Company maintains commitment to quality, integrity, and social responsibility within the nutritional supplement industry.

Number of Employees: 150

Company Description/Mission: “At Carlson, our mission is to empower families globally to make informed choices for a healthier future by providing education and a diverse selection of high-quality, science-based nutritional supplements. As a trusted brand, we are dedicated to supporting the unique health needs of individuals at every stage of life. Our commitment to excellence originates from our founder’s vision and drives us to continuously advance in research, quality standards, and customer satisfaction.”

Carlson Labs began in founder Susan Carlson’s Chicago apartment in 1965 with a single vitamin E product, and has since grown to offer more than 300 vitamins, minerals, omega-3s, kids’ products, and other dietary supplements. The company is still family-owned and female-led by Susan’s two daughters Carilyn and Kirsten.

“My mom, Susan Carlson, was a young entrepreneur with big dreams,” said President Carilyn Anderson. “She was one of two women to graduate as a pharmacist from Purdue University in 1963. In 1965, she began Carlson Nutritional Supplements from her small Chicago apartment. It was so exciting growing up and watching the company flourish into a world-renowned brand recognized for its superior quality.”

Anderson said she developed a strong interest in supplements and their health benefits early on, attending trade shows with her whole family. “After graduating college, I began my career at Carlson working in the sales and marketing departments and always played a role in product development. Today, as I lead the company, my mom is still an incredible source of motivation for me, and it’s been a wonderful experience carrying forward what she built just as she envisioned.”

Company Evolution

Carlson continues to evolve to meet the ever-changing demands of the modern market, noted  Vice President Kirsten Carlson. “The company was born out of Susan Carlson’s vision and commitment to providing pure, quality nutritional supplements. As the health landscape transformed over the years, so did we.”

Recognizing the importance of omega-3s, “we helped launch the omega-3 market in North America, importing the first high-quality, wild-caught, sustainably sourced fish oils from Norway,” said Carlson.

“We also introduced the first liquid vitamin D drop,” she added.“In 2009, we released a new marine oil sourced from a sustainable calamari species, and today, we continue to offer innovative new products that cater to diverse nutritional needs. Our journey reflects not only our adaptability but also our unwavering dedication to quality and wellness that resonates with today’s health-conscious consumers seeking reliable nutritional supplements.”

Female Entrepreneurship

Navigating the supplement industry as female business leaders has been “challenging but rewarding,” said Anderson. “In an industry that can be clouded with misinformation and unverified claims, it required us very early on to not only be highly knowledgeable about our own products but also to stay up-to-date with the latest scientific research and regulatory changes.”

For other young female entrepreneurs looking to make their mark in the industry, Anderson offered this advice: “always strive for transparency and integrity. Build your brand around providing reliable information and high-quality products that genuinely benefit consumers’ health. And never underestimate the power of resilience; obstacles are inevitable, but they’re also invaluable opportunities for innovation and improvement.”

Carlson is a WBENC-Certified Women’s Business Enterprise and a member of Women in Nutraceuticals (WIN). Last fall the company announced a partnership with local Chicago soccer stars Defender Arin Wright and Midfielder Vanessa DiBernardo stating, “Carlson is proud to support Chicagoland area women in sports who are dedicated to their health and wellness and is honored to play a part in their fitness routine.”

A Unique Year

2022 was a unique year for many companies in the dietary supplement industry, including Carlson.

“The main factors that influenced our business were supply chain disruptions and an increase in health-conscious consumers due to the global pandemic,” Anderson said. “We had to adapt by diversifying our suppliers and ramping up production on certain products to meet the growing demand.”

Despite these challenges, the company has seen growth and is optimistic for 2023. “With more people prioritizing their health and wellness and our plans to continue launching innovative new products, we believe next year will be even better,” she added.

Portfolio

Since its founding, Carlson has been dedicated to providing high-quality products. Today the company offers more than 300 products to meet a range of nutritional needs. Carlson products feature third-party certifications and are tested by an FDA-registered laboratory for potency and quality.

The company’s approach to innovation and new product development is rooted in a commitment to health and wellness, according to Jared Thorson, vice president of sales and marketing.

“We believe in the power of scientific research and advancements to guide us in creating cutting-edge nutritional supplements that cater to the unique needs of our customers. Our strategy for bringing new products to market involves rigorous testing and quality assurance processes, ensuring we uphold our award-winning standards.”

In a dynamic industry, staying ahead of competition means “continually evolving, researching, and adapting to meet the ever-changing health requirements and the needs of our consumers,” Thorson added.

Carlson launched several new products this year, including DHA with Choline, blending sustainably sourced herring caviar oil and omega-3s to provide the 3:1 DHA to EPA ratio naturally found in breastmilk. The company also debuted an at-home A1C Blood Sugar Test Kit in partnership with OmegaQuant, an independent CLIA-certified lab.

Other recent and notable product introductions include a Vegetarian DHA supplement from marine algae oil that offers 910 mg of DHA in a half teaspoon serving, as well as the ACES + Omega formula, which contains antioxidant vitamins A, C, and E, plus selenium, 300 mg of EPA, and 200 mg of DHA from Norwegian fish oil concentrate. The company’s new Super DPA formula offers 2,420 mg of total omega-3s, including 300 mg of DPA, which emerging research shows potential benefits for cognitive function, mental wellbeing, and cardiovascular health.

Sustainability and Transparency

Alongside delivering high-quality products, the company said it is committed to sustainability and ethical sourcing from around the globe. “Since we helped launch the omega-3 market in the early 1980s, we’ve always used low-impact fisheries with ethical practices and sustainable methods,” Thorson said. The company and its suppliers hold Friend of the Sea (FOS) certification.

“Sustainability is important for our products, operations, and decision-making processes,” he added. “We understand the critical role we play in the nutritional supplement industry, and we are committed to ensuring our practices have minimal environmental impact while maximizing health benefits for our consumers.”

This means sourcing sustainable ingredients, reducing waste, and promoting energy efficiency in production. “We’ve seen increased consumer awareness and demand for transparency in sourcing and manufacturing processes,” Thorson noted. “We have always been fully transparent on our labels.”

Recognizing the impact of plastic waste on the environment, Carson began a “plastic neutral journey” with a mission to offset the plastic in its products. Today, the full Carlson product line is “recyclable and 100% plastic neutral,” according to the company. As a result of its partnerships, Carlson said it has helped eliminate more than a quarter of a million pounds of plastic from waterways.

“We work with 21 fishing ports, 229 fishing vessels, and 1,300 fishermen and women who collect, recycle, upcycle and integrate plastic back into the circular economy,” said Thorson. “This process required us to rethink our operations and make adjustments, but knowing that our actions contribute positively to a healthier planet makes every effort worthwhile.”

Future Expectations

Carlson is committed to continuing its legacy of innovation and quality in the nutritional supplement industry. “We are excited about the future of the industry and are constantly exploring new ways to meet health needs,” said Thorson. “Our dedicated team is hard at work researching and developing groundbreaking products that combine science-backed ingredients with our award-winning quality standards.”

Thorston also noted increasing interest in personalized nutrition. “We offer many nutrition solutions tailored to individual health needs and lifestyle factors,” he said. “We’re excited by these trends as they align perfectly with our mission to offer unique products designed specifically for families’ distinct nutritional needs.”