Flora: An important new innovation; GreenCaps+
Flora
An important new innovation; GreenCaps+
By Carlos Weigle
Issue: June/July 2011
Adapting to change: that’s probably one of the key factors to keeping any business alive in a highly competitive market. Even more so if that business belongs to the natural health industry, where consumers “fall in and out of love” with products very quickly and where scientific discoveries are made almost on a daily basis.
In the case of Flora, the ability to adapt to those changes is joined by a deep-rooted tradition and a commitment to quality. Its history goes back almost a century, to Germany, where Dr. Otto Greither, grandfather of the current owner Thomas Greither, dedicated his life to the discovery, production and distribution of natural health products.
Such a strong legacy was bound to live on. Thomas Greither, who ran a natural foods store in Burlington, Vermont, always wanted to follow on his grandfather’s steps and create his own line of products. His wish came true when he took over the reins of Flora in Burnaby, British Columbia, in the mid 1980’s. The company first started distributing herbal remedies from Europe, at a time when those kinds of products were far from popular in Canada.
Soon Flora started its own line of herbal therapeutic teas – the first of that kind to be prepared in our country – which eventually found its place among consumers. Evolution kept moving the company forward. In 1986, Flora produced the first truly cold-pressed, unrefined oils for medicinal use or food preparation. Just two years later, it expanded into the U.S. by opening a manufacturing facility in Lynden, Wash.
That operation proved to be a very smart move. According to Larry Catton, the company’s VP, Business Development, “nowadays, and based on the size of the U.S. market, our operation there is outpacing the one in Canada.”
Another differentiation point that really set Flora apart is the fact that it grows its own herbs, mostly on farms in Washington state and Chile. Catton summarizes the company’s philosophy in that respect: “It’s ‘from seed to shelf’... “We are very integrated with our own farms, processing, manufacturing and distribution, so we always try to be cognizant of our impact on the environment and try to reduce our carbon footprint.”
Producing their own raw materials has also provided Flora with an invaluable gift: consumer’s trust. “It really gives us good credibility,” adds Catton, “and gives the consumer some sense of comfort as we are in control of the process throughout the manufacturing cycle.”
The same amount of care that goes into their farms is dedicated to pick other farmers’ herbs. As Thomas Greither points out, “if we buy from another farm, we know what seed they used, and we always receive herbs in the whole form. You can tell if they were dried and handled properly. Most companies buy powdered herbs.”
The ability to adapt provides the company with the tools to always keep ahead of the game. That meant selling its protein product unit two years ago and focusing on a very exciting new project: vegetable-based soft gel capsules. GreenCaps+ targets not only the increasing vegetarian/vegan market, but also large sectors of the population concerned with animal by-products. The potential growth of GreenCaps+ is so that it’s being run as an independent business unit.
Even though there are other vegetable-based soft gel capsules in the market, Catton believes their product to be unique, “since it’s made from carrageenan (seaweed extract) and it’s all natural, versus other products you’ll find in the market today.”
It also addresses some concerns about the presence of heavy metals in similar kinds of capsules. “We are meeting and exceeding specifications and requirements such as the ones included in California’s Proposition 65,” explains Catton. “We also conform to the purity criteria listed in European directives; the total of heavy metals present in our capsules fall well below any existing criteria. We are very confident in the fact that we don’t have that obstacle.”
The new capsules are already being used in Flora products and will soon be used by other manufacturers. In fact, there are a few multinational companies interested in buying GreenCaps+ soft gel capsules, which can obviously turn into a very lucrative initiative.
Still, Flora tries not to lose sight of the company’s core strategy. So when they talk about expansion plans, they mean expanding within the stores they already service, not venturing into big store chains. As Catton points out: “We believe that focusing on natural outlets is beneficial not only for our products but also for our customers. The people who manage or work at those stores with our assistance are very knowledgeable in regards to the products, how to take them and for what reasons.”
Aside from GreenCaps+, Flora will continue focusing on some of its best-selling lines - Udo’s Choice oils and other products, Salus tonics – and introducing new products.
The company will also keep the focus on the quality of its products, which are manufactured in accordance with GMP standards. Flora’s facilities – including a 40,000-square foot facility in Burnaby and a 22,000 one in Lynden, Wash. – and manufacturing procedures are in compliance with all regulatory agencies in Canada and the U.S. In addition, Flora is a certified organic producer and processor, overseen by the third-party certifying agency, Quality Assurance International (QIA).
Flora is a clear example that change and tradition are not mutually exclusive; that in fact, they can go hand in hand to create something exceptional.