Number of Employees: Approximately 2,200
Parent Organization: Otsuka Pharmaceutical Co., Ltd.

Key Products and Brands:
• Nature Made
• MegaFood
• Equelle
• Uqora
• Bonafide

As a pioneer in the health and wellness industry, Pharmavite has been committed to “bringing the gift of health to life” for more than 50 years. Through its brands (Nature Made, Mega-Food, Equelle, Uqora, and Bonafide), Pharmavite has worked to earn the trust of consumers, healthcare professionals, and retailers by developing innovative vitamin and supplement solutions that are backed by science and adhere to strict manufacturing practices.

In 2002, Nature Made became the first VMS brand to be verified by USP, an independent third party that ensures products meet strict quality standards. Nature Made continues to carry USP verification on a variety of products, including gummies.

With over 90 products currently holding the USP Dietary Supplement Verified Mark, Nature Made has more USP-verified offerings than any other national vitamin brand. The company said it’s committed to increasing the quantity of products reviewed and verified by USP as the brand’s vitamin and supplement lineup evolves and expands.

Nature Made continues to be an industry leader and the #1 Pharmacist Recommended Vitamin and Supplement brand in various product segments. From developing its own products to partnering with emerging technologies and companies in the wellness industry, Nature Made is driving innovation to discover potential nutrient gaps in consumers’ lives and creating products to fill them.

In 2014, Pharmavite acquired premium supplement brand MegaFood. As a certified B Corporation and member of 1% for the Planet, the brand is driven by a belief in the power of plants to nurture human health, and the planet’s health, too. Following the acquisition of MegaFood, Pharmavite continued to prioritize innovation and growth in order to support its consumers and move the industry forward.

“Part of our transformation to become more multidimensional included broadening our portfolio to serve the historically underserved area of women’s health, with Equelle, Uqora, and Bonafide Health,” said Pharmavite CEO Jeff Boutelle. “With our most recent acquisition of Bonafide Health, Pharmavite is now the nation’s leading women’s health nutraceutical company, signaling a new era of innovation and science-based solutions for
this underserved area.”

According to the company, all of Pharmavite’s brands are experiencing growth, particularly Nature Made, which this year hit a new record in terms of market share.

“Consumers are continuing to turn to our brands on their health and wellness journeys, and through our extensive work with consumers, we’ve learned that, first and foremost, they’re looking for high-quality, efficacious offerings,” said Boutelle. “These findings reaffirm Pharmavite’s commitment to delivering high-quality, science-backed vitamin and supplement solutions our consumers can trust, as well as our prioritization of investments like USP Verification to provide consumers with the peace of mind they deserve.”

New & Noteworthy
Nature Made: Pharmavite recently launched a new campaign focused on gummies called “Self-Care Made Easy.” This campaign is intended to raise awareness of Nature Made gummies that are available in multiple segments to support consumers’ wellness goals. Nature Made also recently launched two innovations in the gummy space: Advanced Multivitamins and Zero Sugar Gummies, in response to gaps identified in the market.

According to the company, Nature Made Advanced Multivitamin Gummies provide 60% more nutrients than Nature Made Multivitamin Gummies, and Zero Sugar Gummies deliver the support of current Nature Made Gummies, including USP verification, for those who want a sugar-free option.

MegaFood. In 2024, MegaFood unveiled a modern and distinctive new look embracing its “plant-powered, planet-first mission.” The brand also expanded and strengthened its brand standards to provide greater transparency on product formulations, sourcing, packaging, shipping, and other initiatives.
Adding to a growing portfolio of science-backed offerings, MegaFood launched 17 new products in 2024, including its Superfood Mushroom line, featuring four doctor-formulated SKUs made with 100% fruiting body mushrooms designed to support focus, immune health, energy, and stress relief.

The Superfood Mushroom Stress Relief SKU underwent a gold standard clinical study, which the company said was “the largest randomized double-blind study ever conducted on the effects of reishi mushroom.” Results showed the product reduced stress in as little as 5 weeks.

Uqora. Pharmavite’s urinary tract health brand, Uqora, is on a mission to help consumers on their journeys to “Brighter days ahead.” In September, Uqora expanded its retail presence by launching into 7,600 Walgreens stores nationwide and online at Walgreens.com. It also debuted a new supplement, In Control Bladder Support, to support healthy bladder function.

The product marks Uqora’s first foray into a new category of urinary care. Recognizing the need for proactive solutions, Uqora developed a scientifically-tested and clinically-studied
formulation designed to reduce urinary urgency, frequency, and occasional accidents or leaks associated with normal aging, offering 24-hour support. Featuring a patented herbal blend, In Control provides results in as little as 2 weeks, according to the company.

Bonafide. A women’s healthcare company that provides hormone-free, clinically researched solutions to effectively relieve perimenopause and menopause symptoms, Bonafide launched its newest innovation in September. Thermella is a hormonefree, prescription-free supplement that is a neurokinin 3 receptor (NK3R) antagonist, working with the same mechanism of action as current prescription options.

This product has been clinically tested to reduce vasomotor symptoms, such as hot flashes and night sweats, and provides women affordable access to safe, effective menopause relief, the company said.

Goals and Growth
For 2025 and beyond, Pharmavite and its brands plan to double down on growth and innovation.

“We continue to see opportunities to drive Nature Made’s growth by bringing in more households as we aim to spread our mission and bring the gift of health to life for more consumers,” said Boutelle. “Innovation will continue to be a focus for us as there are spaces beyond letter vitamins where Nature Made can grow to better serve our consumers’ holistic wellness needs in ways that fit into their lifestyles.”

A key milestone for next year will be the opening of Pharmavite’s new facility in New Albany, OH, which will focus on gummy vitamin production for Nature Made and MegaFood and will be the site of the company’s Gummy Innovation Center of Excellence.

“As the nation’s leading women’s health nutraceutical company,” Boutelle said, “we will also continue to work towards our vision for women’s health, which is to improve quality of life for women by addressing underserved, stigmatized conditions, such as urinary care and menopause, with scientifically supported products loved by consumers and endorsed by healthcare practitioners.”

The company’s approach to women’s health is grounded in three focus areas, he added: conducting impactful research; breaking down social stigma; and educating and building relationships with healthcare practitioners.

Overall, as demand continues to grow, Boutelle said: “Natural products can have a profound impact on public health by playing a critical role in helping people fill nutrient gaps due to poor diet, environmental factors, or specific health conditions.”

Consumers are looking for high-quality, efficacious offerings, he noted, which aligns with Pharmavite’s commitment to delivering high-quality, science-backed vitamin and supplement solutions that consumers can trust.

Trust, Values, and Innovation
Part of Pharmavite’s 50+ years of credibility and trust in the industry is due to its core beliefs and operating values, said Boutelle. “Trust is everything in VMS, and we don’t take that for granted. This belief is reflected in our responsible and sustainable sourcing practices, with our sourcing program focusing on how our suppliers perform in four key areas: Environment, Labor & Human Rights, Ethics, and Sustainable Procurement.”’

One of the core beliefs at Pharmavite is that “you can’t have trust without truth,” he added. “Our credibility has been built on highquality ingredients and backed by 50 years of research, science, and innovation. It has been our experience that consumers do value quality and transparency; therefore, it is important that reputable brands reinforce and educate consumers on those things.”

At the same time, bringing new products to market that meet current consumer needs and align with the standards of industry experts that play such an essential role in consumers’ wellness journeys is central to Nature Made’s consumer-centric strategy. “Pharmavite’s portfolio of specialty brands is also laser focused on innovation to support specific consumer segments and need states, giving us the opportunity to drive the industry forward,” said Boutelle.

Transparency and truth run across the business, he added, from sourcing to manufacturing to marketing.

The company has committed to 100% recycled or plant-based PET bottles by 2030. To that end, it’s exploring opportunities in the use of recycled PET (rPET) and plant-based resins, as well as total plastic reduction principles, including light-weighting of PET bottles and non-plastic bottle formats.

Further, Pharmavite routinely assesses suppliers across these areas to ensure they are aligned with its business practices and standards. To affirm that suppliers address their responsibilities across four key focus areas, all contracts include language regarding compliance with the company’s Supplier Code of Conduct.

“We consider a supplier’s performance in our RFP process and seek to ensure our suppliers continually raise the bar with respect to their compliance with best practices, especially in the ever-changing environmental, human/labor rights, ethical, and
sustainable landscape,” said Boutelle.

Pharmavite is looking at the potential impact and implications for AI across the business, “but we’re also being thoughtful and methodical about the roll-out,” said Boutelle. “In innovation, we’re always consumer-led, and if there are areas where AI can unlock new possibilities that align with our priorities and values, then that’s a win.”

In terms of innovation and R&D, Boutelle said the company is leveraging AI to increase the speed in which it can screen compounds, as well as to understand how ingredients and compounds from foods impact metabolic pathways in the human body. “The predictability of AI allows us to screen thousands of compounds in hours, versus the traditional way of screening, which may take months.”