In 1974, Jeanne Courtney took a leap of faith and set up a small supplement business out of her home garage. Initially built on selling strictly supplements, an expanded product line developed naturally after a few years of business, selling primarily to independent pharmacies. Five decades later, National Vitamin Company announced it had been acquired by the Kingdomway Group and is set to enter its next phase of evolution.
The early days
"We did a lot of business with the military, selling them the products that were available through their commissary," explains Courtney of the company's initial client base. They soon established relationships with boutique pharmacies, which later became their primary clientele. Eventually, changes in business models and technology led to a decline in sales, with more chain pharmacies taking over smaller pharmacies and customers opting for the convenience of online purchasing. "We were a little late to the internet game," says Courtney.
Though the industry was rapidly evolving, National Vitamin remained steadfast on its principles and leaned on relationships built throughout 50 years in business to stay abreast of the trends and products that resonated with new consumer segments. One connection, John Turner, would end up playing an integral part in the company's eventual sale to Kingdomway. With strong R&D and manufacturing capabilities, the ingredients manufacturer looked at the acquisition as a means of furthering its global health industry foothold.
When first presented with the opportunity, Courtney and daughter Chantel Garcia thought less about the economics and more about the extended family they had created with their 150 employees. "Our employees were and are like our family," shares Garcia. "Employees keeping their jobs after the transition was a non-negotiable for us."
After eight months of site visits and discussions, National Vitamin and Kingdomway agreed to terms and the deal became official. Garcia has remained on board with the company as VP of Administration and sees a promising road ahead for the company her mother built up from humble beginnings.
Looking to the future
"We see continued growth in store for the brand, with a greater presence online thanks to the Kingdomway resources," Garcia shares. "We are excited to gain a new customer base while continuing to serve those who made us who we are today."
