By Sheldon Baker05.01.17
Ms. McKinney has developed high quality products for American companies such as Costco, Sur La Table and Martha Stewart. Ms. McKinney turned to natural products in 2007, and now works with Vietnam’s top scientist Tram Nguyen, PhD, who developed Crila, an herbal supplement for prostate and uterine health. Key alkaloids in Dr. Nguyen’s patented cultivar and a patented extraction process differentiate Crila. Positive clinical outcomes and results with American consumers led Crila Health to support seed-to-shelf plantation expansion and construction of a GMP facility. Crila is sold online at www.crilahealth.com and through select practitioners. Ms. McKinney believes Crila is just the first of many potential Vietnamese medicinal herbs suited for the American market.
Health E-Insights: You have an interesting management structure.
Ms. McKinney: Crila Health is mostly composed of international professionals who have lived or worked in Vietnam. We met the doctor who developed Crila, the scientists who researched it, visited the plantations and confirmed the unique profile of the doctor’s proprietary cultivar. The backstory was fascinating. We satisfied ourselves regarding safety, and tried Crila with friends and family. We gained an appreciation for a medicinal herb no one had ever heard of, while recognizing the value of a beneficial supplement for prostate, menopause and uterine health. We enlisted scientific, medical and legal expertise to expand the research, protect the IP, and bring Crila to market in the U.S.
Health E-Insights: How do you define your corporate culture?
Ms. McKinney: Crila Health is committed to industry best practices and social responsibility. We are all stewards of this planet.
Health E-Insights: Do you consider Vietnam an untapped market for supplement research?
Ms. McKinney: Absolutely. The Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology is brimming with scientists, old and young, steeped in a rich 4,000-year tradition of botanical medicine. There are ample opportunities for companies to engage in mutually beneficial business development. Vietnam has over 4,000 species of plants categorized as medicinal herbs, but lacks fundamental experience in FDA requirements, western business practices and American consumer expectations. Those with a spirit of mutual respect and cultural sensitivity can tap the abundant biodiversity in Vietnam. I’ve now lived in Vietnam for over 22 years and can help.
Health E-Insights: The Crinum latifolium extraction process is unique to your products. Why?
Ms. McKinney: The basis of Crila is the patented cultivar, Crinum latifolium L var. crilae Tram and Khanh, which contains unique properties confirmed by DNA sequence testing at an American lab. Plus Crila is an extraction. A patented extraction process, developed over 30 years of research, safeguards what to leave in the formula, and what to remove. There are properties common to some Crinum varieties that may be harmful to male sexual health. These can be present in full leaf powders but are not in Crila. Additionally, the Crila label clearly specifies the potency of certain alkaloids and flavonoids standardized in our formula.
Health E-Insights: What’s your most popular product?
Ms. McKinney: Although the Crila in each product is identical, the Crila for prostate label is by far the winning product. It’s understandable when you consider 50% of American men by the age of 50 begin to experience declining prostate function, and they haven’t seen anything new to support natural prostate function since saw palmetto, which many researchers conclude is no more effective than a placebo. Although nothing works for everyone, we were skeptical at first about 89% of men in an uncontrolled clinical trial reporting benefits after only 60 days, but these results have been borne out in the commercial marketplace.
Health E-Insights: What is your company’s competitive advantage?
Ms. McKinney: Crila Health is the exclusive distributor of a proprietary product that enjoys exceptional consumer validation. Once they’ve used Crila, the majority of our customers choose to make Crila a part of their daily wellness plan for years to come.
Health E-Insights: What excites you most about your company?
Ms. McKinney: Hearing from our customers. Many report the night-and-day difference Crila has brought to everyday quality of life. Ongoing research portends even more exciting results in the coming months and years.
Health E-Insights: Who has had the biggest influence in your company?
Ms. McKinney: The first kudos go to Dr. Nguyen in Vietnam for her many years of persistence against very hard conditions. The second remarkable fact is that I ended up in Vietnam for the last 22 years to witness and take part in Vietnam’s re-emergence onto the world stage. It has been a privilege to be a part of Vietnam’s vibrant economic growth. Come and see for yourself.
Sheldon Baker is CEO of the Baker Dillon Group LLC and has created numerous nutraceutical marketing communications and public relations campaigns for many well-known companies and brands. For Health E-Insights interview consideration and campaign development, contact him at SBaker@BakerDillon.com.
Health E-Insights: You have an interesting management structure.
Ms. McKinney: Crila Health is mostly composed of international professionals who have lived or worked in Vietnam. We met the doctor who developed Crila, the scientists who researched it, visited the plantations and confirmed the unique profile of the doctor’s proprietary cultivar. The backstory was fascinating. We satisfied ourselves regarding safety, and tried Crila with friends and family. We gained an appreciation for a medicinal herb no one had ever heard of, while recognizing the value of a beneficial supplement for prostate, menopause and uterine health. We enlisted scientific, medical and legal expertise to expand the research, protect the IP, and bring Crila to market in the U.S.
Health E-Insights: How do you define your corporate culture?
Ms. McKinney: Crila Health is committed to industry best practices and social responsibility. We are all stewards of this planet.
Health E-Insights: Do you consider Vietnam an untapped market for supplement research?
Ms. McKinney: Absolutely. The Vietnamese Academy of Science and Technology is brimming with scientists, old and young, steeped in a rich 4,000-year tradition of botanical medicine. There are ample opportunities for companies to engage in mutually beneficial business development. Vietnam has over 4,000 species of plants categorized as medicinal herbs, but lacks fundamental experience in FDA requirements, western business practices and American consumer expectations. Those with a spirit of mutual respect and cultural sensitivity can tap the abundant biodiversity in Vietnam. I’ve now lived in Vietnam for over 22 years and can help.
Health E-Insights: The Crinum latifolium extraction process is unique to your products. Why?
Health E-Insights: What’s your most popular product?
Ms. McKinney: Although the Crila in each product is identical, the Crila for prostate label is by far the winning product. It’s understandable when you consider 50% of American men by the age of 50 begin to experience declining prostate function, and they haven’t seen anything new to support natural prostate function since saw palmetto, which many researchers conclude is no more effective than a placebo. Although nothing works for everyone, we were skeptical at first about 89% of men in an uncontrolled clinical trial reporting benefits after only 60 days, but these results have been borne out in the commercial marketplace.
Health E-Insights: What is your company’s competitive advantage?
Ms. McKinney: Crila Health is the exclusive distributor of a proprietary product that enjoys exceptional consumer validation. Once they’ve used Crila, the majority of our customers choose to make Crila a part of their daily wellness plan for years to come.
Health E-Insights: What excites you most about your company?
Ms. McKinney: Hearing from our customers. Many report the night-and-day difference Crila has brought to everyday quality of life. Ongoing research portends even more exciting results in the coming months and years.
Health E-Insights: Who has had the biggest influence in your company?
Ms. McKinney: The first kudos go to Dr. Nguyen in Vietnam for her many years of persistence against very hard conditions. The second remarkable fact is that I ended up in Vietnam for the last 22 years to witness and take part in Vietnam’s re-emergence onto the world stage. It has been a privilege to be a part of Vietnam’s vibrant economic growth. Come and see for yourself.
Sheldon Baker is CEO of the Baker Dillon Group LLC and has created numerous nutraceutical marketing communications and public relations campaigns for many well-known companies and brands. For Health E-Insights interview consideration and campaign development, contact him at SBaker@BakerDillon.com.
