Issue Center
National Nutritional Foods Association Becomes the Natural Products Association
New Mission and Vision Statements
What's in a Name? A Whole Industry
Frequently Asked Questions
National Nutritional Foods Association Becomes the Natural Products Association
In conjunction with the celebration of its 70th anniversary, the National Nutritional Foods Association announced today that it has changed its name to the Natural Products Association. The new name, which was overwhelmingly approved by a recent vote of the association's membership, more accurately describes the organization's diverse membership base and positions the association to keep pace with the dynamic natural products marketplace.
To reinforce its leadership position in representing the broad spectrum of natural products, the association has launched a comprehensive re-branding effort that will be rolled out over the next several months.
The Natural Products Association was founded in 1936 as the American Health Foods Association, and has changed its name four times over the years. Currently, the Natural Products Association represents more than 9,600 retailers and suppliers of natural products, its largest membership in its history.
A New Perspective for the
Industry's Oldest Association
by David Taylor, President, Natural Products Association
This is an exciting time in the Natural Products Association's history. Although there will always be challenges, the natural products marketplace continues to thrive and grow and so does your association. I'm proud to have been involved in the creation of our new mission and vision statements and enthusiastically support the overwhelming vote in favor of changing our name to the Natural Products Association.
We believe it is time to fully embrace our unique differences and take advantage of the leadership opportunity to be the "big tent"-bringing together and strengthening the entire natural products industry. Our new mission and vision statements, along with the name change, are critical tools to make this happen.
The name change and new mission and vision statements was a year-long task that involved input from a diverse group of retailers and suppliers. During that process, we looked at not only who we represent, but also asked ourselves what makes the Natural Products Association unique and what position we want to hold in the marketplace, our business community, or society. We could have just put some words on paper that sounded good, but we really wanted our mission and vision to have meaning and resonate with all our stakeholders, including members, potential members, legislators, the media even the public who uses our products and services.
In examining who we are and want to become, we decided that the Natural Products Association really is different. No other existing association represents the broad spectrum of retailers and suppliers. No other existing association works for the rights of consumers to use natural products. No other existing association represents the entire range of natural products. No other existing association sees advocacy as its primary mission. No other association has regional and local infrastructure to assure strong grassroots presence at the national and state levels.
The Natural Products Association's new mission represents a commitment to build a "community of common interests" within the natural products industry. To fulfill our mission, we will continue to set standards for self-regulation and provide member services that facilitate commerce and enhance ethical business conduct.
Our new vision demands that the Natural Products Association and the natural products industry see themselves as drivers of social change that will improve the health and wellness of consumers worldwide.
I know that these are big changes. But remember that this isn't the first time the association has changed its name or mission to keep pace with the times and it won't be the last. In fact, becoming the Natural Products Association represents the fifth name change for the association in its 70 years.
In closing, I ask you to join with your colleagues in the natural products industry in embracing our new mission, vision, and name.
The Natural Products Association's New Mission and Vision Statements:
Mission:
As the leading voice of the natural products industry, the Natural Products Association's mission is to advocate for the rights of consumers to have access to products that will maintain and improve their health, and for the rights of retailers and suppliers to sell these products.
Vision:
The Natural Products Association strives to achieve a broader, more accessible marketplace for natural products that will improve the quality of life for consumers worldwide.
What's in a Name? A Whole Industry
StoweMark Stowe
Nutrition Cottage
Delray Beach, Fla.
Thomas Edison once said:
"If there's a way to do it better... find it."
Personally, I have always believed in "giving something back" to organizations, whether community, civic, church or business, that do a good job on your behalf. So, whenever I have "volunteered" either my personal or business time, I have committed to do so only with some degree of assurance that my efforts would be productive in assisting that organization in moving to a better level. None of these efforts has been as rewarding as my association with the Natural Products Association in recent years and its commitment to "find a better way to do it."
For 70 years and under five different names, our trade association has accomplished many great things and has fought and won significant battles not only for us as retailers but also for our customers and consumers. During this time, however, we have also missed opportunities to better enhance our positions and expand our influence and the passion we all share for the natural products industry. As a member of the Long Term Planning Task Force, a past president and as an independent natural foods retailer, I believe we have one of those positive opportunities before us right now with the proposed association name change and the updated mission and vision statements. These positive shifts are important in our 70th year as an association to assist us in more properly defining who we are, who we represent, what we do and how best we can evolve in continuing our efforts to improve and create better health for all. With membership at an all time high; financial strength significantly improving and an increasing presence and respected voice in Washington, D.C., your support in further positioning the new Natural Products Association as the premier voice in representing and advocating for all aspects of the industry and consumers is very important.
Mike Quinn
Kashi Company
La Jolla, Calif.
As crazy as it sounds, I know several colleagues who supply
natural foods that think the Natural Products Association just doesn't represent them. I believe a new name, particularly the one chosen--Natural Products Association--will be a big help in convincing potential members that we're their association, too.
Gary Barrows
Bluebonnet
Sugarland, Texas
As a dietary supplement manufacturer, I want the association that represents me to be as big as possible. Why? Because when a legislative or regulatory issue arises, the association that advocates for my rights should be dealing from a position of strength. The more members, the more voices will be heard. The name change to Natural Products Association communicates to the entire industry that our association represents them.
Cheryl Hughes
The Whole Wheatery
Lancaster, Calif.
Embracing change in a dynamic environment, the Natural Products Association has continued to morph into the sustainable leader of the natural products industry. Now with headquarters in Washington, D.C., the Natural Products Association has achieved a permanent presence and reliable resource to those who influence and set policy on Capitol Hill. The Natural Products Association, our 70-year old trade association of retailers, suppliers and manufacturers, has gained the respect we worked so hard for and is the voice for our industry. The change of name embraces and reflects this continued commitment to leadership and dedication to serve the ever growing natural products industry. Change from the National Nutritional Foods Association to the Natural Products Association underscores this commitment. Our trade association continues to set the standard and raise the bar.
Adrienne Mastrobattista
The Organic Warehouse
Bartonsville, Pa.
After many months of research and study, the National Nutritional Foods Association Long Term Planning Task Force recommended to the national board of directors a name change for our association to the Natural Products Association. The new name reflects our association's role as the leading voice in the natural products industry and encompasses our natural constituencies including dietary supplements, natural and organic foods, cosmetics, health and beauty, and environmental household and non-food products.
Debra Short
House of Health
Shawnee, Okla.
Meeting with members of Congress and even state legislators and being able to say that you're with the Natural Products Association sounds so much stronger. The Natural Products Association really does represent the entire natural products industry and its name should reflect that.
I've been a proud member of the National Nutritional Foods Association and will be an even prouder member of the Natural Products Association!
Rory Mahony
Nature's Way Products, Inc.
Springville, Utah
It is understandable that an organization that has always represented the natural products movement would want to adapt itself to optimally serve its customers who themselves are operating in a changing environment.
The world of natural products has changed over the decades. Looking just at the last 40 years, natural products businesses and movements were started as niche enterprises by the baby boom generation. They have moved from being known and accessible to a subset of the population to being available and understood by the broader population. Throughout the years, the specialty health food stores, who comprise the bulk of the Natural Products Association's membership, have remained strong, vibrant and growing with their focus on servicing the educated consumer. And in most cases this focus is not just on "nutritional" foods, but an array of products and services that grows wider every year.
As data from the Nutrition Business Journal shows, the
natural products industry has grown into a diverse multi-billion dollar industry. While the industry still attracts entrepreneurs starting new ventures there is also a process of consolidation underway. This is apparent both on the retail and manufacturing side.
Natural Products Association more succinctly portrays the audience the organization serves, namely the manufacturers of natural products and the retailers that market them.
Name Change
Why did the National Nutritional Foods Association change its name to the Natural Products Association?
With its diverse membership, the Natural Products Association has steadily been moving toward becoming the overarching trade association for manufacturers and retailers of natural products and it's time our name reflected that reality.
Has the Natural Products Association changed its name before?
Yes. The change to "Natural Products Association" will be the fifth name for the association since its inception in 1936.
Does a name change mean that the association is changing who can become members?
No. The criteria for becoming a member of the Natural Products Association remain the same.
Since we've made such strides recently in the advocacy area, doesn't changing the name create confusion on Capitol Hill about who we are?
Our strategic re-branding campaign will eliminate any confusion about who we are and who we represent for all our stakeholders, not just legislators. Another plus is that the name change will give us an opportunity to emphasize the broad base of support we have from not only our members, but the millions of consumers who use natural products.
Mission and Vision
Why did the Natural Products Association feel the need to update its mission statement?
Like most organizations, the Natural Products Association periodically reviews its mission statement. It had been almost 10 years since the last update to the mission statement and the association wanted to ensure it was still relevant.
Was something wrong with the old mission statement?
While the old statement captured much of what the new mission statement does, it was nearly a full page in length. The new statement is more succinct and easier to remember and articulate.
Aren't mission and vision statements the same thing?
Our mission states the following in the present: who we are, what we do, who we represent, what needs we fulfill, what we stand for and our purpose for being. The vision statement is our ideal position in the future and reflects what we want to become and represents goals worth "stretching" for.
How will the mission and vision statements be used?
We wanted our mission and vision statements to be living documents that would be incorporated into the association's yearly strategic planning process. Each year as the planning process begins, the association will revisit these statements to make sure the association's goals are in line with them.
Future Direction
Do all these changes mean that the Natural Products Association will be going after companies that have not traditionally been members of the association in the past?
The Natural Products Association is not changing its membership criteria from what they were while the association was the Natural Products Association. Recruitment efforts will continue to be focused on those who are currently eligible for membership.
Who do you want to become members who aren't already?
Because we want to remain the leading trade association for the natural products industry, we must continue to grow along with the industry. To do that, we will use the re-branding campaign as an opportunity to address incorrect perceptions about who the Natural Products Association is and the members it represents. For instance, some natural food companies who are eligible for membership mistakenly believed that the National Nutritional Foods Association did not represent their interests. Natural health and beauty companies had also not looked to the National Nutritional Foods Association to represent them as their products are not in the strictest sense "nutritional." Being called the Natural Products Association helps to alleviate these misconceptions about the breadth of our representation.
Will the association be able to adequately represent and advocate for all those who could potentially be members?
Yes. In fact, the Natural Products Association has already restructured some of its committees to ensure that all segments of the natural products industry will have an opportunity for input into the Natural Products Association's strategic direction.
Will current resources or programs within the association be changed or cut? For instance, dietary supplement legislation and regulations seem to get a lot of attention; will this change?
No. The Natural Products Association may give more attention to other categories of natural products, such as foods or health and beauty care, but not at the expense of another program area. The re-branding initiative is about expansion of services, not a reduction.
