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In 1948, with the natural food
and supplement industry in its
infancy, an entrepreneur named
Paul Richard bought Fearn-Soya
Foods, a manufacturer of grain
and legume-based products in
the Chicago area, for $900.
Thus began a six-decade legacy
of supplying consumers
nationwide with high-quality,
affordable nutritional products.
Paul carefully nurtured his
fledgling business until 1960,
when his son, Elwood Richard,
inherited part ownership in
Fearn and became the company’s
president. Elwood adopted his
father’s ideals concerning
health and well being,
including his vision of making
quality supplements and
natural foods available to the
public at prices they could
afford. Elwood opened the
first of many Fruitful Yield
retail stores in the Chicago
area devoted to natural
products, and, as time passed,
both Fearn-Soya and the
company’s retail chain grew
and prospered under Elwood’s
leadership.
As the industry grew, Elwood
was surprised to find Fearn
products in a local
supermarket sold at prices
lower than his own store. He
realized that he must change
his business strategy to
compete with the larger retail
chains. Elwood vowed that high
prices would never again drive
customers from health food
stores. It was time for a
health food store committed to
courteous service, in-depth
knowledge of natural products
and better nutritional value
at affordable prices.
Elwood began manufacturing his
own supplements to increase
savings that he could then
pass along to the consumer.
These products were labeled
under the NOW® brand, which
stands for Nutrition for
Optimal Wellness; values that
define the original vision of
Paul Richard, and hold true to
this day.
From these humble beginnings,
NOW Foods has grown from a
fledgling regional brand to a
leader in the natural food and
supplement industry with an
inventory of over 1,800
products, including
nutritional supplements,
natural foods, supporting
literature and retail supplies.
Today, it is more important
than ever that nutritional
products be sold by
specialized retailers with
comprehensive knowledge of the
many different vitamins, herbs
and functional foods flooding
the marketplace. Independent
health food store owners and
their staff are knowledgeable
about dietary supplements and
have the resources to offer
personalized service to help
consumers realize health
through supplementation. |
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