Rainbow Light Nutritional Systems, Santa Cruz, CA, has taken the next step in solidifying its clean label supplement brand. The company’s Certified Line indicates which ingredients are Certified Organic, and which are Non-GMO Project Verified, with front of package labeling as specific as “Contains 71% certified organic ingredients” for its Men’s Multivitamin. This level of detail speaks to growing consumer demand for more information about their foods and supplements.
 
“I think consumers are pushing for transparency,” said Linda Kahler, president of Rainbow Light. “There is an overwhelming amount of confusion among consumers in the marketplace about vitamins, minerals and botanical supplements in general, and especially around organic and GMOs. Considering the profusion of different organic and GMO claims, seals and verification paths, it’s not surprising that people are unsure what it all means.”
 
The “free-from” trend is growing among consumers, even if they’re not entirely sure what the term “clean label” truly means. A survey from Nutrition Business Journal reported that only 23% of consumers said they have heard of the phrase “clean label,” and have a vague notion of what it might mean. However, even if they’re fuzzy on the specifics, 83% said they were actively avoiding certain ingredients such as high-fructose corn syrup, while 71% looked to avoid artificial colors and flavors.
 
The Natural Marketing Institute (NMI) reported there is a growing concern among consumers regarding the impact that GMOs have on their personal health. The market research firm’s 2014 report on genetically modified organisms found that 61% of surveyed consumers said GMOs impact their personal health, up from 51% the previous year. Fifty-three percent of respondents said GMOs also impact the environment, and 38% said they impacted both personal health and the environment.
 
This growing consumer trend has led Rainbow Light to double down on its commitment to premium ingredients and transparent labeling.
 
Ms. Kahler noted, “Rainbow Light has been committed to providing the highest quality, most effective supplements, as well as clear, honest information about their benefits, since its introduction of the first natural, food-based vitamins more than 30 years ago. We want to help consumers make the most educated, health-conscious purchasing choices by providing greater transparency. And to us, transparency equals specific.”
 
The Benefits of Coming Clean
By relying on organic and non-GMO ingredients Rainbow Light sees clear benefits for consumers, but also the industry at large.
 
Michele McRae, certified nutritionist and senior director of new product development at Rainbow Light, noted “One clear benefit in using certified organic, non-GMO ingredients is that it increases the availability of these raw materials industry-wide, which in turn makes it easier for manufacturers to source these ingredients and ultimately, answers our customers demand for these types of products.”
 
The company’s roots in the organic movement date back to 2007, as Rainbow Light has sourced certified organic, non-GMO spirulina as its primary food base since 2007. Ms. McRae added, “We’ve been working with Quality Assurance International for organic certification and with the Non-GMO Project, North America’s only third-party verification and labeling for non-GMO food and products, since 2011.” Rainbow Light is also a contributing member of the Non-GMO Dietary Supplement Working Group.
 
While the company is firmly committed to this level of transparency and purity in its products, it’s by no means an easy feat. “Sourcing certified organic, non-GMO ingredients is a very lengthy, rigorous process, and it’s not currently possible to obtain documentation and certification for every ingredient,” explained Ms. McRae. “This affects the time it takes to bring a formula to market. At Rainbow Light, our priority is in formulating products with therapeutic, proven ingredient potencies that deliver a meaningful health benefit. This is what makes our Certified Line unique in the market: we pack these products with unparalleled, therapeutic potencies of organic ingredients, micronutrients, and food and herbal blends that deliver targeted health benefits, more advanced nutritional support, liver support and greater energy.”
 
When sourcing organic and non-GMO ingredients, Ms. Kahler explained that in some cases it’s just a matter of pushing suppliers toward the proper documentation. “We’ve been building our source-documentation ingredient library for years, which has put pressure on the supply chain to be able to develop and deliver this documentation,” she said. “In some cases, the ingredient has been non-GMO all along, but the rigor of documentation wasn’t available. As the #1 most trusted natural brand (Weist & Co., 2014), the pressure we’ve put on the supply chain has helped to move the industry towards greater transparency and non-GMO documentation for everyone.” Ms. Kahler added, “After all, a rising tide lifts all boats.”
 
Despite the work it takes to produce clean label supplements, so far this investment seems to be worth it for Rainbow Light. Ms. Kahler said that Rainbow Lights retail partners and customers have been enthusiastic about the Certified Line’s introduction of its Non-GMO Project Verified products.
 
Next Steps…
Rainbow Light said it will continue to pursue further developing its Certified Line to meet the growing demands of consumers who are looking for fewer and easily recognizable ingredients on product labels. Ms. McRae noted that the company is “taking advantage of the newest innovative trends and technologies, exploring new certified organic, more food-like excipients for our tablets and capsules, as well as a certified organic coating for tablets.”
 
In addition, she credited the company’s vertically integrated manufacturing process as a critical component for ensuring the quality of its products. She noted, “Our NSF-certified, GMP-compliant and certified organic manufacturing facility allows us to achieve the highest level of quality, purity and efficacy for our formulas because we aren’t contracting them out to be produced by a third party.”
 
She believes the path forward will be bright for the company, as more consumers become aware of the importance of natural, organic and non-GMO ingredients in promoting overall health. “It is exciting that there are so many new innovations, driven by consumers who want non-GMO and certified organic products, which aligns directly with our core values.”
 
Capsugel’s Clean Label Investment
To help companies like Rainbow Light deliver clean label solutions, Capsugel, Morristown, NJ, recently invested more than $25 million to increase production capacity and deliver further quality enhancements for its vegetarian capsules. 
 
“Consumers’ appetite for clean-label products is at an all-time high, and continuing to grow. This trend has contributed to a significant increase in demand for high-quality vegetarian capsules,” said Guido Driesen, president and CEO, Capsugel. “By continuing to invest in capacity and quality, we are further strengthening our ability to meet the growing demand we are seeing from customers around the world.”
 
Capsugel’s vegetarian portfolio includes Vcaps, Vcaps Plus, DRcaps and Plantcaps capsules, all of which are preservative-free, GMO-ingredient-free and gluten-free. The company is investing in all four products, with a particular emphasis on ramping up production of its premium Vcaps Plus vegetarian capsules,
 
“Given our size and scale, Capsugel has an unmatched ability to address global market demand by significantly expanding our production capacity,” said Erasmo Schutzer, senior vice president and chief marketing officer, Capsugel. “We are committed to investing in the production capacity, technology and quality systems necessary to continue delivering high-quality, innovative solutions to our customers.”