Business View Magazine Jan-2019

144 By Daniel Fabricant, Ph.D., President and CEO of the Natu- ral Products Association T he NPAwas founded in 1936 to promote and protect the unique values and shared interests of retailers,manufacturers, and suppliers of natural nutritional foods and products, and today is the leading trade association for the growing dietary supplements industry, an estimated $45 billion-dollar market in the U.S.We are the oldest and largest trade association for this seg- ment, representing over 1,100 members that range frommany small and women-owned businesses to national retailers who help make, sell, distribute, and develop new and better products for Americans who are increasingly interested in using natural products over chemical and synthetic alternatives. We are proud to say, unequivocally, that the state of the natural products industry is strong. In recent years the natural products industry has transformed into a major engine of economic growth, customer satisfaction, and job creation in the U.S. Today, America is the undisputed global leader in natural products and dietary supplements.