Salt Lake City, UT— After 34 years of advocating for the US dietary supplement industry, the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA) will cease operations at the end of 2026, the organization announced on June 30. UNPA President Loren Israelsen said he believes UNPA brought a “lasting learning” to the industry. “We brought a spirit of collaboration to everything that we did, and if there's one legacy I would like to see carried on in other organizations is to look at how we thought about working with others, being very collegial in what we do. We don't, we don't need to have our name on the banner of why something got done.”
Eight Utah supplement companies came together to found the Utah Natural Products Alliance in 1992, in an era of harsh enforcement actions by then-FDA Commissioner David Kessler. UNPA worked with Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch to advance the Health Freedom Act that eventually led to the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA) after Hatch joined Iowa Senator Tom Harkin to get the measure introduced and passed. The organization was renamed the United Natural Products Alliance in 2005 and has continued to advocate for dietary supplements in matters of FDA guidance and enforcement and state regulations, recently focusing on building relationships between domestic companies and China as both an exporter of finished ingredients and a buyer of US brands.
UNPA President Loren Israelsen spent over three decades advocating for the natural products industry.American Botanical Council founder Mark Blumenthal described UNPA as an organization focused on the “big picture,” and that being organized as an LLC allowed Israelsen to emphasize what he saw as the mission of the industry more than the business operations of members. “The fact that it is not a classic trade association in the official 501(c)(6) sense has given him a lot more agility, flexibility to be able to pivot quickly, start new projects, address things that need to be addressed publicly and/or privately, and he doesn't have to go through a challenging board approval process.”
Those abilities allowed Israelsen to bring UNPA to the forefront on pressing matters, Blumenthal said, noting of his longtime colleague that “everyone who has been and currently is in the vitamin supplement herb industry owes a debt of gratitude to Loren.” For ABC, the gratitude is fundamental. Blumenthal thanked Israelsen for helping find the money to launch the Council.
Israelsen noted that the organization’s mission had evolved, describing it as moving through phases, beginning with advocating for DSHEA and later how it was implemented, later transitioning to guiding the industry onto new commerce platforms as online sales rose in prominence. The last phase, Israelsen said, was to focus on modernizing the supply chain with an emphasis on transparency and quality. “We need a much more robust and reliable supply chain. What we'd been using, it was what was just laying around.”
Former UNPA employee Larissa Pavlick called the Alliance an organization keen on digging into on-the-ground action. Larissa Pavlick, who led regulatory analysis and education for UNPA, called her stint there inspiring. What made the difference, she said, was it wasn’t as focused on advocating for business interests as much as other trade associations might be. UNPA’s mission was to build a responsible industry rather than being a booster for a profitable industry. That meant curating a list of members that were interested in the same goal. “We brought all brands together, and it was a collaboration of efforts, and everyone was kind of pulling and driving towards the same thing,” Pavlick said.
The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) put out an official statement commenting on the news of Israelsen's retirement, the conclusion of UNPA, and extending their sincere appreciation to Israelsen, the UNPA team, and its members for their many contributions to the industry's growth and continued success.
"The Council for Responsible Nutrition (CRN) congratulates Loren Israelsen on an extraordinary career dedicated to advancing the dietary supplement industry. Loren's contributions to our industry are immeasurable. As one of the architects of the Dietary Supplement Health and Education Act (DSHEA), he helped establish the modern regulatory framework that continues to protect consumer access to dietary supplements while supporting innovation and responsible growth. His passion for advocacy, his deep understanding of public policy, and his unwavering commitment to the industry's future have left a lasting mark that will be felt for generations."
The official briefing went on to highlight the Israelsen's journey across the industry, "Throughout his career, Loren has challenged the industry to uphold high standards, invest in science, and never lose sight of the responsibility that comes with serving millions of consumers who rely on dietary supplements to support their health. Those are principles that transcend any one organization and continue to guide the industry's work today.
CRN also recognizes the important role the United Natural Products Alliance (UNPA) has played over the past three decades. We have worked closely with UNPA on numerous issues sharing a common commitment to strengthening the dietary supplement industry and preserving the framework established by DSHEA."
President and CEO of CRN, Steve Mister, went on to express his appreciation and respect for the organization's founder, "The dietary supplement industry is stronger because of Loren's vision, determination, and decades of service. His leadership helped shape the environment in which our industry has flourished, and his willingness to advocate tirelessly for responsible regulation and consumer access has earned the respect of colleagues across the industry. We congratulate Loren on a remarkable career and wish him every success as he begins this well-deserved next chapter."
The American Herbal Products Association (AHPA) released its own statement as well, thanking the longtime industry advocate for his leadership and close collaboration with the group, "Loren is an irreplaceable pillar of our industry whose vision, kindness, and unmatched dedication have guided us through our most defining chapters," said AHPA President & CEO Graham Rigby. "From trailblazing a path to Washington in the early days, to his close partnership with Michael McGuffin, Loren has always understood that our community is strongest when we work together. The natural products family owes an immense debt of gratitude to Loren and the UNPA team for their decades of service and transformative leadership."
Israelsen vowed he will not retreat from advocating for dietary supplements, with plans to continue collaborating on projects already established with other organizations with which UNPA has memorandums of understanding (MOUs). Leaving UNPA, Israelsen said, allows him to do that while also “turning off the phone” and exploring what it will mean to choose the entry points to industry matters about which he is most passionate. “I look at everything as blue sky,” he said.
But the doors haven’t shut on UNPA either, Israelsen noted. “A lot will happen between now and the end of the year... After 46 years in the dietary supplement industry, including 34 years leading UNPA, I am ready to explore the final chapter of my life,” he said. “For four decades, I have been climbing the mountain of advocacy. I now feel the call to see what life looks like on the other side of the mountain. I close this long chapter with gratitude and a deep appreciation for the journey that brought us here and the people who traveled that road together.
UNPA will hold its final member retreat mid-September and its final member meeting during SupplySide Global in Las Vegas in October.
