nothing differently if I had the chance to do it again.

Judy McFarland, Dr. Linus Pauling and Judy's mother, Gladys Lindberg

Judith L. McFarland, Lindberg Nutrition Torrance, Calif. The Natural Products Association Member for more than 50 years

Why did you join the Natural Products Association?
My parents had been members from nearly the beginning and so I was involved as a youngster. Our family opened our first health food store in 1949. My parents were at the forefront of the fight back then against legislation harmful to the industry. I grew up at the Natural Products Association conferences. The educational program at the Natural Products Association conferences was a great source of information. I'm very partial to the Natural Products Association's work. And my family is also involved: two of my sons, Gary and Daniel, and my daughter Laura work in the industry. My other son is a doctor.

How does the Natural Products Association help you succeed in your business?
As I said before, the Natural Products Association helped me succeed because it gave me access to fabulous speakers at the shows. For instance, having the chance to be educated by Linus Pauling and others for so many years has been a tremendous help. I do nutritional counseling and to have that insight I gained form all those years of education at the shows gives me confidence that what I'm doing is right. My son went to UCLA medical school, and when he came home four years later, he said he had not had one hour of this kind of nutritional education. We're blessed to be part of the Natural Products Association, who provides us with such educational opportunities.

What's one thing would you tell a non-member about the Natural Products Association?
If they have a business, its very important to find out what's going on in the industry, and being a member of the Natural Products Association gives you the information you need. Not to mention that at the Natural Products Association shows, you really get to know the companies personally and who stands behind their products. It gives you a kinship with others in the industry and that's always been a great part of the Natural Products Association membership.

Jim Springer

Jim Springer, Barleans's Organic Oils, LLC Redondo Beach, Calif. The Natural Products Association Member for more than 12 years

Why did you join the Natural Products Association?
At Barlean's Organic Oils, we believe it is important and essential to be involved with an organization that was established to protect the rights of supplement manufactures. We also admire the fact that the Natural Products Association is designed to strengthen and move our industry forward all the while promoting ethical and moral business practices.

How do you think the Natural Products Association has changed the industry and the health of America for the better?
The Natural Products Association works very hard to promote the advancement and strength of our industry. They do a great job in monitoring quality and safety. In addition, the Natural Products Association seeks to eliminate unnecessary regulations that might impede the manufacturing and sales of responsible and significant products.
Other things we admire and appreciate about the Natural Products Association is that it acts as an industry watchdog, is very concerned about label integrity, creates standards for our industry, and is the voice of our industry.

What's one thing would you tell a non-member about the Natural Products Association?
The Natural Products Association is an extremely important institution designed to further the success of our beloved industry. They work very hard to protect and govern our rights and their actions have had enormous impact on ensuring the growth and success of our industry's future.

Sandra Helms

Sandra Helms, Auburn Nutrition Center, Inc. Auburn, Calif. The Natural Products Association Member for more than 40 years

Why did you join the Natural Products Association?
Our store has been a member of the Natural Products Association for over 40 years. It is difficult for a single store to make its voice heard about problems and philosophies. I felt the individual stores needed an organization to pool our resources to protect and help our industry. The Natural Products Association provides a broad-based group to voice the opinions and needs of all individual stores. But it takes individual participation to make it work. Someone has to do the work required to run the group.

How does the Natural Products Association help you succeed in business?
The Natural Products Association keeps me informed of political dangers as well as ways to better run my business through the newsletter and focus groups but particularly the trade shows. At the trade shows we receive immediate feed back about products, manufacturers, political issues, and much more through seminars and discussions.

What's one thing would you tell a non-member about the Natural Products Association?
The old adage "Together we stand, divided we fall." If we do not band together in the Natural Products Association, we will not have the strength to fight those who would make laws to restrict or even abolish our industry. The more stores that join, the more members that participate, the stronger the Natural Products Association and therefore our businesses will be.