NOWR Foods is proud to announce the receipt of the Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) certification from the National Nutritional Foods Association (NNFA).

The National Nutritional Foods Association, the largest dietary supplement trade association in the United States, has implemented the GMP program as a means to strengthen the credibility of the industry.

Program Objectives:
The NNFA GMP Certification Program is designed to verify compliance of member suppliers of dietary supplements with a standardized set of good manufacturing practices (GMPs) developed by NNFA. This program is based upon third party inspections of member suppliers and comprehensive audits of their GMP programs in the areas of Personnel, Plant and Grounds, Sanitation, Equipment, Quality Operations, Production and Process Controls, Warehouse, Distribution, and Post-Distribution Practices. This program ensures that all elements of the manufacturing process are reviewed to provide reasonable assurance that processes are sufficiently controlled so that products meet their purported quality. Member suppliers that meet minimum NNFA GMP standards and have received an "A" compliance rating after an NNFA GMP audit will be entitled to apply for certification and use of the NNFA GMP seal. NNFA certification and display of the GMP seal demonstrates to retailers, consumers and the public-at-large that products have been manufactured using good manufacturing practices and bring a means of self-assessment to the dietary supplement industry. According to Jim Roza, Director of Quality Assurance for NOWR Foods, "The auditor, a 37 year veteran of the Food and Drug Administration, conducted an extensive three-day audit in June that examined every aspect of our manufacturing operation. He followed the raw materials from the time they reached our loading dock, through manufacturing to our finished product in the warehouse. Laboratory methods, testing for stability and potency and product formulations were all closely scrutinized for adherence to Good Manufacturing Practices." On July 6, 2000 the NNFA awarded NOWR Foods an "A" compliance rating, the highest achievable award.NOW Foods chose to undergo this assessment as a commitment to our customers that 'We make Quality Affordable'. The GMP seal on our label will assure our consumers that there is quality inside," stated Roza. NOWR Foods started in the 1940's when Paul Richard bought Fearn Soya Foods, a Chicago area manufacturer of grain and legume based products. In the 1960's the name was changed to NOWR Foods to reflect the growing consumer interest in nutritious products. NOWR stands for "Natural, Organic, and Wholesome". With the third generation of the Richard family active in the daily operation of the business, NOW has become one of the leading manufacturers of natural vitamins and nutritional supplements in the health food industry. In 1998, NOWR built a brand new 203,000 square foot production/distribution facility in suburban Chicago, the site where the GMP NNFA certification was awarded. This seal certifies that the manufacturer of this product uses quality systems and procedures that comply with NNFA's Dietary Supplement GMP standards. The quality of individual ingredients, however, has not been certified.